I. רָעָה 167 verb pasture, tend, graze (Assyrian 
rê’û, verb 
pasture, noun 
ruler, Tel Amarna 
ruḫi (as Canaanism) Wkl
No. 181, 11; Arabic 

, Ethiopic 

 Aramaic 
רְעָא, 

, all = Biblical Hebrew); — 
Qal Perfect 3rd person masculine plural consecutive 
וְרָעָה Micah 5:3 +, 
1st person singular suffix consecutive 
זּרְעִיתִים Ezekiel 34:13, 
3rd person plural suffix consecutive 
וְרָעוּם Jeremiah 23:4, etc.; 
Imperfect 3rd person masculine plural יִרְעֶה Isaiah 27:20 +, jussive 
יֵ֫רַע Job 20:26, suffix 
יִרְעֶנָּה Psalm 80:14, 
וַיִרְעֵם Psalm 78:72 (
וַיַּר׳ Hiph. van d. H.), etc.; 
Imperative masculine singular רְעֵה Micah 7:14 +, suffix 
רְעֵם Psalm 28:9; 
feminine singular רְעִי Songs 1:8; 
masculine plural רְעוּ Genesis 29:7; 
Infinitive construct לִרְעוֺת Genesis 37:12 +, etc.; 
Participle רֹעֶה Genesis 30:36 +, suffix 
רֹעִי Psalm 23:1 +; 
feminine singular רֹעָה Genesis 29:9; 
Proverbs 25:19, etc.; — 
    1. transitive
    a. pasture, tend (
pascere), literal, with accusative 
צאֹן Genesis 30:31, 
36; 
Genesis 37:12 (all J), 
Exodus 3:1 (E), 
1 Samuel 17:15; 
1 Samuel 25:16; 
Isaiah 61:5, accusative of asses 
Genesis 36:24 (P), kids 
Songs 1:8; accusative (
צאֹן) omitted 
Genesis 29:7; 
Genesis 37:13 (
ב location) 
Genesis 37:16 (all J), 
Songs 1:7 (|| 
הִרְבִּיץ), 
Job 24:2 (

 Me Siegf Bu 
וְרֹעוֺ); — metaphor 
גֹּרֶן וָיֶקֶב לֹא יִרְעֵם Hosea 9:2, but read 
יֵדָעֵם 
 We Now GASm; 
מָוֶת יִרְעֵם Psalm 49:15.
 
    c. figurative of ruler, and teacher, accusative of people, as flock, 
2 Samuel 5:2 = 
1 Chronicles 11:2; 
2 Samuel 7:1 = 
1 Chronicles 17:6; 
Psalm 78:72; 
Jeremiah 3:15; 
Jeremiah 23:2, 
4; 
Ezekiel 34:2, 
3, 
8, 
10, 
23 (twice in verse); 
Zechariah 11:4, 
7 (twice in verse); 
Zechariah 11:9; of teaching, 
יִרְעוּ רַבִּים שִׂפְתֵי צַדִּיק Proverbs 10:21; with 
ב of people 
Psalm 78:71; absolute 
Micah 5:3; with accusative of person reflexive 
pastured (fed, enriched) 
themselves Ezekiel 34:2, 
8, 
10.
 
    d. especially participle רֹעֶה, etc., as substantive = shepherd, herdsman:
    (1.) literal, 
צאֹן רֹעֵה Genesis 4:2; 
Genesis 46:32, 
34; 
Genesis 47:3 (all J), 
רֹעֶה בַּצּ׳ Genesis 37:2 (E), 
1 Samuel 16:11; 
1 Samuel 17:34; 
רֹעֵי מִקְנֶה Genesis 13:7 (twice in verse) (J); 
(ה)ר׳ alone, singular 
Amos 3:12 + 
7 times (all in simile); 
רֹעָה shepherdess, 
Genesis 29:9 (J); 
כְּלִי רֹעֶה אֱוִילִי Zechariah 11:15 (see 
כְּלִי 2c), as symbol; plural 
(הָ)רֹעִים Amos 1:2; 
Exodus 2:17, 
19 (J) 
1 Samuel 21:8 (
אַבִּיר הָר׳; Gr Dr Bu Kit Löhr 
חָרָצִים א׳; 

 Lag
BN 45 HPS 
אֹבִיל הָעְַיָרִים, but compare We) + 
8 times + 
Isaiah 31:4 (simile), 
Isaiah 38:12 (read 
רֹעִים for 
רֹעִי Perles
29 Du Che
Hpt compare Di), compare (suffix) 
Genesis 13:8 (twice in verse) (J); 
כְּלִי הָרֹעִים 1 Samuel 17:40 (see 
כְּלִי 3); — 
בֵּידעֵֿקֶד הָרִעִיס.
 
    2. intransitive feed, graze:
    b. figurative of idolater, 
Isaiah 44:20 he feedeth on ashes (accusative); compare 
Hosea 12:2 Ehpraimitic source 
feedeth on wind (acc); 
אִוֶּלֶת יִר׳ כְסִילִים פִּי Proverbs 15:14 (so Vrss Qr; Kt 
פני for 
פי) 
the mouth of fools feeds on folly (Toy; Buhl √ II. 
רעה, Gerber
162 below III. 
רעה); in Songs, with 
ב location, figurative of lover 
Songs 2:16; 
Songs 6:2, 
3; of breasts (like gazelles) 
Songs 4:5.
 
    c. figurative, of Israel as flock 
Isaiah 14:30 (|| 
רבץ), read (
יַ֯) 
בְּכָרֹי in my pasture(s), for MT 
בְּכוֺרֵי, Koppe Ew Di Du (otherwise Che
Hpt, compare Marti); 
Zephaniah 3:13 (|| 
id.); with 
עַלדְּֿרָכִים Isaiah 49:9; with accusative of pasture-land 
Jeremiah 50:19; 
Micah 7:14; 
Ezekiel 34:14b (+ 
אֶל location), 
Ezekiel 34:18; 
Ezekiel 34:19; hence 
crop, strip, i.e. devastate, of conqueror, with accusative of land 
Micah 5:6, compare; 
אֶתיָֿדוֺ Jeremiah 6:3; so 
יִרְעוּךְ קָדְקֹד; 
Jeremiah 2:16; accusative of Israel under figure of vine (subject foes, as beasts) 
Psalm 80:14.
 
    d. subject wind, with accusative of person 
Jeremiah 22:22, i. e. drive them away; subject fire, with accusative of thing, 
יֵרַע Job 20:26, but read perhaps 
יֵרָע,
 
Niph. (Ol Di Hoffm Siegf Bu; otherwise Du). 
רֹעֶה עֲקָרָה֯ Job 24:21 is difficult; Bu 
חֵרַע for 
ר׳; more radical conjectures in Du. 
Niph. possibly 
Job 20:26, see 
2d above. 
Hiph. Psalm 78:72 van d. H., see 
1c above 
† II. [
רָעָה] 
verb probably associated with (compare Schulth
69ff. but also Nö
ZMG iiv (1900), 154 f.; Assyrian 
ru’a, ruttu, 
neighbour, 
fellow (masculine and feminine; compare Jäger
BAS i. 483,486); so Bedouin 

, 
 master, owner
 master, owner, Wallin
ZMG v (1851), 9 Jayakar
JA xxi. 851; Ethiopic 
 marriage
 marriage; Arabic 

, Ethiopic 
 yoke
 yoke; Late Hebrew 
רֵעוּת friendship is from Biblical Hebrew 
רֵעַ); — 
Qal Imperative masculine singular 
וּרְעֵה אֱמוּנָה Psalm 37:3 cherish faithfulness (Hup-Now RV Che Du Dr); > 
feed seocurely (Bae; I.
רעה; 
feed on (his) 
faithfulness AmRV); 
Participle כְסִילִים רֹעֶה Proverbs 13:20 one associating with fools, so 
זֹלְלְים ר׳ Proverbs 28:7, 
זוֺנוֺת ר׳ Proverbs 29:3 (Thes and others think these figurative from I. 
רעה, see 
2b). 
Hithp. 2nd person masculine singular אַלתִּֿתְרַע אֶתבַּֿעַל אָ֑ף Proverbs 22:24 do not make companionship with a bad-tempered man; perhaps also 
3rd person feminine plural תִּתְרָעֶינָה Isaiah 11:7 (Lag
Or. i. 21; Deceased Wife's Sister 399 Brd Du Che Hpt) cow and bear 
shall be each other's companions; + 
Infinitive construct הִתְרָעֹת Proverbs 18:24 (Toy, for MT 
הִתְרֹעֵעַ) there are [
יֵשׁ, for 
אִישׁ] friends (merely) 
to be companions (see II. 
רעע near the end). 
† [
רָעָה] 
verb denominative 
Pi. be a special friend; — 
Perfect 3rd person masculine plural מֵרֵעֵהוּ אֲשֶׁר רֵעָה לוֺ Judges 14:20 his comrade who 
had been 'best man' (GFM) to him.
														
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, Unabridged, Electronic Database.
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