English · KJV
H7302

רָוֶה

râveh /raw-veh'/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom רָוָה
Meaningsated (with drink)
KJV usagedrunkenness, watered.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of râveh — 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 râveh, represented by H7302, carries a dual meaning related to being fully supplied with drink. It is defined as sated (with drink); drunkenness, watered. This term appears 3 times in 3 unique verses, where its meaning shifts dramatically based on context, from divine blessing to willful rebellion.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the scriptures, H7302 is used both positively and negatively. In a positive sense, it describes a state of spiritual abundance and satisfaction provided by God. The soul of the righteous is promised to be like a watered garden, a place of life that does not fail (Isaiah 58:11, Jeremiah 31:12). Conversely, it is used negatively to describe a state of spiritual stupor. In Deuteronomy, it warns against the person who blesses himself in his heart while walking in rebellion, intending "to add drunkenness to thirst" Deuteronomy 29:19.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of H7302 in its different contexts:

  • H7646 sâbaʻ (to sate, i.e. fill to satisfaction): This word is used in parallel with H7302 to describe the Lord's provision. The promise is that God will satisfy the soul, resulting in it becoming like a "watered" garden Isaiah 58:11.
  • H6771 tsâmêʼ (thirsty): This word stands in direct opposition to H7302. The rebellious heart seeks to add "drunkenness" to thirst, compounding a state of spiritual lack with a state of willful indulgence Deuteronomy 29:19.
  • H5102 nâhar (to flow, i.e. (figuratively) assemble): This word describes the action that leads to the blessing of being "watered." The people flow together to the goodness of the Lord, and as a result, their souls become as a "watered" garden Jeremiah 31:12.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H7302 lies in its sharp contrast between divine satisfaction and self-deception.

  • Divine Blessing: When used as "watered," the term signifies a soul that is fully sustained by God's goodness and guidance. It is an image of life, fruitfulness, and security that comes from a right relationship with Him (Isaiah 58:11, Jeremiah 31:12).
  • Spiritual Drunkenness: As "drunkenness," it represents a state of willful spiritual stupor. It is the condition of a person who ignores God's curse on disobedience and instead follows the "imagination of mine heart," leading to a compounding of sin Deuteronomy 29:19.
  • Source of Satiation: The word ultimately forces a question of one's source. A soul becomes a "watered garden" when it is satisfied by the LORD, but it enters a state of "drunkenness" when it seeks peace in its own rebellious thoughts.

Summary

In summary, H7302 is a potent word that illustrates two opposing spiritual realities. It can describe the profound blessing of a soul completely sated and nourished by God, depicted as a "watered garden." At the same time, it can signify the perilous state of "drunkenness," where a person, deep in spiritual thirst, adds the intoxicant of self-will, leading to destruction. The word's meaning is entirely dependent on whether the source of satiation is God or the self.

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 an adjective across 3 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.

  • רָוֶה
  • רָוָה

Related Words

Related

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.

H7646 שָׂבַע or שָׂבֵעַ; a primitive root; to sate, i.e. fill to satisfaction (literally or figuratively); have enough, fill (full, s H6771 צָמֵא from צָמֵא; thirsty (literally or figuratively); (that) thirst(-eth, -y). H5102 נָהַר a primitive root; to sparkle, i.e. (figuratively) be cheerful; hence (from the sheen of a running stream) to flow, i.e.

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 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Deuteronomy, Isaiah, and Jeremiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

1
Deuteronomy
1
Isaiah
1
Jeremiah

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.