רָכַךְ (ra.khakh)
ra.khakh
be tender
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb rakakh describes a state of being soft, tender, or weak. In the Old Testament, it most frequently applies to the human heart, indicating a condition that is pliable rather than hardened. This softness can manifest as timidity or fear, but in prophetic literature, it often carries a positive theological weight, describing a heart that has been softened toward God and is ready for repentance.
Its usage extends beyond internal disposition to describe external actions. The sources note its application to "treacherous words," where speech itself is characterized by a deceptive smoothness or softness that masks hostile intent. This dual nature—whether describing a humble, receptive spirit or a cunning, insincere tongue—highlights the word’s focus on texture and responsiveness.
With only seven occurrences, primarily in Isaiah, Job, and Jeremiah, the word appears in contexts where divine judgment meets human response. It captures the moment when resistance gives way to submission, whether through fear of consequences or genuine penitence. Translators typically render it as "tender" or "soft," preserving the physical metaphor for a spiritual reality.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word rakakh paints a picture of something soft, pliable, or tender. In Scripture, it most often describes the human heart not as fragile, but as responsive. When a heart is 'tender,' it remains open to God’s voice rather than becoming calloused by pride or fear. This quality allows us to receive correction with humility and to turn back to Him when we stray.
King Josiah offers a clear example of this in II Kings 22:19. When he heard the words of judgment against his people, his heart did not harden in denial or defensiveness. Instead, it softened immediately. He humbled himself, tore his clothes, and wept. God saw that genuine repentance and responded with mercy.
If you feel a pull toward God even when you are struggling, that sensitivity is a gift. It means your heart is still tender enough to hear Him. Rather than fearing your own weakness, trust that this softness is where true strength begins. Let your heart remain open to His leading today.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it was soft2×
- it should be weak1×
- it has been softened1×
- it be weak1×
- he has made faint1×
- be timid1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- רַךְ\־2×
- רֻכְּכָ֖ה1×
- יֵרַ֤ךְ1×
- יֵרַ֣ךְ1×
- יֵרַ֔ךְ1×
- הֵרַ֣ךְ1×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 22:19
because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Yahweh when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you,’ says Yahweh.
This verse shows the word applied positively to King Josiah, whose tender heart led to immediate humility and repentance upon hearing God's word.
-
II Chronicles 34:27
because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and against its inhabitants, and have humbled yourself before me, and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you,” says Yahweh.
The parallel account confirms that this tenderness was recognized by God as the basis for His favorable response to Josiah's actions.
-
Job 23:16
For God has made my heart faint. The Almighty has terrified me.
Here the word describes a heart made faint or weak by terror, illustrating how external fear can also produce a state of softness or vulnerability.