רָקַע (ra.qa)
ra.qa
to beat
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 8 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb raqa means to beat, stamp, or spread out by hammering metal. In the Old Testament, it describes the physical act of working gold or silver into thin sheets. This concrete image of craftsmanship is applied metaphorically to God’s creative power, portraying Him as a divine artisan shaping the heavens with deliberate force.
Its most famous usage appears in Isaiah 40:22, where God is described as stretching out the heavens like a curtain. The word suggests that the sky is not a solid dome but a vast, beaten-out expanse of metal, thin and wide. This imagery emphasizes both the grandeur of creation and the precision of its maker, contrasting human fragility with divine strength.
The term also appears in Job 37:18, where Job asks if one can spread out skies hard as a cast metal mirror. Here, the verb highlights the firmness and clarity of the celestial canopy. By using a word rooted in metalworking, the text connects the majesty of the cosmos with the skilled labor of a craftsman, reminding readers that the universe was formed with intention and care.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we read that God stretched out the heavens, the Hebrew word raqa brings a vivid picture to mind. It describes a skilled artisan hammering gold or silver until it becomes thin yet strong enough to cover a vast area. This image reminds us that the universe was not left to chance but shaped with deliberate care and immense power.
For your faith, this offers deep comfort. The same strength that holds the sky together is present in your life. You are held by a Creator who works with precision, turning something fragile into something enduring. His creative power is not distant; it is active, intentional, and sustaining every moment of your existence.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 8 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [who] spread out2×
- will you spread out?1×
- to/ [one who] spread out1×
- he will overlay/ it1×
- beaten1×
- and/ they hammered out1×
- I beat out/ them1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- רֹקַ֥ע2×
- תַּרְקִ֣יעַ1×
- מְרֻקָּ֞ע1×
- לְ/רֹקַ֣ע1×
- יְרַקְּעֶ֑/נּוּ1×
- וַֽ/יְרַקְּע֞וּ1×
- אֶרְקָעֵֽ/ם\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Job 37:18
Can you, with him, spread out the sky, which is strong as a cast metal mirror?
Here the term highlights the firmness of the sky, comparing it to a cast metal mirror to show the solidity and clarity of God's work.
-
Exodus 39:3
They beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in with the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen, the work of the skillful workman.
This occurrence shows the literal meaning of the word, describing how gold was beaten into thin plates for the priestly garments.