Word Study for H7567 (רָשַׁשׁ)

râshash /raw-shash'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto demolish

KJV usageimpoverish.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of râshash — 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 râshash, represented by H7567, is a primitive root meaning to demolish; impoverish. It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. This term conveys a state of being completely broken down or made destitute, often through destructive action.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H7567 depict states of ruin and judgment. In Jeremiah 5:17, the word describes the outcome of an invasion, where the enemy will not only consume the harvest H7105 and bread H3899, but also impoverish the fenced H4013 cities in which the people trusted. In Malachi 1:4, H7567 is used by Edom H123 to describe their condition, stating, "We are impoverished." This claim is made in defiance, as they vow to build H1129 again, but the LORD declares He will throw down H2040 their efforts, marking them as a people under His perpetual indignation H2194.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context of demolition and ruin associated with H7567:

H2040 hâraç (to pull down or in pieces, break, destroy): This word acts as a divine counterpoint to human effort. While Edom claims it will rebuild, God promises, "I will throw down" Malachi 1:4, showing His ultimate authority to demolish.
H1129 bânâh (to build): This term stands in direct contrast to impoverishment and destruction. Edom's defiant promise to "return and build the desolate places" Malachi 1:4 highlights the conflict between human pride and divine judgment.
H4013 mibtsâr (a fortification, castle, or fortified city): This word identifies the object of the impoverishment in Jeremiah's prophecy. The promise that an enemy will impoverish the fenced cities demonstrates that human strongholds offer no ultimate security Jeremiah 5:17.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7567 is centered on themes of divine judgment and sovereignty.

Futility of Human Pride: The word is used in the context of Edom's boastful attempt to overcome their ruin. Their statement, "We are impoverished, but we will return and build," is immediately nullified by God's declaration that He will throw down their works, marking them as the "border of wickedness" H7564 Malachi 1:4.
Judgment as Consequence: In Jeremiah, being impoverished is the result of sin. An invading force is the instrument of judgment, consuming resources like bread H3899 and dismantling sources of trust, such as fenced H4013 cities Jeremiah 5:17.
Demolition of False Security: Both occurrences link being impoverished to the destruction of what people rely on for safety. Jeremiah explicitly mentions the cities "wherein thou trustedst" Jeremiah 5:17, and Malachi shows God dismantling Edom's efforts to rebuild their "desolate places" H2723, proving that security apart from God is an illusion.

Summary

In summary, H7567 râshash signifies more than a simple lack of resources; it points to a condition of being actively demolished and brought to ruin. It appears exclusively in contexts of judgment, either as a consequence for Israel's unfaithfulness or as a permanent state for a nation like Edom H123 living under God's indignation H2194. The word powerfully illustrates the theme of divine sovereignty, showing that any human attempt to build or trust in worldly defenses is futile when set against the authority of God.

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 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

יְרֹשֵׁשׁ
רֻשַּׁשְׁנוּ

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Jeremiah and Malachi (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Jeremiah

Malachi

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.