רָפָה (H7503) — Hebrew Lexicon

רָפָה

𐤓𐤐𐤄

râphâh

H7503 verb

SILEX Entry

Root רפה to loosen, become slack, become weak

Definition

To become slack, weak, or feeble; to lose strength or intensity, either physically, emotionally, or metaphorically. Used in a range of contexts to convey the idea of relaxing effort, losing resolve, or decreasing activity, as well as physical weakening or abatement of conditions.

Semantic Range

to relax effort, to lose resolve, to weaken physically or emotionally, to cease or desist, to decline or abate (of conditions), to leave alone or forsake, to be idle or inactive, to allow slackness or diminish vigilance

Root / Etymology

רָפָה derives from the root ר-פ-ה, which at the root level carries the sense of loosening, slackening, or letting go. The verb form extends these notions to describe states or actions characterized by reduced force, loosening of grip, or weakening.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical Hebrew, רָפָה appears in various forms and is used both literally (e.g., hands becoming slack, physical exhaustion) and metaphorically (e.g., a loss of courage, relaxing vigilance, disengagement from a task). The root occurs throughout the Hebrew Bible, with particular prevalence in poetic or wisdom literature (Psalms, Proverbs), where the weakening of strength or resolve is used metaphorically for spiritual, emotional, or communal states. In narratives, רָפָה can describe desertion (of duties or persons) or a reduction in hostile activity. It contrasts with words like חָזַק (to be strong/strengthen) and often implies a negative outcome when used in exhortation (e.g., encouragement not to 'let your hands drop' in discouragement or fear, as in Joshua 10:6). English translations sometimes vary between 'faint,' 'grow weak,' 'relax,' or 'slacken,' but may not capture all nuances of disengagement or the process of loss of tension. The root should not be confused with רָפָא (heal), though similar in form, as that carries the distinct concept of restoration to health.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to slacken (in many applications, literal or figurative); abate, cease, consume, draw (toward evening), fail, (be) faint, be (wax) feeble, forsake, idle, leave, let alone (go, down), (be) slack, stay, be still, be slothful, (be) weak(-en). See רָפָא.

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Root Family

רפה (r-p-h) — to loosen, become slack, become weak

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H7496	רָפָא	the weakened shades
H7504	רָפֶה	slack
H7510	רִפְיוֹן	from slackness of
H7517	רֶפֶת	livestock stalls

Word Forms

26 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H7503-06`	הֶ֤רֶף	heref	`HVhv2ms`	Cease	Release!	6
`H7503-24`	יַרְפְּ/ךָ֖	yarepekha	`HVhi3ms/Sp2ms`	forsake you	he will let you slacken	4
`H7503-26`	יִרְפּ֥וּ	yirepu	`HVqj3mp`	be weak	let them become slack	3
`H7503-19`	תֶּ֥רֶף	teref	`HVhj2ms`	abandon	slackness	3
`H7503-12`	נִרְפִּ֣ים	nirepim	`HVNrmpa`	idle	the slackened ones	3
`H7503-14`	רָפְתָ֤ה	rafetah	`HVqp3fs`	has become feeble	she became slack	2
`H7503-18`	תְּרַפֶּ֥ינָה	terapeynah	`HVpi3fp`	they let down	they will slacken	2
`H7503-20`	תִּרְפֶּ֑ינָה	tirepeynah	`HVqi3fp`	will-fall-limp	they will slacken	2
`H7503-04`	הַרְפֵּ֨ה	harepeh	`HVhv2ms`	Let her alone	Let go!	2
`H7503-01`	אַרְפֶּ֑/הָ	arepeha	`HVhi1cs/Sp3fs`	I will let it go	I will loosen her	2
`H7503-23`	וְ/רָפ֣וּ	verafu	`HC/Vqp3cp`	and grew feeble	and they became slack	2
`H7503-09`	מְרַפִּ֖ים	merapim	`HVprmpa`	discouraging	the ones who weaken	1
`H7503-13`	רָפָ֨ה	rafah	`HVqp3ms`	has declined	he became slack	1
`H7503-02`	אַרְפְּ/ךָ֖	arepekha	`HVhi1cs/Sp2ms`	fail you	your neck	1
`H7503-11`	מִתְרַפִּ֔ים	miterapim	`HVtrmpa`	putting off	those becoming slack	1
`H7503-07`	הִ֭תְרַפִּיתָ	hiterapita	`HVtp2ms`	you faint	you slackened yourself	1
`H7503-25`	יִרְפֶּ֔ה	yirepeh	`HVqi3ms`	will rot	he will grow slack	1
`H7503-08`	מְרַפֵּ֡א	merape	`HVprmsa`	weakens	one who slackens	1
`H7503-03`	אַרְפֶּ֔/נּוּ	arepenu	`HVhi1cs/Sp3ms`	let him go	I will loosen him	1
`H7503-10`	מִתְרַפֶּ֣ה	miterapeh	`HVtrmsa`	who is slack	the one slackening himself	1
`H7503-17`	תַ֝רְפֵּ֗/נִי	tarepeni	`HVhi2ms/Sp1cs`	will you let me alone	you cause me to slacken	1
`H7503-21`	וַ/יִּ֖רֶף	vayiref	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and He let him alone	and he slackened	1
`H7503-16`	רִפָּֽה	ripah	`HVpp3ms`	he weakens	he slackened	1
`H7503-05`	הַרְפּ֣וּ	harepu	`HVhv2mp`	Be still	Slack off!	1
`H7503-15`	רָפ֣וּ	rafu	`HVqp3cp`	fall	Slackened-one	1
`H7503-22`	וַ/יִּרְפּ֖וּ	vayirepu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	grew weak	they became slack	1

Occurrences in Scripture

46 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H7503-21`	Exodus 4:26	וַ/יִּ֖רֶף	vayiref	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and He let him alone	and he slackened
`H7503-12`	Exodus 5:8	נִרְפִּ֣ים	nirepim	`HVNrmpa`	idle	the slackened ones
`H7503-12`	Exodus 5:17	נִרְפִּ֥ים	nirepim	`HVNrmpa`	Lazy	the slackened ones
`H7503-12`	Exodus 5:17	נִרְפִּ֑ים	nirepim-2	`HVNrmpa`	lazy!	the slackened ones
`H7503-24`	Deuteronomy 4:31	יַרְפְּ/ךָ֖	yarepekha	`HVhi3ms/Sp2ms`	forsake you	he will let you slacken
`H7503-06`	Deuteronomy 9:14	הֶ֤רֶף	heref	`HVhv2ms`	Let alone	Release!
`H7503-24`	Deuteronomy 31:6	יַרְפְּ/ךָ֖	yarepekha	`HVhi3ms/Sp2ms`	will he fail you	he will let you slacken
`H7503-24`	Deuteronomy 31:8	יַרְפְּ/ךָ֖	yarepekha	`HVhi3ms/Sp2ms`	will-relax-you	he will let you slacken
`H7503-02`	Joshua 1:5	אַרְפְּ/ךָ֖	arepekha	`HVhi1cs/Sp2ms`	fail you	your neck
`H7503-19`	Joshua 10:6	תֶּ֥רֶף	teref	`HVhj2ms`	abandon	slackness
`H7503-11`	Joshua 18:3	מִתְרַפִּ֔ים	miterapim	`HVtrmpa`	putting off	those becoming slack
`H7503-14`	Judges 8:3	רָפְתָ֤ה	rafetah	`HVqp3fs`	subsided	she became slack
`H7503-04`	Judges 11:37	הַרְפֵּ֨ה	harepeh	`HVhv2ms`	let me alone	Let go!
`H7503-13`	Judges 19:9	רָפָ֨ה	rafah	`HVqp3ms`	has declined	he became slack
`H7503-06`	1 Samuel 11:3	הֶ֤רֶף	heref	`HVhv2ms`	give respite	Release!
`H7503-06`	1 Samuel 15:16	הֶ֚רֶף	heref	`HVhv2ms`	Stop	Release!
`H7503-22`	2 Samuel 4:1	וַ/יִּרְפּ֖וּ	vayirepu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	grew weak	they became slack
`H7503-06`	2 Samuel 24:16	הֶ֣רֶף	heref	`HVhv2ms`	relax	Release!
`H7503-04`	2 Kings 4:27	הַרְפֵּֽה	harepeh	`HVhv2ms`	Let her alone	Let go!
`H7503-25`	Isaiah 5:24	יִרְפֶּ֔ה	yirepeh	`HVqi3ms`	will rot	he will grow slack
`H7503-20`	Isaiah 13:7	תִּרְפֶּ֑ינָה	tirepeynah	`HVqi3fp`	will-fall-limp	they will slacken
`H7503-15`	Jeremiah 6:24	רָפ֣וּ	rafu	`HVqp3cp`	fall	Slackened-one
`H7503-08`	Jeremiah 38:4	מְרַפֵּ֡א	merape	`HVprmsa`	weakens	one who slackens
`H7503-14`	Jeremiah 49:24	רָפְתָ֥ה	rafetah	`HVqp3fs`	has become feeble	she became slack
`H7503-23`	Jeremiah 50:43	וְ/רָפ֣וּ	verafu	`HC/Vqp3cp`	and grew feeble	and they became slack
`H7503-18`	Ezekiel 1:24	תְּרַפֶּ֥ינָה	terapeynah	`HVpi3fp`	they let down	they will slacken
`H7503-18`	Ezekiel 1:25	תְּרַפֶּ֥ינָה	terapeynah	`HVpi3fp`	they let down	they will slacken
`H7503-20`	Ezekiel 7:17	תִּרְפֶּ֑ינָה	tirepeynah	`HVqi3fp`	will hang limp	they will slacken
`H7503-23`	Ezekiel 21:12	וְ/רָפ֨וּ	verafu	`HC/Vqq3cp`	and will be feeble	and they became slack
`H7503-26`	Zephaniah 3:16	יִרְפּ֥וּ	yirepu	`HVqj3mp`	let hang limp	let them become slack
`H7503-06`	Psalms 37:8	הֶ֣רֶף	heref	`HVhv2ms`	Cease	Release!
`H7503-05`	Psalms 46:11	הַרְפּ֣וּ	harepu	`HVhv2mp`	Be still	Slack off!
`H7503-19`	Psalms 138:8	תֶּֽרֶף	teref	`HVhj2ms`	forsake	slackness
`H7503-19`	Proverbs 4:13	תֶּ֑רֶף	teref	`HVhj2ms`	let go	slackness
`H7503-10`	Proverbs 18:9	מִתְרַפֶּ֣ה	miterapeh	`HVtrmsa`	who is slack	the one slackening himself
`H7503-07`	Proverbs 24:10	הִ֭תְרַפִּיתָ	hiterapita	`HVtp2ms`	you faint	you slackened yourself
`H7503-17`	Job 7:19	תַ֝רְפֵּ֗/נִי	tarepeni	`HVhi2ms/Sp1cs`	will you let me alone	you cause me to slacken
`H7503-16`	Job 12:21	רִפָּֽה	ripah	`HVpp3ms`	he weakens	he slackened
`H7503-01`	Job 27:6	אַרְפֶּ֑/הָ	arepeha	`HVhi1cs/Sp3fs`	I will let it go	I will loosen her
`H7503-03`	Song of Songs 3:4	אַרְפֶּ֔/נּוּ	arepenu	`HVhi1cs/Sp3ms`	let him go	I will loosen him
`H7503-09`	Ezra 4:4	מְרַפִּ֖ים	merapim	`HVprmpa`	discouraging	the ones who weaken
`H7503-01`	Nehemiah 6:3	אַרְפֶּ֔/הָ	arepeha	`HVhi1cs/Sp3fs`	I-leave-it	I will loosen her
`H7503-26`	Nehemiah 6:9	יִרְפּ֧וּ	yirepu	`HVqi3mp`	will be weakened	let them become slack
`H7503-06`	1 Chronicles 21:15	הֶ֣רֶף	heref	`HVhv2ms`	stay	Release!
`H7503-24`	1 Chronicles 28:20	יַרְפְּ/ךָ֙	yarepekha	`HVhi3ms/Sp2ms`	will He fail you	he will let you slacken
`H7503-26`	2 Chronicles 15:7	יִרְפּ֖וּ	yirepu	`HVqj3mp`	be weak	let them become slack

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