### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **rᵉʻûwth**, represented by `{{H7468}}`, defines a **female associate**. It appears 6 times across 6 unique verses in the Bible. Derived from `{{H7462}}` in the sense of `{{H7453}}`, its meaning extends beyond simple association to encompass roles such as a **mate**, **neighbour**, or an **additional one** who serves as a replacement.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H7468}}` is used to specify relationships between women in both social and prophetic contexts. In a practical command, it is used to instruct every woman to borrow from her **neighbour** [[Exodus 11:2]] in preparation for the exodus from Egypt. In a prophetic description of a restored, ordered creation, the word is used to affirm that in God's plan, no creature will lack its **mate** [[Isaiah 34:15-16]]. The term can also signify a replacement, as when King Ahasuerus is advised to give Queen Vashti's royal estate to **another** who is better than she [[Esther 1:19]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the scope of female association and relationship:
* `{{H7453}}` **rêaʻ** (an associate... neighbour): This is the direct male counterpart to **rᵉʻûwth**. Their parallel usage is clear in commands where every man is to interact with his **neighbour** `{{H7453}}` and every woman with hers `{{H7468}}` [[Exodus 11:2]].
* `{{H7462}}` **râʻâh** (to tend a flock... associate with): As the primitive root, this word provides the foundational idea of association or companionship. This concept of keeping company is central to the meaning of **rᵉʻûwth**.
* `{{H802}}` **ʼishshâh** (a woman): This term for woman is frequently used alongside **rᵉʻûwth** to specify the gender of the associate, such as the instruction for "every one `{{H802}}` her neighbour `{{H7468}}`" to teach lamentation [[Jeremiah 9:20]].
* `{{H2896}}` **ṭôwb** (good... better): This word appears in a key context with **rᵉʻûwth**, where Vashti is to be replaced by **another** `{{H7468}}` who is judged to be **better** `{{H2896}}`, linking the concept of replacement with a moral or qualitative assessment [[Esther 1:19]].
### Theological Significance
The conceptual significance of `{{H7468}}` highlights the nature of relationships and social order.
* **Communal Interdependence:** The term underscores the expected interactions between women in a community. Whether borrowing valuables from a **neighbour** [[Exodus 11:2]] or teaching lamentation to one another [[Jeremiah 9:20]], it points to a fabric of social connection and shared experience.
* **Divinely Appointed Partnership:** In the context of prophecy, the word takes on a sense of divine order. The promise that no vulture will be without her **mate** [[Isaiah 34:15-16]] suggests a world where divinely intended partnerships are fulfilled and completeness is restored.
* **Consequences of Broken Fellowship:** The word is also used to illustrate the dire results of societal breakdown. In a prophecy of judgment, the people are described as symbolically consuming "the flesh of **another**" [[Zechariah 11:9]], turning the idea of a female associate into an object of destruction.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7468}}` is more than a simple gender-specific label. It is a significant term for understanding female relationships, defining social obligations, divinely appointed order, and the consequences of fractured community. It illustrates how a single word can carry layers of meaning, from a literal **neighbour** in a village to a **mate** in the natural world and, in darker contexts, to the grim fate of **another** in a society under judgment.
TRV