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רֵעַ

𐤓𐤏

rêaʻ

H7453 noun

SILEX Entry

Root רעה to associate, to be companion, to befriend

Definition

A person with whom one shares a social bond or association; encompasses meanings ranging from friend or companion to neighbor and fellow member of a community. The term can denote a close associate, an ally, a peer, or any other socially connected individual, but lacks the sense of a family member or kin. Depending on context, it may indicate both mutual intimacy (as in a close friend) and general social proximity (such as a neighbor or fellow citizen). It does not inherently denote affection, but rather social association or relevant group belonging.

Semantic Range

associate, companion, peer, friend, neighbor, fellow, comrade, other member of the community, another person (in idiom); rarely—partner, lover (in context of intimacy); not a blood relative or family member

Root / Etymology

Root: רעה. The root רעה (to associate with, to be a companion, sometimes also 'to tend' as in shepherding in other derivatives) underlies several words having to do with association, companionship, or fellowship. רֵעַ is the noun form indicating the person with whom one is associated or lives in proximity. The root meaning ('to associate with, companion') is broader than the specific lexeme meaning of רֵעַ, which has social but not necessarily emotional connotations.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early biblical Hebrew (patriarchal and monarchic periods), רֵעַ primarily referred to a person with whom one had a recognized social relationship—neither family nor a foreigner—ranging from close comrades (e.g., friends) to community peers (neighbors, fellow villagers). It overlaps semantically with אָח (brother), אָמִית (citizen, fellow), and שָׁכֵן (neighbor in a residential sense) but differs from them by emphasizing association or companionship rather than legal kinship or geographical proximity. In legal contexts (Exodus 21–23), רֵעַ often means a fellow Israelite as opposed to an outsider, important for the scope of social laws. In poetry and wisdom literature, it can convey a range from deep friendship to superficial acquaintanceship. Later translation traditions sometimes rendered רֵעַ as 'friend' or even 'husband' in contexts of intimacy, but it is not inherently an emotional or marital term. English translations sometimes narrow its meaning to 'neighbor' or 'friend', but the biblical usage is broader, denoting any socially proximate individual. Its connotation softened in post-exilic contexts, occasionally being used for a broader set of social relationships. The term is distinct from 'other' (אַחֵר), which only denotes alternation, not association, though some idioms do use רֵעַ to mean 'another person.'

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or רֵיעַ; from רָעָה; an associate (more or less close); brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, [idiom] (an-) other.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

רעה (r-ʿ-h) — associate, be companion, befriend

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4829 מִרְעֶה in a grazing-place
H4830 מִרְעִית as their pasturage
H7200 רָאָה shepherds of
H7454 רֵעַ to my intention
H7462 רָעָה in his shepherding

Word Forms

33 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7453-18 רֵעֵ֗/הוּ reehu HNcmsc/Sp3ms his neighbor his associate 83
H7453-06 לְ/רֵעֵ֖/הוּ lereehu HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms to his neighbor to his associate 20
H7453-19 רֵעֶֽ/ךָ reekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms of your neighbor your associate 16
H7453-01 בְּ/רֵעֵ֑/הוּ bereehu HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms his neighbor with his associate 9
H7453-11 מֵ/רֵעֵֽ/הוּ mereehu HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms than his neighbor his associate 5
H7453-25 רֵעִ֣ים reim HNcmpa friends companions 5
H7453-14 רֵֽעֲ/ךָ֖ reakha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your friend your associate 5
H7453-13 רֵ֗עַ rea HNcmsa a friend associate 4
H7453-05 לְ/רֵעֲ/ךָ֖ lereakha HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms to your neighbor to your associate 4
H7453-28 בְ/רֵ֔עַ verea HR/Ncmsa and companion associate 3

Occurrences in Scripture

189 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7453-18 Genesis 11:3 רֵעֵ֗/הוּ reehu HNcmsc/Sp3ms another his associate
H7453-18 Genesis 11:7 רֵעֵֽ/הוּ reehu HNcmsc/Sp3ms his neighbor's his associate
H7453-18 Genesis 15:10 רֵעֵ֑/הוּ reehu HNcmsc/Sp3ms its mate his associate
H7453-11 Genesis 31:49 מֵ/רֵעֵֽ/הוּ mereehu HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms from another his associate
H7453-18 Genesis 38:12 רֵעֵ֥/הוּ reehu HNcmsc/Sp3ms his friend his associate
H7453-18 Genesis 38:20 רֵעֵ֣/הוּ reehu HNcmsc/Sp3ms his friend his associate
H7453-18 Genesis 43:33 רֵעֵֽ/הוּ reehu HNcmsc/Sp3ms his companion his associate
H7453-19 Exodus 2:13 רֵעֶֽ/ךָ reekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your companion your associate
H7453-18 Exodus 11:2 רֵעֵ֗/הוּ reehu HNcmsc/Sp3ms his neighbor his associate
H7453-06 Exodus 18:7 לְ/רֵעֵ֖/הוּ lereehu HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms other to his associate
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