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רִבֵּעַ

𐤓𐤁𐤏

ribbêaʻ

H7256 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ר-ב-ע to be four, to divide into four, to make fourfold

Definition

A person of the fourth generation in a genealogical sequence; specifically, the great-great-grandchild. By extension, used to designate the fourth instance or occurrence in a series, especially in genealogies or family lines.

Semantic Range

fourth in succession, great-great-grandchild, fourth generation descendant, fourth in a sequence

Root / Etymology

From the root רבע (ר-ב-ע), which core meaning is 'to be four, to divide in fours, to lie down.' The form רִבֵּעַ is a noun formation denoting the individual at the fourth generation, derived by nominalization from the root or from the ordinal sense ('fourth').

Historical & Contextual Notes

רִבֵּעַ occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible and functions strictly in genealogical or ordinal enumeration. In the context of family lineage, it marks the great-great-grandchild, emphasizing the persistence and continuation of lineage over multiple generations—a significant concept in biblical law and covenantal promise. Unlike terms such as דּוֹר (dor, 'generation') or בֵּן (ben, 'son/descendant'), רִבֵּעַ gives precision as the fourth generation, not a generic later descendant. In Deuteronomistic and Priestly texts, enumeration of generations carries legal or covenantal import (e.g., visiting iniquity 'to the third and fourth generation'). Later translators may render this as 'fourth generation,' but this English phase can obscure the specific genealogical nuance present in Hebrew. During the monarchic and post-exilic periods, accurate reckoning of generations played a critical role in notions of inheritance, land tenure, and eligibility for certain roles.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from רָבַע; a descendant of the fourth generation, i.e. great great grandchild; fourth.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

רבע (r-b-ʿ) — to be four, to divide into four, to make fourfold

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H702 אַרְבַּע four
H703 אַרְבַּע four
H7243 רְבִיעִי fourth
H7244 רְבִיעַי fourth (feminine)
H7250 רָבַע to lie-flat with her

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7256-01 רִבֵּעִ֖ים ribeim HNcmpa fourth fourth-generation descendants 4

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7256-01 Exodus 20:5 רִבֵּעִ֖ים ribeim HNcmpa fourth fourth-generation descendants
H7256-01 Exodus 34:7 רִבֵּעִֽים ribeim HNcmpa fourth fourth-generation descendants
H7256-01 Numbers 14:18 רִבֵּעִֽים ribeim HNcmpa fourths fourth-generation descendants
H7256-01 Deuteronomy 5:9 רִבֵּעִ֖ים ribeim HNcmpa fourth fourth-generation descendants
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