רָעָב (ra.av)
ra.av
famine
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 76 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun ra’av denotes a state of severe hunger or famine, ranging from individual starvation to widespread regional scarcity. In Genesis, it drives the narrative of Joseph’s rise, as the seven years of plenty are followed by a devastating dearth that forces Jacob’s family to seek grain in Egypt (Genesis 41:57). This physical lack of food often serves as a backdrop for divine judgment or testing, appearing frequently in the warnings of prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
While primarily referring to physical need, the word carries a significant figurative weight. It is used metaphorically to describe a spiritual emptiness, most notably when God promises that people will wander seeking His word but will not find it (Jeremiah 5:12). This usage suggests that just as the body withers without bread, the soul starves without divine truth. The term thus bridges the gap between bodily survival and spiritual sustenance.
Its root relates to the verb for being hungry, emphasizing a condition of acute need rather than simple appetite. Translators typically render it as "famine" when describing national disasters or "hunger" in personal contexts. This distinction helps readers grasp the scale of the crisis, whether it is a single family’s struggle or a nation’s collapse under divine discipline.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for famine appears often in Scripture, describing both physical scarcity and spiritual longing. When Jacob’s family faced hunger, they traveled to Egypt for grain, showing how God used a crisis to preserve His people. This history reminds us that even in seasons of lack, God remains present and working behind the scenes.
Prophets like Jeremiah used this word to describe a deeper ache. They spoke of a time when people would wander searching for God’s word but find none. This points to a truth we all feel: the body needs bread, but the soul needs truth. Without divine guidance, we may feel empty even when our plates are full.
Knowing this helps us look beyond immediate struggles. We can trust that God provides not just for our physical needs but also for our spiritual hunger. He invites us to seek Him with the same urgency we use to find food, knowing He will satisfy our deepest longings.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 76 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ famine17×
- famine9×
- a famine9×
- by <the>/ famine8×
- and/ the/ famine7×
- and/ by <the>/ famine7×
- <the>/ famine6×
- and/ famine4×
- hunger3×
- by/ hunger2×
- with <the>/ famine1×
- to the/ famine1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הָ/רָעָ֖ב9×
- הָ/רָעָ֣ב4×
- בָּ/רָעָֽב\׃4×
- בָּ/רָעָ֣ב4×
- רָעָב֙3×
- רָעָ֖ב3×
- רָעָ֑ב3×
- וּ/בָ/רָעָ֖ב3×
- וְ/הָ/רָעָ֖ב3×
- רָעָֽב\׃2×
- רָעָ֤ב2×
- רָעָ֞ב2×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 41:57
All countries came into Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the earth.
This verse shows how the famine drove all nations to Egypt, illustrating God's sovereign provision through Joseph during a global crisis.
-
Genesis 42:5
The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
This occurrence marks the turning point where Jacob’s sons enter the famine narrative, setting the stage for family reconciliation.
-
Ruth 1:1
In the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons.
The story begins with this condition, showing how personal hardship often precedes significant divine intervention in individual lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word ra’av mean?
Is ra’av used metaphorically in the Bible?
Why does famine appear so often in Genesis?
Every Occurrence (76 verses across 16 books)
Genesis 17 verses
There was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe in…
Genesis 26:1There was a famine in the land, in addition to the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to…
Genesis 41:27The seven thin and ugly cattle that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted…
Genesis 41:30Seven years of famine will arise after them, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will…
Genesis 41:31and the plenty will not be known in the land by reason of that famine which follows; for it will be very grievous.
Genesis 41:36The food will be to supply the land against the seven years of famine, which will be in the land of Egypt; so that the…
Genesis 41:50To Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore…
Genesis 41:54The seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of…
Genesis 41:56The famine was over all the surface of the earth. Joseph opened all the store houses, and sold to the Egyptians. The…
Genesis 41:57All countries came into Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the earth.
Genesis 42:5The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 43:1The famine was severe in the land.
Genesis 45:6For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are yet five years, in which there will be no plowing…
Genesis 45:11There I will provide for you; for there are yet five years of famine; lest you come to poverty, you, and your…
Genesis 47:4They also said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as foreigners in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’…
Genesis 47:13There was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan…
Genesis 47:20So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine…