רְחַבְעָם
𐤓𐤇𐤁𐤏𐤌
Rechaveam
H7346 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name meaning 'the people has enlarged' or 'the people has become numerous.' Refers specifically to Rechabʽam, son of Solomon, who reigned as king over the southern tribes following the division of the unified Israelite monarchy.
Semantic Range
personal name, 'the people has enlarged,' reference to an individual king (specifically the monarch Rechabʽam), dynastic designation, post-monarchic reference to royalty
Root / Etymology
The name רְחַבְעָם derives from the roots רָחַב (rachav), meaning 'to be wide, broad, or spacious,' and עַם (ʽam), meaning 'people, nation.' Thus, the name combines these elements to express the idea of an enlarged or expanding people. This blend is typical in Hebrew onomastics, where personal names often reflect aspirations, qualities, or circumstances through compounded roots.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Rechabʽam is the Hebrew form for the individual known in English as Rehoboam, who appears in 1 Kings 11–14 and 2 Chronicles 9–12 as the first monarch to rule the southern kingdom after the split of the united monarchy around 930 BCE. While English translations use 'Rehoboam,' this later form has influenced perceptions of the name. The name reflects a pattern in Hebrew naming practices of connoting blessing or strength to the people, a relevant nuance given the narrative's focus on accession and division. There is no direct evidence that the name was applied as a common title or in contexts outside of this royal figure in the Hebrew Bible. The root meanings (spaciousness, people) are more aspirational here than literal; the actual reign of Rechabʽam was marked by the reduction, rather than enlargement, of his realm. No theological or ritual meaning is attached to the name itself within biblical texts. Use of 'Jew' or 'Jewish king' is anachronistic for this period—the correct historical identification is an Israelite, specifically a Judahite monarch.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from רָחַב and עַם; a people has enlarged; Rechabam, an Israelite king; Rehoboam.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ר־ח־ב, ע־ם (r-ḥ-b, ʿ-m) — broad, spacious, enlarge, people, nation
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7346-02 |
רְחַבְעָ֥ם | rechaveam | HNp |
Rehoboam | People-Has-Expanded | 46 |
H7346-03 |
וּ/רְחַבְעָם֙ | urechaveam | HC/Np |
and Rehoboam | and People-Has-Enlarged | 2 |
H7346-01 |
לִ/רְחַבְעָ֖ם | lirechaveam | HR/Np |
to-Rehoboam | to People-Enlarged | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
50 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7346-02 |
1 Kings 11:43 | רְחַבְעָ֥ם | rechaveam | HNp |
Rehoboam | People-Has-Expanded |
H7346-02 |
1 Kings 12:1 | רְחַבְעָ֖ם | rechaveam | HNp |
Rehoboam | People-Has-Expanded |
H7346-02 |
1 Kings 12:3 | רְחַבְעָ֖ם | rechaveam | HNp |
Rehoboam | People-Has-Expanded |
H7346-02 |
1 Kings 12:6 | רְחַבְעָ֗ם | rechaveam | HNp |
Rehoboam | People-Has-Expanded |
H7346-02 |
1 Kings 12:12 | רְחַבְעָ֖ם | rechaveam | HNp |
Rehoboam | People-Has-Expanded |
H7346-02 |
1 Kings 12:17 | רְחַבְעָֽם | rechaveam | HNp |
Rehoboam | People-Has-Expanded |
H7346-02 |
1 Kings 12:18 | רְחַבְעָ֗ם | rechaveam | HNp |
Rehoboam | People-Has-Expanded |
H7346-02 |
1 Kings 12:18 | רְחַבְעָ֗ם | rechaveam-2 | HNp |
Rehoboam | People-Has-Expanded |
H7346-02 |
1 Kings 12:21 | רְחַבְעָם֮ | rechaveam | HNp |
Rehoboam | People-Has-Expanded |
H7346-01 |
1 Kings 12:21 | לִ/רְחַבְעָ֖ם | lirechaveam | HR/Np |
to-Rehoboam | to People-Enlarged |