English · KJV
H7540

רָקַד

râqad /raw-kad'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningproperly, to stamp, i.e. to spring about (wildly or for joy)
KJV usagedance, jump, leap, skip.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of râqad — 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 râqad, represented by H7540, is a primitive root meaning to stamp, spring about, dance, jump, leap, or skip. It conveys a sense of vigorous, often joyful or wild, movement. This term appears 9 times in 9 unique verses, illustrating its use in a variety of contexts, from human celebration to poetic descriptions of nature and warfare.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H7540 describes both literal and figurative action. It is famously used to portray King David dancing and playing as the ark of the covenant entered Jerusalem 1 Chronicles 15:29. The word also captures the simple joy of children who dance Job 21:11 and is presented as a fundamental part of the human experience in the phrase "a time to dance" Ecclesiastes 3:4. Figuratively, it personifies nature's response to God's power, as mountains skipped like rams (Psalms 114:4, Psalms 114:6) and skip like a calf Psalms 29:6. In a more ominous tone, it depicts the chaotic movement of jumping chariots in battle (Nahum 3:2, Joel 2:5) and the unnatural activity of satyrs that shall dance in a desolate land Isaiah 13:21.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which H7540 is used:

  • H1725 dâhar (to curvet or move irregularly; pause): This word appears alongside râqad in a description of warfare, referring to "pransing horses" and "jumping chariots" Nahum 3:2, linking both terms to the chaotic motion of battle.
  • H7832 sâchaq (to laugh, play, make merry, rejoice): This term is often paired with râqad to emphasize joyous celebration. King David was seen "dancing H7540 and playing H7832" 1 Chronicles 15:29, and Ecclesiastes pairs "a time to laugh H7832" with "a time to dance H7540" Ecclesiastes 3:4.

Theological Significance

The conceptual weight of H7540 is seen in its diverse applications, highlighting different themes.

  • Joyful Worship and Celebration: The word is a physical manifestation of joy and worship. David's unrestrained dance before the ark is a powerful expression of religious fervor 1 Chronicles 15:29. It is also positioned as a natural and appropriate response to happy times Ecclesiastes 3:4.
  • The Power of God in Creation: Nature itself is described as responding with dynamic energy to God's presence. Mountains and hills skip and leap, personifying the immense power that can move even the foundations of the earth (Psalms 29:6, Psalms 114:4, Psalms 114:6).
  • Chaos and Judgment: In prophetic contexts, the word describes the powerful and unsettling movements associated with divine judgment. The leaping of war chariots signifies an invading force Joel 2:5, while the dancing of satyrs in a ruined city depicts a place given over to desolation Isaiah 13:21.

Summary

In summary, H7540 is a dynamic word that signifies energetic movement. It is not limited to a single meaning but is used to express a wide spectrum of ideas, from the uninhibited joy of human worship and play to the awesome, and sometimes terrifying, power of God as reflected in both nature and judgment. The word's usage demonstrates how a physical action can convey profound spiritual and poetic truths.

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 verb across 9 occurrences, inflected in 7 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.

  • יְרַקֵּדוּ
  • יַּרְקִידֵ
  • מְרַקֵּדָה
  • מְרַקֵּד
  • תִּרְקְדוּ
  • רְקוֹד
  • רָקְדוּ

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.

H1725 דָּהַר a primitive root; to curvet or move irregularly; pause. H7832 שָׂחַק a primitive root; to laugh (in pleasure or detraction); by implication, to play; deride, have in derision, laugh, make m

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 9 verses across 7 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms (3 verses); never once in the other 32.

1
1 Chronicles
1
Job
3
Psalms
1
Ecclesiastes
1
Isaiah
1
Joel
1
Nahum

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.