Word Study for H7285 (רֶגֶשׁ)

regesh /reh'-ghesh/ Ask about this word

Rootor (feminine) רִגְשָׁה · from רָגַשׁ

Meaninga tumultuous crowd

KJV usagecompany, insurrection.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of regesh — 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 regesh, represented by H7285, denotes a tumultuous crowd. Its definition includes the concepts of company and insurrection. It is a rare term, appearing only 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible, but its usage highlights a significant contrast in the nature of human gatherings.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two appearances of H7285 portray starkly opposite meanings. In Psalms 64:2, the psalmist prays to be hidden from the insurrection of workers of iniquity, depicting a dangerous, plotting crowd united for a wicked purpose. Conversely, in Psalms 55:14, the psalmist fondly recalls a time when he "walked unto the house of God in company," suggesting a positive and unified fellowship of worshippers. These two uses establish a duality: a gathering can be either a threatening mob or a supportive community.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the two contexts of H7285:

H5475 çôwd (secret counsel): This term, meaning "a session, i.e. company of persons (in close deliberation)," is used in both contexts. It describes the "secret counsel" of the wicked Psalms 64:2 but also the "sweet counsel" shared between friends walking in company Psalms 55:14.
H7489 râʻaʻ (wicked): This word defines the character of the negative gathering in Psalms 64:2. Its definition, "to make (or be) good fornothing, i.e. bad," shows that the "insurrection" is comprised of those who do evil.
H1980 hâlak (to walk): Defined as "to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)," this word describes the positive action of the "company" of believers. They physically and spiritually move together toward the house of God Psalms 55:14.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7285 lies in its portrayal of community and assembly.

Tumultuous Opposition: The word illustrates the reality of organized opposition to the righteous. The "insurrection of the workers of iniquity" represents a collective force of evil from which one needs divine protection Psalms 64:2.
Sacred Fellowship: In its positive sense, H7285 affirms the value of communal worship. To walk to the house of God "in company" is an expression of shared faith and unity among believers Psalms 55:14.
The Intent of a Gathering: The word demonstrates that the moral nature of a crowd is defined by its purpose. A gathering is judged by whether it is composed of the "wicked" H7489 or those seeking "God" H430.

Summary

In summary, H7285 is a term with a powerful dual meaning. While appearing infrequently, it effectively captures the concept that a "tumultuous crowd" can be either a conspiratorial "insurrection" or a faithful "company." Its significance is found in this contrast, highlighting that the nature of any assembly is determined by the shared intent and character of its members, whether for wickedness or for worship.

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 noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

רִגְשַׁת
רָגֶשׁ

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

2 verses, all in Psalms — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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.