### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **rîyr**, represented by `{{H7388}}`, is a specific term used for saliva or spittle, and by resemblance, the white of an egg. It appears only **2 times** in 2 unique verses, with each occurrence providing a distinct and powerful image. Its meaning ranges from a physical discharge to a metaphor for something utterly tasteless.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H7388}}` appears in two starkly different contexts. In the first, it is translated as **spittle** during David's ruse to feign madness before the king of Gath. He "let his **spittle** fall down upon his beard," a deliberate act of self-debasement to appear harmless [[1 Samuel 21:13]]. In the second instance, it refers to the **white** of an egg in a rhetorical question from Job, who asks if there is any taste in what is insipid, using the egg white as an example of something without flavor [[Job 6:6]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the meaning of `{{H7388}}` in its contexts:
* `{{H8138}}` **shânâh** (to change): This word describes David's action of "changing" his behavior to feign madness, the very act that involved the use of spittle [[1 Samuel 21:13]]. It means to alter or disguise oneself.
* `{{H2206}}` **zâqân** (beard): This is the object upon which David's spittle fell. As a symbol of age and dignity, the defilement of the **beard** amplified the appearance of his feigned madness [[1 Samuel 21:13]].
* `{{H2940}}` **ṭaʻam** (taste): This is the quality that the **white** of an egg, or `{{H7388}}`, lacks in [[Job 6:6]]. The word also means behavior or discretion, linking the idea of tastelessness in Job to the "changed **behaviour**" of David.
* `{{H8602}}` **tâphêl** (unsavoury): Used in parallel with `{{H7388}}` in Job's question, this word describes that which is tasteless or foolish. It refers to things that are **unsavoury** and, by extension, frivolous or false [[Job 6:6]].
### Theological Significance
While its use is infrequent, the thematic weight of `{{H7388}}` is significant in its contexts.
* **Symbol of Debasement:** As **spittle**, `rîyr` becomes the physical evidence of David's feigned madness. Letting it run down his beard was a calculated act of humiliation, a powerful visual representation of a man appearing worthless to ensure his survival [[1 Samuel 21:13]].
* **Metaphor for Insipidity:** As the **white** of an egg, `rîyr` serves as a biblical benchmark for something utterly devoid of substance or value. Job uses it to articulate a state of worthlessness, comparing it to something **unsavoury** that cannot be eaten without salt [[Job 6:6]].
* **Physicality and Abstraction:** The word bridges a concrete physical substance with an abstract concept. It is both a literal bodily fluid and a figurative representation of that which lacks `ṭaʻam` `{{H2940}}`—a term encompassing not just taste but also reason and judgment.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7388}}` is a term with a dual application that carries significant symbolic meaning. Though appearing only twice, it effectively illustrates concepts of deliberate debasement and inherent worthlessness. Whether as the "spittle" of a feigned madman or the tasteless "white of an egg," `rîyr` serves as a potent biblical image for a lack of dignity and substance.
TRV