רָחֵל (ra.chel)
ra.chel
ewe
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun rachal simply means "ewe," or a female sheep that has given birth. It appears in only three verses across the Old Testament, serving as a straightforward term for livestock rather than carrying complex theological weight. Its primary occurrences are found in Genesis, where it functions within the narrative of Jacob’s flocks.
In Genesis 31:38 and 40, Jacob uses the word to describe his labor with Laban’s sheep, noting that he never ate an rachal from the flock and that those killed by wild beasts were brought to him. This usage highlights the practical reality of shepherding in the ancient Near East, where such animals represented significant economic value and personal responsibility.
The word also appears in Song of Solomon 4:2, where the beloved’s teeth are compared to a flock of shorn ewes coming from the washing. Here, the imagery relies on the uniformity and cleanliness of the sheep after being sheared and washed, creating a vivid picture of perfection and order. Isaiah 53:7 uses the term metaphorically for Jesus as the suffering servant, likening his silence before accusers to a quiet ewe.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word rachal refers simply to an ewe, a female sheep that has given birth. In the ancient world, these animals were vital sources of milk, wool, and economic stability. When Jacob spoke of his twenty years with Laban, he mentioned not eating the rams or harming the flock. This detail shows how seriously he took his stewardship, treating the livestock as a trust rather than personal property.
In Song of Solomon, the imagery shifts to beauty and order. The beloved’s teeth are compared to a clean flock coming from the washing. Here, the ewe represents uniformity and care, suggesting that true beauty reflects a life maintained with attention and purity.
Isaiah 53:7 uses this gentle animal to describe the suffering servant. Though the Hebrew text often translates this as a lamb or sheep, the underlying concept connects to the quiet submission of a ewe before its shearers. This offers a picture of trust in God’s hands, even when facing injustice.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- ewes/ your1×
- and/ like/ a ewe1×
- <the>/ ewes1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- רְחֵלֶ֥י/ךָ1×
- וּ/כְ/רָחֵ֕ל1×
- הָֽ/רְחֵלִ֔ים1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 31:38
“These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not cast their young, and I haven’t eaten the rams of your flocks.
This verse highlights Jacob's integrity by noting he did not exploit the flock for personal gain during his long service.
-
Song of Solomon 6:6
Your teeth are like a flock of ewes, which have come up from the washing, of which every one has twins; not one is bereaved among them.
The comparison uses the clean, uniform appearance of ewes after washing to illustrate the beloved's perfect and orderly beauty.
-
Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn’t open his mouth. As a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he didn’t open his mouth.
This metaphor captures the silent endurance of the suffering servant, likening his refusal to defend himself to a sheep before its shearers.