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רִיב

𐤓𐤉𐤁

rîyb

H7378 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To engage in dispute, contention, or litigation, typically in a verbal or legal context; to contend against, quarrel with, or bring a charge or case against someone. The word often connotes both personal quarrel and formal legal controversy, including the act of prosecuting a case, defending oneself, or seeking arbitration.

Semantic Range

to contend (in litigation or dispute), to challenge, to bring a lawsuit, to accuse or defend before a judge, to quarrel, to argue, to wrangle, to bring a charge, to complain, to strive against, to prosecute, to seek vindication

Root / Etymology

From the root ריב, which carries the core sense of fighting, contending, or striving. While the root may echo a sense of physical striving or 'grappling,' in biblical usage the term evolved primarily into contexts of verbal dispute, legal complaint, or contestation.

Historical & Contextual Notes

רִיב appears frequently throughout the Hebrew Bible in narratives, prophetic oracles, and legal contexts. In early narratives and legal texts, it can describe interpersonal quarrels (e.g., between individuals or between groups) or a formal lawsuit. In prophetic literature, it is often used to describe YHWH bringing a case (רִיב) against Israel or other nations, invoking covenantal lawsuit imagery. The term can also refer more generally to any form of argument, strife, or controversy. Older English translations (such as KJV) sometimes obscure this nuance by employing terms like 'plead' or 'chide' which only capture a portion of the word's meaning. רִיב is distinct from other terms for violence or war; it most commonly refers to a dispute, argument, or legal contention, as opposed to outright physical combat (cf. לחם 'to fight' in the sense of warfare). Over time, the word continues to be used for lawsuit or legal action in later Hebrew.

Translation Consistency

primary "contend" 45 occurrences

“Contend” best covers the full SILEX range—personal quarrel, formal litigation, bringing a charge, and striving against—so it provides a single, consistent verb for all forms. It also reflects the majority usage in existing renderings and naturally fits both legal and disputative contexts better than more narrowly conversational verbs like “argue.”

Alternatives (5 occurrences):
"dispute" (2x) "contenders" (1x) "adversaries" (1x) "lay in wait" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or רוּב; a primitive root; properly, to toss, i.e. grapple; mostly figuratively, to wrangle, i.e. hold a controversy; (by implication) to defend; adversary, chide, complain, contend, debate, [idiom] ever, [idiom] lay wait, plead, rebuke, strive, [idiom] thoroughly.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

ריב (Yehoyariv) — to contend, strive, dispute, quarrel

Root ריב to contend, strive, dispute, quarrel
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3080 יְהוֹיָרִיב to YHWH-contends
H3401 יָרִיב my contenders
H3402 יָרִיב and to He-Contends
H4808 מְרִיבָה in dispute-of
H4809 מְרִיבָה contention

Word Forms

32 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7378-31 יָרִ֥יב yariv HVqi3ms will contend he will contend he will contend 10
H7378-01 אָרִ֔יב ariv HVqi1cs I will contend I will contend I will contend 5
H7378-05 לָ/רִ֥ב lariv HR/Vqc to contend to engage in dispute to contend 5
H7378-09 רָב֩ rav HVqp3ms am-pleading great contending 4
H7378-25 וַ/יָּ֖רֶב vayarev HC/Vhw3ms and quarreled and he contended and he contended 4
H7378-12 רִ֥יב riv HVqa argue dispute dispute 3
H7378-13 רִיבָ֣/ה rivah HVqv2ms/Sh Contend Contend! Contend 3
H7378-15 רִ֤יבוּ rivu HVqv2mp contend Contend! Contend! 3
H7378-21 תְּרִיבוּ/ן֙ terivun HVqi2mp/Sn contend you men will contend do you contend 3
H7378-24 וָ/אָרִ֨יבָ/ה֙ vaarivah HC/Vqw1cs/Sh and I contended and I contended and I contended 3

Occurrences in Scripture

70 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7378-26 Genesis 26:20 וַ/יָּרִ֜יבוּ vayarivu HC/Vqw3mp and they quarreled and they contended and they contended
H7378-26 Genesis 26:21 וַ/יָּרִ֖יבוּ vayarivu HC/Vqw3mp and they quarreled and they contended and they contended
H7378-11 Genesis 26:22 רָב֖וּ ravu HVqp3cp they quarreled they contended they contended
H7378-25 Genesis 31:36 וַ/יָּ֣רֶב vayarev HC/Vqw3ms and quarreled and he contended and he contended
H7378-25 Exodus 17:2 וַ/יָּ֤רֶב vayarev HC/Vqw3ms and quarreled and he contended and he contended
H7378-21 Exodus 17:2 תְּרִיבוּ/ן֙ terivun HVqi2mp/Sn do you quarrel you men will contend do you contend
H7378-32 Exodus 21:18 יְרִיבֻ֣/ן yerivun HVqi3mp/Sn they contend they contend they contend
H7378-25 Numbers 20:3 וַ/יָּ֥רֶב vayarev HC/Vqw3ms and-contended and he contended and he contended
H7378-11 Numbers 20:13 רָב֥וּ ravu HVqp3cp quarreled they contended they contended
H7378-18 Deuteronomy 33:8 תְּרִיבֵ֖/הוּ terivehu HVqi2ms/Sp3ms you contended with him you contend against him you contended with him
H7378-21 Judges 6:31 תְּרִיב֣וּ/ן terivun HVqi2mp/Sn contend you men will contend you men will contend
H7378-31 Judges 6:31 יָרִ֥יב yariv HVqi3ms contends he will contend he will contend
H7378-30 Judges 6:31 יָ֣רֶב yarev HVqj3ms let him contend let him contend let him contend
H7378-30 Judges 6:32 יָ֤רֶב yarev HVqj3ms let contend let him contend let him contend
H7378-27 Judges 8:1 וַ/יְרִיב֥וּ/ן vayerivun HC/Vqw3mp/Sn and they quarreled and they contended and they contended
H7378-03 Judges 11:25 הֲ/ר֥וֹב harov HTi/Vqa did he strive to contend to contend
H7378-09 Judges 11:25 רָב֙ rav HVqp3ms strive great contending
H7378-06 Judges 21:22 ל/רוב lrvv HR/Vqc to contend to contend to contend
H7378-05 Judges 21:22 לָ/רִ֣יב lariv HR/Vqc to quarrel to engage in dispute to contend
H7378-08 1 Samuel 2:10 מריב/ו mryvv HVhrmsc/Sp3ms his adversaries his accuser his contenders
H7378-07 1 Samuel 2:10 מְרִיבָ֗י/ו merivayv HVhrmpc/Sp3ms his adversaries those prosecuting him his adversaries
H7378-25 1 Samuel 15:5 וַ/יָּ֖רֶב vayarev HC/Vhw3ms and lay in wait and he contended and he lay in wait
H7378-29 1 Samuel 24:16 וְ/יָרֵ֣ב veyarev HC/Vqj3ms and plead and let him contend and may he contend
H7378-09 1 Samuel 25:39 רָב֩ rav HVqp3ms has pleaded great has contended
H7378-15 Isaiah 1:17 רִ֖יבוּ rivu HVqv2mp Plead Contend! Contend!
H7378-05 Isaiah 3:13 לָ/רִ֖יב lariv HR/Vqc to contend to engage in dispute to contend
H7378-19 Isaiah 27:8 תְּרִיבֶ֑/נָּה terivenah HVqi2ms/Sp3fs you contended with her you contend with her you contended with her
H7378-09 Isaiah 45:9 רָ֚ב rav HVqrmsa strives great contending
H7378-01 Isaiah 49:25 אָרִ֔יב ariv HVqi1cs will contend I will contend I will contend
H7378-31 Isaiah 50:8 יָרִ֥יב yariv HVqi3ms will contend he will contend he will contend
H7378-31 Isaiah 51:22 יָרִ֣יב yariv HVqi3ms who-contends-for he will contend he will contend
H7378-01 Isaiah 57:16 אָרִ֔יב ariv HVqi1cs I will contend I will contend I will contend
H7378-01 Jeremiah 2:9 אָרִ֥יב ariv HVqi1cs I will contend I will contend I will contend
H7378-01 Jeremiah 2:9 אָרִֽיב ariv-2 HVqi1cs I will contend I will contend I will contend
H7378-17 Jeremiah 2:29 תָרִ֖יבוּ tarivu HVqi2mp do you contend you men contend do you contend
H7378-01 Jeremiah 12:1 אָרִ֖יב ariv HVqi1cs I would plead I will contend I will contend
H7378-12 Jeremiah 50:34 רִ֥יב riv HVqa He will plead dispute dispute
H7378-31 Jeremiah 50:34 יָרִ֖יב yariv HVqi3ms their cause he will contend he will contend
H7378-09 Jeremiah 51:36 רָב֙ rav HVqrmsa am-pleading great contending
H7378-15 Hosea 2:4 רִ֤יבוּ rivu HVqv2mp Contend Contend! Contend!
H7378-15 Hosea 2:4 רִ֔יבוּ rivu-2 HVqv2mp contend Contend! Contend!
H7378-30 Hosea 4:4 יָרֵ֖ב yarev HVqj3ms contend let him contend let him contend
H7378-04 Hosea 4:4 כִּ/מְרִיבֵ֥י kimerivey HR/Vhrmpc like those who contend with those who bring charges those who contend
H7378-05 Amos 7:4 לָ/רִ֥ב lariv HR/Vqc to contend to engage in dispute to contend
H7378-12 Micah 6:1 רִ֣יב riv HVqv2ms plead dispute dispute
H7378-31 Micah 7:9 יָרִ֤יב yariv HVqi3ms he pleads he will contend he will contend
H7378-13 Psalms 35:1 רִיבָ֣/ה rivah HVqv2ms/Sh Contend Contend! Contend
H7378-28 Psalms 43:1 וְ/רִ֘יבָ֤/ה verivah HC/Vqv2ms/Sh and plead and contend and contend
H7378-13 Psalms 74:22 רִיבָ֣/ה rivah HVqv2ms/Sh defend Contend! Contend
H7378-31 Psalms 103:9 יָרִ֑יב yariv HVqi3ms strive he will contend he will contend
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