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רָבַץ

𐤓𐤁𐤑

râbats

H7257 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To stretch oneself out, lie down, or crouch, especially in a recumbent posture as of an animal. The verb denotes the act of lying (often on the ground) for rest, sleep, or quiet, and is frequently used for animals lying in their natural manner, but also for people and metaphorically for land or objects. It can also convey the sense of taking a position of repose, dwelling, or even lurking (contextually rare). The verbal action may indicate restfulness, security, or waiting, often drawing on agricultural or pastoral imagery.

Semantic Range

to lie down (of animals or people), to recline for rest or sleep, to crouch (esp. animals), to dwell or reside in a recumbent manner, to lurk (metaphorical sense), to be at rest or in a restful state, to broodingly wait

Root / Etymology

The root ר-ב-ץ (רָבַץ) primarily relates to the physical act of being sprawled or recumbent. The core root meaning is 'to lie down, crouch,' particularly as an animal does. The verb is a basic Semitic root, evident in comparable forms in other Semitic languages, such as Ugaritic and Arabic, associated with lying or reclining. There are derived nouns based on the root referring to 'couch' or 'quarters' (e.g., מִרְבָּץ).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, רָבַץ most often appears in passages describing animals (especially livestock and wild creatures) lying down, frequently with connotations of safety, tranquility, or established residence in a location (e.g., flocks in secure pasture). In poetic and prophetic literature, it extends to imagery of people, nations, or even the land itself 'lying down' in peace or desolation. Some contexts (e.g., Gen 4:7) use the term metaphorically for sin 'crouching' at the door, capturing a posture of readiness or lurking. The word should not be confused with verbs meaning 'to dwell' in a settled residence (e.g., יָשַׁב), as רָבַץ is more specific to the act of stretching out or reclining, not establishing habitation. Across the biblical periods, primary usage remains consistent, but prophetic literature may employ the term with heightened metaphorical nuance. English translations ('lie down', 'crouch', 'rest') generally capture the main range but may fail to convey the specifically animal-associated, physical nuance present in Hebrew.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to crouch (on all four legs folded, like a recumbent animal); be implication, to recline, repose, brood, lurk, imbed; crouch (down), fall down, make a fold, lay, (cause to, make to) lie (down), make to rest, sit.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

רבץ (marbêts) — to lie down, recline, settle

Root רבץ to lie down, to crouch, to stretch out
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4769 מַרְבֵּץ to the lying-down place of
H7258 רֵבֶץ for a lying-place of

Word Forms

21 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7257-15 וְ/רָבְצוּ veravetsu HC/Vqq3cp and they will lie down and they lay down and they will lie down 4
H7257-07 רֹבֵץ֙ rovets HVqrmsa is crouching lying-down one is crouching 3
H7257-08 רֹבֶ֨צֶת֙ rovetset HVqrfsa lying beneath crouching crouching 3
H7257-18 יִרְבָּ֑ץ yirebats HVqi3ms will lie down he will lie down he will lie down 2
H7257-20 יִרְבָּצֽוּ/ן yirebatsun HVqi3mp/Sn they lie down they will lie down they will lie down 2
H7257-01 אַרְבִּיצֵ֔/ם arebitsem HVhi1cs/Sp3mp will make them lie down I will cause them to lie down will cause them to lie down 1
H7257-02 הָ/רֹבֵ֖ץ harovets HTd/Vqrmsa that lies the one lying down the one lying down 1
H7257-03 מַרְבִּ֤יץ marebits HVhrmsa laying one who makes lie down one who causes to lie down 1
H7257-04 מַרְבִּצִ֖ים marebitsim HVhrmpa resting those causing to lie down those causing to lie down 1
H7257-05 רָבַ֧ץ ravats HVqp3ms he lies down he lay down he lay down 1

Occurrences in Scripture

30 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7257-07 Genesis 4:7 רֹבֵ֑ץ rovets HVqrmsa is crouching lying-down one is crouching
H7257-09 Genesis 29:2 רֹבְצִ֣ים rovetsim HVqrmpa lying those lying down those lying down
H7257-05 Genesis 49:9 רָבַ֧ץ ravats HVqp3ms he lies down he lay down he lay down
H7257-07 Genesis 49:14 רֹבֵ֖ץ rovets HVqrmsa lying down lying-down one lying-down one
H7257-08 Genesis 49:25 רֹבֶ֣צֶת rovetset HVqrfsa that lies beneath crouching lying
H7257-07 Exodus 23:5 רֹבֵץ֙ rovets HVqrmsa lying lying-down one lying
H7257-12 Numbers 22:27 וַ/תִּרְבַּ֖ץ vatirebats HC/Vqw3fs and she lay down and she lay down and she lay down
H7257-08 Deuteronomy 22:6 רֹבֶ֨צֶת֙ rovetset HVqrfsa sitting crouching sitting
H7257-14 Deuteronomy 29:19 וְ/רָ֤בְצָה veravetsah HC/Vqq3fs and will rest and she lay down and she will lie down
H7257-08 Deuteronomy 33:13 רֹבֶ֥צֶת rovetset HVqrfsa lying beneath crouching crouching
H7257-18 Isaiah 11:6 יִרְבָּ֑ץ yirebats HVqi3ms will lie down he will lie down he will lie down
H7257-21 Isaiah 11:7 יִרְבְּצ֣וּ yirebetsu HVqi3mp shall lie down they will lie down they will lie down
H7257-17 Isaiah 13:20 יַרְבִּ֥צוּ yarebitsu HVhi3mp will-lie-down they will cause to lie down they will cause to lie down
H7257-15 Isaiah 13:21 וְ/רָבְצוּ veravetsu HC/Vqq3cp and they will lie down and they lay down and they will lie down
H7257-19 Isaiah 14:30 יִרְבָּ֑צוּ yirebatsu HVqi3mp they shall lie down they will lie down they shall lie down
H7257-15 Isaiah 17:2 וְ/רָבְצ֖וּ veravetsu HC/Vqq3cp and they will lie down and they lay down and they will lie down
H7257-18 Isaiah 27:10 יִרְבָּ֖ץ yirebats HVqi3ms will-lie-down he will lie down he will lie down
H7257-03 Isaiah 54:11 מַרְבִּ֤יץ marebits HVhrmsa laying one who makes lie down one who causes to lie down
H7257-04 Jeremiah 33:12 מַרְבִּצִ֖ים marebitsim HVhrmpa resting those causing to lie down those causing to lie down
H7257-06 Ezekiel 19:2 רָבָ֑צָה ravatsah HVqp3fs she lay down she lay down she lay down
H7257-02 Ezekiel 29:3 הָ/רֹבֵ֖ץ harovets HTd/Vqrmsa that lies the one lying down the one lying down
H7257-11 Ezekiel 34:14 תִּרְבַּ֨צְנָה֙ tirebatsenah HVqi3fp they will lie down they will lie down they will lie down
H7257-01 Ezekiel 34:15 אַרְבִּיצֵ֔/ם arebitsem HVhi1cs/Sp3mp will make them lie down I will cause them to lie down will cause them to lie down
H7257-20 Zephaniah 2:7 יִרְבָּצ֔וּ/ן yirebatsun HVqi3mp/Sn they will lie down they will lie down they will lie down
H7257-15 Zephaniah 2:14 וְ/רָבְצ֨וּ veravetsu HC/Vqq3cp and flocks will lie down and they lay down and flocks will lie down
H7257-15 Zephaniah 3:13 וְ/רָבְצ֖וּ veravetsu HC/Vqq3cp and lie down and they lay down and they will lie down
H7257-16 Psalms 23:2 יַרְבִּיצֵ֑/נִי yarebitseni HVhi3ms/Sp1cs he makes me lie down he causes me to lie down he causes me to lie down
H7257-20 Psalms 104:22 יִרְבָּצֽוּ/ן yirebatsun HVqi3mp/Sn they lie down they will lie down they will lie down
H7257-13 Job 11:19 וְֽ֭/רָבַצְתָּ veravatseta HC/Vqq2ms you will lie down and you shall lie down and you shall lie down
H7257-10 Song of Songs 1:7 תַּרְבִּ֣יץ tarebits HVhi2ms you make it rest you cause to lie down you make it rest
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