Word Study for H7543 (רָקַח) | Strong's Concordance

râqach /raw-kakh'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto perfume

KJV usageapothecary, compound, make (ointment), prepare, spice.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of râqach — 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 râqach, represented by H7543, is a primitive root that means to perfume or act as an apothecary. It is used to describe the skilled work of compounding, making ointments, preparing, and spicing. It appears 8 times across 8 unique verses in the Bible, primarily in contexts involving sacred or valuable aromatic mixtures.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In Scripture, H7543 is most frequently associated with the sacred preparations for the Tabernacle. It describes the skilled process, or "art of the apothecary," used to make the holy anointing oil and the pure incense (Exodus 30:25, Exodus 37:29). This task was specifically undertaken by the sons of the priests 1 Chronicles 9:30. The sacredness of this work is emphasized by a strict prohibition against anyone who compoundeth a similar formula for a stranger, with the penalty being cut off from the people Exodus 30:33. The term is also used in a royal context for spices prepared for the burial of King David 2 Chronicles 16:14. Figuratively, it is used in wisdom literature, where dead flies spoil an apothecary's ointment Ecclesiastes 10:1, and in prophecy as a grim metaphor for judgment, where flesh is to be spiced well before being consumed Ezekiel 24:10.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide further insight into the materials and products of the apothecary's art:

H7545 rôqach (confection, ointment): This noun, derived from the same root, refers directly to the finished product of the apothecary's work. It is used to describe the confection that results from the perfumer's art Exodus 30:35.
H1314 besem (spice, sweet odour): This word refers to the raw materials—the spices and fragrances—that were compounded. These were used to fill King David's bed with sweet odours and were the ingredients for the ointment the priests made (2 Chronicles 16:14, 1 Chronicles 9:30).
H8081 shemen (oil, ointment): This term signifies the base substance, often olive oil, into which the spices were mixed to create the final ointment. It is the essential medium for the holy anointing oil Exodus 30:25 and the valuable substance that can be ruined by dead flies Ecclesiastes 10:1.

Theological Significance

The use of H7543 carries significant thematic weight in Scripture.

Sacred Skill and Holiness: The act of compounding is presented as a holy art, dedicated to creating objects for worship. The resulting anointing oil and perfume are described as holy H6944, and their duplication for common use is strictly forbidden, highlighting the separation between the sacred and the profane (Exodus 30:33, Exodus 30:35).
The Consequence of Corruption: In Ecclesiastes, the apothecary's ointment serves as a powerful metaphor. Just as a small impurity like dead flies H2070 can cause a precious ointment to send forth a stinking savour H887, a little folly H5531 can destroy the reputation of one known for wisdom H2451 and honour H3519 Ecclesiastes 10:1.
The Administration of Judgment: The word takes on a dark, figurative meaning in Ezekiel's prophecy. The command to "spice it well" is part of a vision of God's judgment against Jerusalem, depicted as a boiling pot where the city's inhabitants are the flesh H1320 being prepared for utter consumption Ezekiel 24:10.

Summary

In summary, H7543 transcends its literal meaning of perfuming or compounding spices. It represents a holy craft, essential for the worship practices of Israel and reserved for the priesthood. Furthermore, it serves as a potent symbol in Scripture, illustrating how something pure and valuable can be corrupted by a small impurity and how even the pleasant act of spicing can be inverted to signify the severity of divine judgment. The word demonstrates how a skilled, physical act can represent profound spiritual realities.

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 8 occurrences, inflected in 5 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.

רֹקֵחַ
הַרְקַח
מְרֻקָּחִים
יִרְקַח
רֹקְחֵי

Related Words

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.

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 8 verses across 5 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus (4 verses); never once in the other 34.

Exodus

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Ecclesiastes

Ezekiel

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.