English · KJV
H7309

רְוָחָה

rᵉvâchâh /rev-aw-khaw'/ Ask about this word
Rootfeminine of רֶוַח
Meaningrelief
KJV usagebreathing, respite.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of rᵉvâchâh — 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 rᵉvâchâh, represented by H7309, signifies relief, breathing, or respite. It appears only 2 times in 2 unique verses, where it denotes a pause from affliction or a plea for life itself.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The word's usage highlights two distinct scenarios. In Exodus, it describes an external event where Pharaoh H6547 saw H7200 that there was respite from the plagues, which prompted him to harden H3513 his heart Exodus 8:15. In contrast, Lamentations uses the term in a deeply personal prayer, where the speaker asks God not to hide His ear from his breathing H7309, linking it directly to his cry for help Lamentations 3:56.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words from its context clarify its meaning:

  • H6547 Parʻôh (Pharaoh): This title refers to the Egyptian king who observed the respite but refused to obey God's command, demonstrating that relief does not guarantee repentance Exodus 8:15.
  • H3513 kâbad (to be heavy, harden): This verb describes Pharaoh's reaction to the respite. Instead of softening his heart, the relief caused him to harden it, making it heavy and unresponsive Exodus 8:15.
  • H8085 shâmaʻ (to hear intelligently): This word appears in both contexts. Pharaoh did not hearken H8085 despite the relief Exodus 8:15, while the lamenter's hope is that God has heard H8085 his plea Lamentations 3:56.
  • H7775 shavʻâh (crying): This term for a desperate cry is paired with breathing H7309, illustrating that the very breath of the afflicted is a form of outcry to God Lamentations 3:56.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7309 is centered on the human response to divine action.

  • Respite as a Test: The account in Exodus demonstrates that a period of respite can be a test of the heart. For Pharaoh, this pause in judgment did not lead to submission but to a renewed hardening of his will Exodus 8:15.
  • Breathing as Prayer: In Lamentations, breathing is depicted as a profound and elemental form of prayer, a desperate appeal for life when one is overwhelmed. It is a cry H7775 for God not to hide H5956 His ear H241 Lamentations 3:56.
  • Conditional Relief: The two uses together suggest that while God may grant temporary respite, true relief is tied to the posture of the heart—whether one hardens it like Pharaoh or cries out in dependence like the author of Lamentations.

Summary

In summary, H7309 is a rare but significant word that encapsulates the concept of a temporary pause from distress. It is used to describe both a break in God's judgment and the very breath of a person crying out for salvation. It powerfully illustrates that a moment of respite is a critical spiritual juncture, revealing the true orientation of the human heart toward God.

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.

  • רְוָחָה
  • רַוְחָתִ

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.

H6547 פַּרְעֹה of Egyptian derivation; Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings; Pharaoh. H7200 רָאָה a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransit H3513 כָּבַד or כָּבֵד; a primitive root; to be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, r H8085 שָׁמַע a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc H7775 שַׁוְעָה feminine of שֶׁוַע; a hallooing; crying. H5956 עָלַם a primitive root; to veil from sight, i.e. conceal (literally or figuratively); [idiom] any ways, blind, dissembler, hid

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus and Lamentations (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
Exodus
1
Lamentations

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.