רַהַט
a channel or watering-box; by resemblance a ringlet of hair (as forming parallel lines)
Definition
The Hebrew noun רַהַט (rahaṭ) primarily refers to a water channel or trough used for animals to drink from, as seen in Genesis 30:38, 41 and Exodus 2:16. In these agricultural contexts, it describes a hollowed-out structure, likely stone or wood, that holds water for livestock. In Song of Songs 7:5, the word takes a poetic, metaphorical sense, comparing the flowing locks of the beloved's hair to the parallel lines or rivulets of water in a channel, hence 'ringlets.' This dual usage illustrates how concrete, everyday objects in Hebrew could inspire vivid imagery.
Biblical Usage
רַהַט appears four times in the Old Testament, exclusively in narrative and poetry. Its three occurrences in Genesis 30:38, 41 and Exodus 2:16 are in stories involving shepherds (Jacob and Moses) and describe the watering troughs where flocks were brought to drink. The single occurrence in Song of Songs 7:5 is a metaphorical use in love poetry, where the Shulammite's hair is likened to 'ringlets' flowing down like water in a channel, showcasing the word's adaptability from literal to figurative language.
Etymology
Derived from an unused Hebrew root likely meaning 'to hollow out' or 'to cut a channel,' רַהַט inherently conveys the idea of a carved-out groove or conduit. This root sense directly informs its primary meaning as a watering trough—a man-made hollow for water. The development to mean 'ringlet' in Song of Songs is a semantic extension based on visual resemblance: curly hair can appear like parallel lines or rivulets flowing from a channel.
Semantic Range
While not a theologically heavy term, רַהַט enriches our reading by grounding biblical stories in tangible, pastoral reality. In Genesis 30, the troughs are part of God's providence in Jacob's breeding strategy, a mundane object in a divine plan. In Exodus 2:16, it is at a trough that Moses meets his future wife, marking a turning point. Its poetic use in Song of Songs 7:5 reflects the biblical appreciation of beauty in creation, comparing human form to natural and crafted elements, celebrating God's design in both the functional and the aesthetic.
In ancient Near Eastern pastoral life, watering troughs (רַהַט) were essential, stationary fixtures at wells or springs, often carved from stone. They represented a point of community and necessity for shepherds and their flocks. The metaphorical leap to hair in Song of Songs relies on a cultural familiarity with these channels; listeners would instantly picture the parallel lines of water flow, making the comparison to arranged, flowing hair both vivid and culturally resonant.
שֹׁקֶת (shoqet, H8248) — a more general term for a watering trough or drinking vessel. תְּעָלָה (te‘alah, H8585) — a canal, conduit, or channel, often for water but in broader engineering contexts (e.g., 2 Kings 20:20).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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