Word Study for H7270 (רָגַל) | Strong's Concordance

râgal /raw-gal'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root · also as denominative from רֶגֶל

Meaningto walk along; but only in specifically, applications, to reconnoiter, to be atale-bearer (i.e. slander); to lead about

KJV usagebackbite, search, slander, (e-) spy (out), teach to go, view.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of râgal — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word râgal, represented by H7270, is a primitive root primarily used in specific applications of reconnaissance and harmful speech. Its meanings include to spy, reconnoiter, slander, and backbite. It appears 25 times across 24 unique verses, often in contexts of military intelligence, political suspicion, and personal integrity.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H7270 is used in two distinct but related ways. The most common usage is for the act of spying or reconnaissance. For example, Joshua sent two men "to spy secretly" into the land of Jericho before the conquest Joshua 2:1. Similarly, Joseph accuses his brothers of being spies H7270, claiming they have come "to see the nakedness H6172 of the land" Genesis 42:9. The second usage relates to destructive speech. A righteous person is described in Psalms as one who does not backbite H7270 with his tongue Psalms 15:3, and Mephibosheth's servant is accused of having slandered H7270 him to King David 2 Samuel 19:27.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which râgal is used:

H7971 shâlach (to send away, for, or out): This word frequently precedes the act of spying, as leaders send H7971 spies to gather information. It is used when Joshua sent men to Jericho Joshua 2:1 and when David sent out spies to confirm Saul's arrival 1 Samuel 26:4.
H2713 châqar (to examine intimately): Often used in parallel with H7270, this word emphasizes a thorough and penetrating investigation. The Danites were sent "to spy H7270 out the land, and to search H2713 it" Judges 18:2.
H7200 râʼâh (to see, view): This word highlights the visual goal of reconnaissance. The spies sent by Joshua were commanded to "Go view H7200 the land" Joshua 2:1.
H3956 lâshôwn (the tongue): This word is directly linked to the slanderous application of H7270, specifying the instrument of backbiting in the description of a righteous individual Psalms 15:3.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7270 is found in its exploration of intent and integrity.

Covert Investigation: The act of spying is portrayed as a necessary, though risky, tool for fulfilling God's purposes, as with the spies in Jericho Joshua 6:25. However, it is also a tool for rebellion, as when Absalom sent H7971 spies throughout Israel to orchestrate his rise to power 2 Samuel 15:10.
The Morality of Speech: The use of H7270 for slander places it in direct opposition to righteous living. A person fit to dwell in God's presence is one who does not backbite H7270, do evil H7451 to his neighbor, or take up a reproach H2781 Psalms 15:3.
Suspicion and Vulnerability: The accusation of being a spy H7270 is often tied to the fear of having one's weakness exposed. The Ammonite princes believed David's men were sent "to spy it out H7270, and to overthrow H2015 it" 2 Samuel 10:3, revealing a deep-seated mistrust.

Summary

In summary, H7270 is a focused term that encompasses both the clandestine gathering of information and the destructive power of malicious speech. It moves between the contexts of military strategy, where men are sent to spy out a land Numbers 21:32, and personal ethics, where one is warned not to slander 2 Samuel 19:27. The word illustrates how the same root concept—a close, penetrating observation—can be applied for either righteous fulfillment or moral failure.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 26 occurrences, inflected in 7 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

מְרַגְּלִים
רַגֵּל
יְרַגְּלוּ
יְרַגֵּל
רַגְּלוּ
רָגַל
תִרְגַּלְתִּי

Related Words

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 24 verses across 9 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis (7 verses); never once in the other 30.

Genesis

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Joshua

Judges

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Chronicles

Psalms

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.