רְחֹב (H7339) — Hebrew Lexicon

רְחֹב

𐤓𐤇𐤁

rᵉchôb

H7339 noun

SILEX Entry

Root רחב to be wide, to widen, to broaden

Definition

An open, broad, or wide space, typically a public area within a town or city; can also denote a street or plaza used for gatherings, markets, or communal activities. While it often refers to a literal, physical space, it can sometimes indicate an area of assembly or public thoroughfare.

Semantic Range

broad place, open plaza, square, public space, street, wide thoroughfare, area for assembly or gathering, marketplace

Root / Etymology

From the root רָחַב (r-ḥ-b), meaning 'to be wide, to widen or broaden.' The noun רְחֹב derives from this root, referring specifically to a place characterized by width — an open square, plaza, or broad street within a settlement.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, רְחֹב primarily denotes a central open area in a town or city, where community life, commerce, and legal proceedings might take place (e.g., Genesis 19:2, 2 Chronicles 32:6, Ezra 10:9). The term often contrasts with narrower alleyways or more confined urban spaces. In earlier periods, the רְחֹב was the focal point of civic life for small towns or cities, functioning similarly to a town square or public plaza in other cultures. The noun should not be confused with streets (חוּץ, מְבוּסָה) or gates (שַׁעַר). Over time, as Israelite and Judahite urban life developed, such broad spaces became associated with assemblies and communal gatherings rather than merely being thoroughfares. Standard English translations such as 'street' sometimes fail to capture the communal and multifunctional aspect of the רְחֹב. In later books and Second Temple literature, cognate forms continue to denote central urban spaces, though the Greek translation ἀγορά (agora) or πλατεῖα (plataia) may render the sense of a marketplace or town square more accurately. Related names like בֵּית רְחוֹב ('house of the square/broad place') in the northern regions reflect settlements named after such prominent public areas.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or רְחוֹב; from רָחַב; a width, i.e. (concretely) avenue or area; broad place (way), street. See also בֵּית רְחוֹב.

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Root Family

רחב (r-ḥ-b) — to be wide, to widen, to broaden

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H4800	מֶרְחָב	in the spacious expanse
H7337	רָחַב	cause to widen
H7338	רַחַב	Rahab
H7340	רְחֹב	Wide-Place
H7341	רֹחַב	in the breadth
H7342	רָחָב	the broad one
H7343	רָחָב	Broad-One
H7344	רְחֹבוֹת	from Broad-Places
H7345	רְחַבְיָה	to Yah-has-enlarged

Word Forms

21 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H7339-13`	רְחֽוֹב	rechov	`HNcfsa`	square	Wide-Place	5
`H7339-03`	בִּ/רְח֣וֹב	birechov	`HR/Ncfsc`	in the square	in a broad plaza	5
`H7339-02`	בָּ/רְחֹב֑וֹת	barechovot	`HRd/Ncfpa`	in her squares	in the broad-places	4
`H7339-04`	בִּ/רְחֹב֖וֹת	birechovot	`HR/Ncfpc`	in the streets	in broad plazas of	3
`H7339-05`	בִּ/רְחֹבֹתֶ֑י/הָ	birechovoteyha	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	in her squares	in her broad-plazas	3
`H7339-20`	בָ/רְח֖וֹב	varechov	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the square	in the broad plaza	2
`H7339-06`	בִּ/רְחֹבֹתֵֽי/נוּ	birechovoteynu	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp1cp`	in our streets	in our broad plazas	2
`H7339-15`	רְחֹב֣וֹת	rechovot	`HNcfpa`	plazas	broad places	2
`H7339-18`	וּ/בִ/רְחוֹב֙	uvirechov	`HC/R/Ncfsc`	and in square	and in a broad-place of	2
`H7339-19`	וּ/בִ/רְחֹבֹתֶ֛י/הָ	uvirechovoteyha	`HC/R/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	and in its squares	and in her broad plazas	2
`H7339-07`	הָ֣/רְח֔וֹב	harechov	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the square	the broad-place	2
`H7339-01`	בָּ/רְח֖וֹב	barechov	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the square	in the broad-place	2
`H7339-08`	הָ/רְחֹבֽוֹת	harechovot	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the streets	the broad plazas	1
`H7339-11`	מֵ֝/רְחֹבָ֗/הּ	merechovah	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3fs`	from her streets	from her broad-place	1
`H7339-21`	בִ/רְחוֹבוֹתֶ֔י/הָ	virechovoteyha	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	in her squares	in her broad plazas	1
`H7339-14`	רְחֹבָ/הּ֒	rechovah	`HNcfsc/Sp3fs`	its-broad-place	her broad-place	1
`H7339-17`	וּ/בָ֣/רְחֹב֔וֹת	uvarechovot	`HC/Rd/Ncfpa`	and in the squares	and in broad plazas	1
`H7339-12`	מֵ/רְחֹבֽוֹת	merechovot	`HR/Ncfpa`	from the squares	from broad plazas	1
`H7339-10`	מֵ/רְחֹ֣ב	merechov	`HR/Ncfsc`	from the street	from a broad plaza	1
`H7339-16`	וּ/רְחֹב֤וֹת	urechovot	`HC/Ncfpc`	and the streets	and broad public places of	1
`H7339-09`	לִ/רְח֥וֹב	lirechov	`HR/Ncfsc`	to the square	to the broad-place of	1

Occurrences in Scripture

43 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H7339-20`	Genesis 19:2	בָ/רְח֖וֹב	varechov	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the square	in the broad plaza
`H7339-14`	Deuteronomy 13:17	רְחֹבָ/הּ֒	rechovah	`HNcfsc/Sp3fs`	its-broad-place	her broad-place
`H7339-03`	Judges 19:15	בִּ/רְח֣וֹב	birechov	`HR/Ncfsc`	in the square	in a broad plaza
`H7339-03`	Judges 19:17	בִּ/רְחֹ֣ב	birechov	`HR/Ncfsc`	in the square	in a broad plaza
`H7339-01`	Judges 19:20	בָּ/רְח֖וֹב	barechov	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the square	in the broad-place
`H7339-10`	2 Samuel 21:12	מֵ/רְחֹ֣ב	merechov	`HR/Ncfsc`	from the street	from a broad plaza
`H7339-19`	Isaiah 15:3	וּ/בִ/רְחֹבֹתֶ֛י/הָ	uvirechovoteyha	`HC/R/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	and in its squares	and in her broad plazas
`H7339-20`	Isaiah 59:14	בָֽ/רְחוֹב֙	varechov	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the street	in the broad plaza
`H7339-21`	Jeremiah 5:1	בִ/רְחוֹבוֹתֶ֔י/הָ	virechovoteyha	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	in her squares	in her broad plazas
`H7339-12`	Jeremiah 9:20	מֵ/רְחֹבֽוֹת	merechovot	`HR/Ncfpa`	from the squares	from broad plazas
`H7339-19`	Jeremiah 48:38	וּ/בִ/רְחֹבֹתֶ֖י/הָ	uvirechovoteyha	`HC/R/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	and in its streets	and in her broad plazas
`H7339-05`	Jeremiah 49:26	בִּ/רְחֹבֹתֶ֑י/הָ	birechovoteyha	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	in her streets	in her broad-plazas
`H7339-05`	Jeremiah 50:30	בִּ/רְחֹבֹתֶ֑י/הָ	birechovoteyha	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	in her squares	in her broad-plazas
`H7339-13`	Ezekiel 16:24	רְחֽוֹב	rechov	`HNcfsa`	street	Wide-Place
`H7339-13`	Ezekiel 16:31	רְח֑וֹב	rechov	`HNcfsa`	square	Wide-Place
`H7339-15`	Amos 5:16	רְחֹב֣וֹת	rechovot	`HNcfpa`	plazas	broad places
`H7339-02`	Nahum 2:5	בָּ/רְחֹב֑וֹת	barechovot	`HRd/Ncfpa`	in her squares	in the broad-places
`H7339-04`	Zechariah 8:4	בִּ/רְחֹב֖וֹת	birechovot	`HR/Ncfpc`	in the streets	in broad plazas of
`H7339-16`	Zechariah 8:5	וּ/רְחֹב֤וֹת	urechovot	`HC/Ncfpc`	and the streets	and broad public places of
`H7339-05`	Zechariah 8:5	בִּ/רְחֹֽבֹתֶֽי/הָ	birechovoteyha	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	in its streets	in her broad-plazas
`H7339-11`	Psalms 55:12	מֵ֝/רְחֹבָ֗/הּ	merechovah	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3fs`	from her streets	from her broad-place
`H7339-06`	Psalms 144:14	בִּ/רְחֹבֹתֵֽי/נוּ	birechovoteynu	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp1cp`	in our streets	in our broad plazas
`H7339-02`	Proverbs 1:20	בָּ֝/רְחֹב֗וֹת	barechovot	`HRd/Ncfpa`	in-the-squares	in the broad-places
`H7339-02`	Proverbs 5:16	בָּ֝/רְחֹב֗וֹת	barechovot	`HRd/Ncfpa`	in the streets	in the broad-places
`H7339-02`	Proverbs 7:12	בָּ/רְחֹב֑וֹת	barechovot	`HRd/Ncfpa`	in the squares	in the broad-places
`H7339-15`	Proverbs 22:13	רְ֝חֹב֗וֹת	rechovot	`HNcfpa`	streets	broad places
`H7339-08`	Proverbs 26:13	הָ/רְחֹבֽוֹת	harechovot	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the streets	the broad plazas
`H7339-01`	Job 29:7	בָּ֝/רְח֗וֹב	barechov	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the square	in the broad-place
`H7339-17`	Song of Songs 3:2	וּ/בָ֣/רְחֹב֔וֹת	uvarechovot	`HC/Rd/Ncfpa`	and in the squares	and in broad plazas
`H7339-04`	Lamentations 2:11	בִּ/רְחֹב֖וֹת	birechovot	`HR/Ncfpc`	in the streets	in broad plazas of
`H7339-04`	Lamentations 2:12	בִּ/רְחֹב֣וֹת	birechovot	`HR/Ncfpc`	in the streets	in broad plazas of
`H7339-06`	Lamentations 4:18	בִּ/רְחֹבֹתֵ֑י/נוּ	birechovoteynu	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp1cp`	in our streets	in our broad plazas
`H7339-13`	Esther 4:6	רְח֣וֹב	rechov	`HNcfsc`	square	Wide-Place
`H7339-03`	Esther 6:9	בִּ/רְח֣וֹב	birechov	`HR/Ncfsc`	in the square	in a broad plaza
`H7339-03`	Esther 6:11	בִּ/רְח֣וֹב	birechov	`HR/Ncfsc`	through the square	in a broad plaza
`H7339-13`	Daniel 9:25	רְח֣וֹב	rechov	`HNcfsa`	plaza	Wide-Place
`H7339-03`	Ezra 10:9	בִּ/רְחוֹב֙	birechov	`HR/Ncfsc`	in the square of	in a broad plaza
`H7339-07`	Nehemiah 8:1	הָ֣/רְח֔וֹב	harechov	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the square	the broad-place
`H7339-07`	Nehemiah 8:3	הָ/רְח֜וֹב	harechov	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the square	the broad-place
`H7339-18`	Nehemiah 8:16	וּ/בִ/רְחוֹב֙	uvirechov	`HC/R/Ncfsc`	and in square	and in a broad-place of
`H7339-18`	Nehemiah 8:16	וּ/בִ/רְח֖וֹב	uvirechov-2	`HC/R/Ncfsc`	and in square	and in a broad-place of
`H7339-09`	2 Chronicles 29:4	לִ/רְח֥וֹב	lirechov	`HR/Ncfsc`	to the square	to the broad-place of
`H7339-13`	2 Chronicles 32:6	רְחוֹב֙	rechov	`HNcfsc`	the square	Wide-Place

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