רֶגֶב
𐤓𐤂𐤁
regeb
H7263 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A clod, lump, or mass of earth, specifically a piece or chunk of soil, often implying a hardened or compacted portion. The term is used concretely to denote a cohesive mass of earth, such as a clod or lump, as opposed to loose soil or dust.
Semantic Range
clod, lump of earth, mass of soil, compacted soil, piece of earth
Root / Etymology
The word רֶגֶב (regeb) is evidently related to a root meaning 'to pile together' or 'to form into lumps,' but no such root appears in attested Biblical Hebrew. The closest potential connection is to related Semitic roots referencing clumping, compactness, or aggregation. Thus, the etymology is commonly given as 'from an unused root meaning to pile together'; the precise verbal root is unattested in the biblical corpus, making the derivation somewhat uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
רֶגֶב appears only rarely in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Isaiah 41:15; Micah 7:10; Psalm clod or lump, describing earth that is not loose. It can portray the land or soil in an agricultural sense, emphasizing the materiality and coherence of the earth being worked or trampled. Post-biblical usage preserves this sense in later Hebrew and in cognate languages (e.g., Ugaritic, Aramaic). This term contrasts with עָפָר (‘afar, 'dust') which conveys more the sense of dry, loose particles, or אֲדָמָה (’adamah, 'ground, soil') which is a general term for earth/ground. In poetry and metaphor, רֶגֶב can represent the physical territory or earth, sometimes as an emblematic unit of land. English translations frequently render רֶגֶב as 'clod,' capturing the concrete and tactile sense but potentially missing context where emphasis falls on the massing or piling aspect.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to pile together; a lump of clay; clod.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רגב (r-g-b) — to clump, to pile, to compact
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H709 | אַרְגֹּב | Stony-Clodland |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7263-02 |
וּ/רְגָבִ֥ים | uregavim | HC/Ncmpa |
and the clods | and soil-clods | 1 |
H7263-01 |
רִגְבֵ֫י | rigevey | HNcmpc |
clods | clods of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences