רָעֵב (ra.ev)
ra.ev
be hungry
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 11 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb ra‘ev describes the physical state of being hungry, often with a sense of intensity or voraciousness. It appears eleven times in the Old Testament, primarily within poetic and prophetic books like Isaiah, Psalms, and Proverbs. Rather than indicating mere mild appetite, the word conveys a pressing need for food that demands attention.
In its basic Qal form, it simply states that someone is hungry, as seen when Psalm 107:5 describes weary travelers whose souls fainted because they were hungry and thirsty. The Hiphil stem adds a causative layer, meaning to allow someone to go hungry or to deprive them of food. This usage appears in Isaiah 58:7, where the prophet challenges the people to share their bread with the hungry rather than merely performing religious rituals while ignoring those who suffer.
The word grounds spiritual teachings in physical reality. By linking hunger to acts of justice and mercy, the text emphasizes that caring for bodily needs is central to faithful living. Translators typically render it as "hungry" or "hunger," preserving the directness of the original term without adding abstract theological layers.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word raev describes the sharp, pressing reality of physical hunger. It is not a mild appetite but a deep need that commands attention. In Psalm 107:5, weary travelers faint because they are hungry and thirsty. This raw experience grounds spiritual truth in our daily lives. God sees our basic needs and cares for them.
Isaiah 49:10 offers a beautiful promise of restoration. There, God assures His people that He will lead them to springs of water so they will not hunger or thirst again. This shows that God is both the provider who meets our physical needs and the one who sustains us spiritually. When we feel weak or empty, we can trust in His faithful care.
Proverbs 10:3 reminds us that Yahweh does not allow the soul of the righteous to go hungry. This word invites us to look at hunger not just as a problem, but as an opportunity to experience God’s provision and to extend mercy to others who are in need.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 11 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- he will be hungry2×
- you will be hungry1×
- we will be hungry1×
- they will be hungry1×
- it will be hungry1×
- he is hungry1×
- he allows to hunger1×
- and/ it was hungry1×
- and/ he caused to hunger/ you1×
- I will be hungry1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תִּרְעָ֔בוּ1×
- תִרְעָֽב\׃1×
- רָעֵב֙1×
- נִרְעָ֖ב1×
- יַרְעִ֣יב1×
- יִרְעָֽב\׃1×
- יִרְעָ֙בוּ֙1×
- יִרְעַ֜ב1×
- וַ/תִּרְעַב֙1×
- וַ/יַּרְעִבֶ/ךָ֒1×
- אֶ֭רְעַב1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 49:10
They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them, for he who has mercy on them will lead them. He will guide them by springs of water.
This verse uses the word to describe the complete restoration God promises, where He leads His people so they will no longer hunger or thirst.
-
Proverbs 10:3
Yahweh will not allow the soul of the righteous to go hungry, but he thrusts away the desire of the wicked.
Here the word highlights God’s faithful provision for the righteous, contrasting their security with the unfulfilled desires of the wicked.
-
Deuteronomy 8:3
He humbled you, allowed you to be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you didn’t know, neither did your fathers know, that he might teach you that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of Yahweh’s mouth.
The text uses this term to explain how God humbled Israel by allowing them to hunger, teaching them that life depends on His word, not just bread.