Word Study for H7504 (רָפֶה) | Strong's Concordance

râpheh /raw-feh'/ Ask about this word

Meaningslack (in body or mind)

KJV usageweak. raphah, Raphah. See רָפָא, רָפָא. riphah. See רִיפָה.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of râpheh — 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 râpheh, represented by H7504, is a term for being slack (in body or mind); weak. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. The word describes a state of powerlessness, vulnerability, or lack of physical and mental strength.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H7504 is used to describe both physical and situational weakness. It is used in a military context when the spies are sent to assess if the people of Canaan are "strong or weak" Numbers 13:18. It also depicts a state of personal vulnerability, as when Ahithophel plans to attack David while he is "weary and weak handed" 2 Samuel 17:2. The term is often used metaphorically for a lack of resolve or courage, as seen in the command to strengthen the "weak hands" (Isaiah 35:3; Job 4:3).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to define the concept of weakness by providing contrast or similarity:

H2388 châzaq (to seize, be strong... strengthen): This word is used as a direct command to counteract the state of H7504. In both Isaiah and Job, the call is to strengthen the weak hands (Isaiah 35:3; Job 4:3).
H2389 châzâq (strong (usu. in a bad sense, hard, bold, violent)): This term serves as the direct antonym to H7504 in the assessment of the inhabitants of Canaan, contrasting those who are strong with those who are weak Numbers 13:18.
H3782 kâshal (to totter or waver... stumble, faint or fall): This word is used in parallel with H7504 to describe a state of frailty. Isaiah pairs strengthening "weak hands" with confirming the feeble knees Isaiah 35:3.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H7504 lies in its portrayal of human frailty and the divine response to it.

Human Vulnerability: The word highlights a state of helplessness, whether it is a nation being assessed for conquest Numbers 13:18 or a king being targeted at his lowest point 2 Samuel 17:2. It underscores a condition that is susceptible to failure or attack.
A Call to Action: Weakness is not presented as a final state but as a condition requiring intervention. Job is reminded that he himself used to strengthen the weak hands, setting a standard for righteous behavior Job 4:3.
Prophetic Restoration: The command to "Strengthen ye the weak hands" is part of a larger prophecy of God's coming salvation and restoration, where frailty and fear are to be reversed by divine power Isaiah 35:3.

Summary

In summary, H7504 denotes more than simple physical weakness. It is a term that encompasses a spectrum of vulnerability, from the military assessment of a people to the personal exhaustion of an individual. Ultimately, the concept of râpheh serves to highlight the human condition of frailty, creating a backdrop against which the call to strengthen, encourage, and trust in divine power is made clear.

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 4 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

רָפוֹת
רָפֶה
רְפֵה

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 4 verses across 4 of the 39 books. 4 books tie for most frequent (1 verse each); never once in the other 35.

Numbers

2 Samuel

Job

Isaiah

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.