רֵכָב
Rekab, the name of two Arabs and of two Israelites
Definition
רֵכָב (Rekab) is a proper name meaning 'rider' or 'charioteer,' derived from the Hebrew root for riding. In the Old Testament, it refers to several distinct individuals. Most notably, Rekab is the father of Jehonadab (Jonadab), who founded the Rechabite clan known for their strict nomadic lifestyle and abstinence from wine (Jeremiah 35:6-10). Other bearers include Rekab and Baanah, the assassins of Ish-Bosheth (2 Samuel 4:2-9), and an ancestor of some Kenite scribal families (1 Chronicles 2:55). The name also appears in a list of Nehemiah's rebuilders (Nehemiah 3:14).
Biblical Usage
The name Rekab is used 13 times across historical books. It identifies specific men, primarily in narratives about political intrigue (2 Samuel 4) and religious reform. A key usage is in 2 Kings 10:15-23, where Jehonadab son of Rekab allies with Jehu in purging Baal worship. The Rechabites, as a group named for their ancestor, are central in Jeremiah 35, where their obedience contrasts with Judah's disobedience.
Etymology
Derived from the root רָכַב (rākab, H7392), meaning 'to ride' (especially on an animal or in a chariot). The name is a masculine noun form meaning 'rider' or 'charioteer,' indicating a possible occupational or characteristic origin for the individuals or clan.
Semantic Range
The Rechabites, descendants of Rekab, hold theological significance as a model of radical obedience and separation. In Jeremiah 35, God commends their faithfulness to their forefather's commands as a rebuke to Judah's failure to obey Him. Their story illustrates covenant faithfulness, the blessings of obedience, and serves as a prophetic object lesson.
Naming a child 'Rider' likely reflected a family's association with horsemanship, chariotry, or travel—valuable skills in ancient Near Eastern society. The Rechabite clan's vows (abstaining from wine, farming, and permanent houses) preserved a nomadic, austere identity, possibly reacting against Canaanite agricultural and urban religious practices they saw as corrupting.
פָּרָשׁ (pārāsh, H6571) — 'horseman' or 'cavalryman,' a more specific military term; רָכַב (rākab, H7392) — the verbal root 'to ride,' not a proper name.
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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