רָפֶה (ra.pheh)
ra.pheh
weak
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective rāpheh conveys a state of being loose, slack, or weak. It describes something that lacks tension or firmness, whether referring to physical limbs or abstract qualities like resolve. In its four biblical appearances, the word consistently points to a loss of strength or rigidity.
This term appears in diverse contexts, from the physical frailty described in Job to the spiritual laxity warned against in Isaiah. It is also used in Numbers to describe the weakening of military forces. The sources highlight its use for anything that has become limp or ineffective, contrasting with the stability expected in covenant faithfulness.
Its root sense of "slackness" helps explain why translators often render it as weak or faint. Unlike words for total destruction, rāpheh suggests a gradual loosening or failure to hold firm. This nuance is crucial for understanding passages where Israel’s strength wanes not through sudden defeat, but through internal softening and neglect of duty.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word rāpheh describes a state of looseness or slackness, much like a rope that has lost its tension. In Scripture, it often points to physical frailty or a lack of resolve. This imagery reminds us that strength is not always about power, but about holding firm when life feels heavy.
In Job 4:3 and Isaiah 35:3, the call is to strengthen weak hands. This suggests that our faith community plays a vital role in supporting one another. When we feel slack or weary, others can help us regain our grip on hope and duty.
Even in Numbers 13:18, the spies are asked to assess whether people are strong or weak. This highlights the reality of human limitation. Recognizing our own weakness is not a failure; it is an invitation to rely on God’s sustaining power rather than our own fading energy.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- slack2×
- ¿/ feeble1×
- and/ slack of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- רָפ֣וֹת1×
- רָפ֑וֹת1×
- וּ/רְפֵ֣ה1×
- הֲ/רָפֶ֔ה1×
Key Verses
-
Job 4:3
Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.
This verse shows the word used in the context of moral and spiritual encouragement, where strengthening the weak is an act of faithful instruction.
-
Isaiah 35:3
Strengthen the weak hands, and make the feeble knees firm.
Here the command to strengthen weak hands pairs with making feeble knees firm, linking physical support with renewed spiritual resolve.
-
Numbers 13:18
See the land, what it is; and the people who dwell therein, whether they are strong or weak, whether they are few or many;
The spies are instructed to observe whether the inhabitants are strong or weak, using the term to assess tangible military capability rather than abstract virtue.