רָחַק (H7368) — Hebrew Lexicon

רָחַק

𐤓𐤇𐤒

râchaq

H7368 verb

SILEX Entry

Root רחק to be far, to distance, to move away, to cause distance

Definition

To be or become distant, move away, or cause to be distant; intransitively, to recede or withdraw; transitively, to remove something or someone to a distant place or state (spatially, relationally, or metaphorically). The word covers physical distance, relational or emotional separation, and even alienation from a group or from the divine.

Semantic Range

to be far, to become distant, to move away, to go far, to withdraw, to distance oneself, to remove (transitively), to keep away, to separate (relationally), to alienate, to be estranged

Root / Etymology

The verb רָחַק derives from the root ר-ח-ק, meaning 'to become far, to distance.' It is a primary root not transparently derived from a simpler or older cognate, and functions both in intransitive and transitive verbal forms.

Historical & Contextual Notes

רָחַק is employed in a wide variety of passages with both literal and figurative senses. In narrative contexts, it frequently describes physical movement away (e.g., Genesis 21:16, 'she went and sat down at a distance'). In wisdom literature and prophetic texts, it is often metaphorical, conveying concepts such as alienation, estrangement (e.g., Psalm 22:12, 'far from my deliverance'), or the deliberate distancing of the divine. The verb serves as the basic form for nouns such as מֶרְחָק (distance). This root is distinct from verbs of separation or exclusion that denote legal impurity or permanent exclusion (e.g., גָּרַשׁ), focusing instead on the state or act of being distant or making distant. English translations like 'withdraw,' 'be far,' and 'remove' are contextually appropriate but do not always capture the full emotional or metaphoric weight; 'alienate' may also be relevant in several non-literal uses. The term remains consistent in meaning across pre-exilic through post-exilic usage, though later texts more readily apply it to divine-human relations.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to widen (in any direction), i.e. (intransitively) recede or (transitively) remove (literally or figuratively, of place or relation); (a-, be, cast, drive, get, go, keep (self), put, remove, be too, (wander), withdraw) far (away, off), loose, [idiom] refrain, very, (be) a good way (off).

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

רחק (r-ḥ-q) — to be far, to distance, to move away, to cause distance

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H1023	בֵּית הַמֶּרְחָק	the distance
H4801	מֶרְחָק	the far-off place
H7350	רָחוֹק	in a distant place
H7352	רַחִיק	distant ones
H7369	רָחֵק	your distant ones

Word Forms

30 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H7368-22`	תִּרְחָ֑ק	tirechaq	`HVqi2ms`	be far	you will move away	7
`H7368-03`	הַרְחֵק֙	harecheq	`HVha`	far	to cause distance	7
`H7368-17`	רָחֲק֖וּ	rachaqu	`HVqp3cp`	go far	they became distant	6
`H7368-28`	יִרְחַ֨ק	yirechaq	`HVqi3ms`	is far	he will become distant	4
`H7368-15`	רָחֲקָ֥ה	rachaqah	`HVqp3fs`	is far	she became distant	3
`H7368-21`	תַרְחִ֖יקוּ	tarechiqu	`HVhi2mp`	go far	you will distance	2
`H7368-14`	רָחַ֤ק	rachaq	`HVqp3ms`	is far	he became distant	2
`H7368-09`	הִֽרְחִ֥יק	hirechiq	`HVhp3ms`	he has put far	he made distant	2
`H7368-07`	הִרְחַ֥קְתָּ	hirechaqeta	`HVhp2ms`	you have removed	you made distant	2
`H7368-10`	הִרְחִיקוּ֒	hirechiqu	`HVhp3cp`	had gone far	they distanced	2
`H7368-01`	אַרְחִ֣יק	arechiq	`HVhi1cs`	I-will-remove-far	I will cause to be distant	2
`H7368-13`	לִ/רְחֹ֥ק	lirechoq	`HR/Vqc`		to become distant	1
`H7368-05`	הַרְחִיקָ֖/ם	harechiqam	`HVhc/Sp3mp`	you might remove them	to distance them	1
`H7368-20`	תַּרְחִ֥יק	tarechiq	`HVhi2ms`	you will remove	you will distance	1
`H7368-08`	הִרְחַקְתִּי/ם֙	hirechaqetim	`HVhp1cs/Sp3mp`	I-have-removed-them	I have distanced them	1
`H7368-12`	לְ/רָֽחֳקָה֙	lerachoqah	`HR/Vqc`	to go far off	to become distant	1
`H7368-24`	וְ/רָחֲק֖וּ	verachaqu	`HC/Vqq3cp`	and will be far away	and they moved away	1
`H7368-02`	הַרְחַ֑ק	harechaq	`HVhv2ms`	remove	Make distant!	1
`H7368-26`	יַרְחִיקֶ֥/נָּה	yarechiqenah	`HVhi3ms/Sp3fs`	will drive it far	he will distance her	1
`H7368-27`	יְרַחֲק֧וּ	yerachaqu	`HVpj3mp`	let them put far away	let them drive far away	1
`H7368-25`	וְ/רִחַ֥ק	verichaq	`HC/Vpq3ms`	and has removed far	and he distanced	1
`H7368-19`	רִחַ֖קְתָּ	richaqeta	`HVpp2ms`	you have extended	you have distanced	1
`H7368-29`	יִרְחֲק֣וּ	yirechaqu	`HVqi3mp`	are far	they will move away	1
`H7368-18`	רִחַ֣ק	richaq	`HVpp3ms`	is far	he drove far away	1
`H7368-16`	רַחֲקִ֤י	rachaqi	`HVqv2fs`	be far	Move away!	1
`H7368-23`	וַ/תִּרְחַ֥ק	vatirechaq	`HC/Vqw3fs`	and it was far	and she moved away	1
`H7368-30`	ירחק	yrchq	`HVqi3ms`	is removed	he will become distant	1
`H7368-06`	הַרְחִיקֵ֑/הוּ	harechiqehu	`HVhv2ms/Sp3ms`	put it far away	cause him to be distant	1
`H7368-04`	הַרְחִ֤יק	harechiq	`HVhc`	remove	to distance	1
`H7368-11`	כִּ/רְחֹ֣ק	kirechoq	`HR/Vqc`	as far as	to be distant	1

Occurrences in Scripture

58 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H7368-03`	Genesis 21:16	הַרְחֵק֙	harecheq	`HVha`	a distance	to cause distance
`H7368-10`	Genesis 44:4	הִרְחִיקוּ֒	hirechiqu	`HVhp3cp`	had gone far	they distanced
`H7368-03`	Exodus 8:24	הַרְחֵ֥ק	harecheq	`HVha`	far	to cause distance
`H7368-21`	Exodus 8:24	תַרְחִ֖יקוּ	tarechiqu	`HVhi2mp`	go very far away	you will distance
`H7368-22`	Exodus 23:7	תִּרְחָ֑ק	tirechaq	`HVqi2ms`	keep far	you will move away
`H7368-03`	Exodus 33:7	הַרְחֵק֙	harecheq	`HVha`	far	to cause distance
`H7368-28`	Deuteronomy 12:21	יִרְחַ֨ק	yirechaq	`HVqi3ms`	is far	he will become distant
`H7368-28`	Deuteronomy 14:24	יִרְחַ֤ק	yirechaq	`HVqi3ms`	is too far	he will become distant
`H7368-03`	Joshua 3:16	הַרְחֵ֨ק	harecheq	`HVha`	far away	to cause distance
`H7368-21`	Joshua 8:4	תַּרְחִ֥יקוּ	tarechiqu	`HVhj2mp`	go far	you will distance
`H7368-10`	Judges 18:22	הִרְחִ֖יקוּ	hirechiqu	`HVhp3cp`	had gone far	they distanced
`H7368-25`	Isaiah 6:12	וְ/רִחַ֥ק	verichaq	`HC/Vpq3ms`	and has removed far	and he distanced
`H7368-19`	Isaiah 26:15	רִחַ֖קְתָּ	richaqeta	`HVpp2ms`	you have extended	you have distanced
`H7368-18`	Isaiah 29:13	רִחַ֣ק	richaq	`HVpp3ms`	is far	he drove far away
`H7368-22`	Isaiah 46:13	תִרְחָ֔ק	tirechaq	`HVqi3fs`	will be far	you will move away
`H7368-24`	Isaiah 49:19	וְ/רָחֲק֖וּ	verachaqu	`HC/Vqq3cp`	and will be far away	and they moved away
`H7368-16`	Isaiah 54:14	רַחֲקִ֤י	rachaqi	`HVqv2fs`	be far	Move away!
`H7368-14`	Isaiah 59:9	רָחַ֤ק	rachaq	`HVqp3ms`	is far	he became distant
`H7368-15`	Isaiah 59:11	רָחֲקָ֥ה	rachaqah	`HVqp3fs`	it is far	she became distant
`H7368-17`	Jeremiah 2:5	רָחֲק֖וּ	rachaqu	`HVqp3cp`	they went far	they became distant
`H7368-04`	Jeremiah 27:10	הַרְחִ֤יק	harechiq	`HVhc`	remove	to distance
`H7368-12`	Ezekiel 8:6	לְ/רָֽחֳקָה֙	lerachoqah	`HR/Vqc`	to go far off	to become distant
`H7368-17`	Ezekiel 11:15	רַֽחֲקוּ֙	rachaqu	`HVqv2mp`	Go far away	they became distant
`H7368-08`	Ezekiel 11:16	הִרְחַקְתִּי/ם֙	hirechaqetim	`HVhp1cs/Sp3mp`	I-have-removed-them	I have distanced them
`H7368-27`	Ezekiel 43:9	יְרַחֲק֧וּ	yerachaqu	`HVpj3mp`	let them put far away	let them drive far away
`H7368-17`	Ezekiel 44:10	רָֽחֲקוּ֙	rachaqu	`HVqp3cp`	went far	they became distant
`H7368-01`	Joel 2:20	אַרְחִ֣יק	arechiq	`HVhi1cs`	I-will-remove-far	I will cause to be distant
`H7368-05`	Joel 4:6	הַרְחִיקָ֖/ם	harechiqam	`HVhc/Sp3mp`	you might remove them	to distance them
`H7368-28`	Micah 7:11	יִרְחַק	yirechaq	`HVqi3ms`	will be far	he will become distant
`H7368-22`	Psalms 22:12	תִּרְחַ֣ק	tirechaq	`HVqj2ms`	be far	you will move away
`H7368-22`	Psalms 22:20	תִּרְחָ֑ק	tirechaq	`HVqj2ms`	be far	you will move away
`H7368-22`	Psalms 35:22	תִּרְחַ֥ק	tirechaq	`HVqj2ms`	be far	you will move away
`H7368-22`	Psalms 38:22	תִּרְחַ֥ק	tirechaq	`HVqj2ms`	be far	you will move away
`H7368-01`	Psalms 55:8	אַרְחִ֣יק	arechiq	`HVhi1cs`	I would hurry far away	I will cause to be distant
`H7368-22`	Psalms 71:12	תִּרְחַ֣ק	tirechaq	`HVqj2ms`	be far	you will move away
`H7368-07`	Psalms 88:9	הִרְחַ֥קְתָּ	hirechaqeta	`HVhp2ms`	you have removed	you made distant
`H7368-07`	Psalms 88:19	הִרְחַ֣קְתָּ	hirechaqeta	`HVhp2ms`	You have removed	you made distant
`H7368-11`	Psalms 103:12	כִּ/רְחֹ֣ק	kirechoq	`HR/Vqc`	as far as	to be distant
`H7368-09`	Psalms 103:12	הִֽרְחִ֥יק	hirechiq	`HVhp3ms`	He has removed	he made distant
`H7368-23`	Psalms 109:17	וַ/תִּרְחַ֥ק	vatirechaq	`HC/Vqw3fs`	and it was far	and she moved away
`H7368-17`	Psalms 119:150	רָחָֽקוּ	rachaqu	`HVqp3cp`	they are far	they became distant
`H7368-03`	Proverbs 4:24	הַרְחֵ֥ק	harecheq	`HVhv2ms`	Put far	to cause distance
`H7368-03`	Proverbs 5:8	הַרְחֵ֣ק	harecheq	`HVhv2ms`	Keep far	to cause distance
`H7368-17`	Proverbs 19:7	רָחֲק֣וּ	rachaqu	`HVqp3cp`	go far	they became distant
`H7368-28`	Proverbs 22:5	יִרְחַ֥ק	yirechaq	`HVqi3ms`	will-keep-far	he will become distant
`H7368-26`	Proverbs 22:15	יַרְחִיקֶ֥/נָּה	yarechiqenah	`HVhi3ms/Sp3fs`	will drive it far	he will distance her
`H7368-03`	Proverbs 30:8	הַרְחֵ֬ק	harecheq	`HVhv2ms`	keep far	to cause distance
`H7368-29`	Job 5:4	יִרְחֲק֣וּ	yirechaqu	`HVqi3mp`	are far	they will move away
`H7368-06`	Job 11:14	הַרְחִיקֵ֑/הוּ	harechiqehu	`HVhv2ms/Sp3ms`	put it far away	cause him to be distant
`H7368-02`	Job 13:21	הַרְחַ֑ק	harechaq	`HVhv2ms`	remove	Make distant!
`H7368-09`	Job 19:13	הִרְחִ֑יק	hirechiq	`HVhp3ms`	he has put far	he made distant
`H7368-15`	Job 21:16	רָ֣חֲקָה	rachaqah	`HVqp3fs`	is far	she became distant
`H7368-15`	Job 22:18	רָ֣חֲקָה	rachaqah	`HVqp3fs`	is far	she became distant
`H7368-20`	Job 22:23	תַּרְחִ֥יק	tarechiq	`HVhi2ms`	you will remove	you will distance
`H7368-17`	Job 30:10	רָ֣חֲקוּ	rachaqu	`HVqp3cp`	they keep far	they became distant
`H7368-14`	Lamentations 1:16	רָחַ֥ק	rachaq	`HVqp3ms`	is far	he became distant
`H7368-13`	Ecclesiastes 3:5	לִ/רְחֹ֥ק	lirechoq	`HR/Vqc`		to become distant
`H7368-30`	Ecclesiastes 12:6	ירחק	yrchq	`HVqi3ms`	is removed	he will become distant

← H7367 Hebrew Lexicon H7369 →