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רֶנֶן

𐤓𐤍𐤍

renen

H7443 noun

SILEX Entry

Root רנן to shout, cry aloud, sing, produce a loud sound

Definition

A type of large flightless bird, most likely the ostrich, occurring in poetic or figurative contexts in the Hebrew Bible. In rare instances, the word may also describe wailing or resonant sound, likely in connection with the bird's vocalizations. The term's lexical meaning centers on the animal itself, with possible reference to its cry or call, but the primary biblical usage identifies a distinctive wild bird of the Near Eastern deserts.

Semantic Range

ostrich, large desert bird (Struthio camelus); (by metaphor) wailing or resonant cry; (rare, poetic use) animal characterized by loud call

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root רָנַן (ranan), which means 'to shout joyfully, cry aloud, sing out.' The noun רֶנֶן (renen) is formed as a nomen agentis or descriptive noun, signifying 'one given to loud sound,' metaphorically applied to the ostrich due to its notorious, resonant cries. The form reflects a common pattern in Hebrew of naming animals after distinctive behaviors or sounds.

Historical & Contextual Notes

רֶנֶן appears in poetic and wisdom books (notably Job 39:13, where it is traditionally rendered 'ostrich'). The association of the ostrich with wailing or a distinctive call is reflected in both the Hebrew root meaning and in ancient translations (LXX, Vulgate), though the scientific identification is less certain. In ancient Israelite contexts, the ostrich symbolized wildness and abandonment, as it inhabited desolate areas and was noted for its peculiar behavior. Later Jewish interpretative tradition reinforces the association with the ostrich as a desert animal (see also לִיַּן, H3284). English Bible translations render רֶנֶן as 'ostrich,' sometimes 'female ostrich,' but this is inferred contextually, not strictly on linguistic grounds. The word does not carry later meanings associated with the English idiom 'goodly'; this usage reflects interpretive tradition rather than lexical evidence. Unlike יַעֲנָה (ya'anah, another term for ostrich in Hebrew), רֶנֶן is rare and always appears in poetic context.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from רָנַן; an ostrich (from its wail); [idiom] goodly.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

רנן (r-n-n) — shout, cry aloud, sing, resound

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7438 רֹן ringing cries of
H7440 רִנָּה with a ringing cry
H7441 רִנָּה Ringing-Joy
H7442 רָנַן I will shout exultantly
H7444 רַנֵּן to ring out jubilantly

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7443-01 רְנָנִ֥ים renanim HNcmpa exulting-ones loud-crying ostriches 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7443-01 Job 39:13 רְנָנִ֥ים renanim HNcmpa exulting-ones loud-crying ostriches
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