רִגְמָה
a pile (of stones), i.e. (figuratively) a throng
Definition
The Hebrew noun רִגְמָה (rigmâh) primarily means a 'pile' or 'heap,' specifically of stones. In its single biblical occurrence in Psalm 68:27, it is used figuratively to describe a gathered assembly or throng of people, poetically paralleling the 'congregation' (קָהָל, qāhāl). This figurative extension draws from the image of stones collected into a single mass to represent a unified group. The word does not appear elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible with a different sense.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Psalm 68:27. The context is a procession of worshipers, and the term describes the collective body of participants: 'There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.' Here, 'council' (KJV) translates רִגְמָה, meaning their assembled company or throng. No other usage patterns exist due to its single occurrence.
Etymology
רִגְמָה is a feminine noun derived from the same root as H7276, רֶגֶם (regem), meaning 'a stone' or 'heap of stones.' It is related to the verb רָגַם (rāgam, H7275), meaning 'to stone' or 'to pile up stones.' The semantic development moves from a literal pile of stones to a metaphorical gathering of people, akin to how stones are gathered into a heap.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, this word enriches the imagery of Psalm 68, a triumphant hymn celebrating God's leadership. Describing God's people as a 'rigmâh' (throng) emphasizes their unity and collective identity as a community gathered in worship and procession. It subtly connects to the theme of God building His people, much as stones are assembled, foreshadowing New Testament imagery of believers as 'living stones' (1 Peter 2:5) built into a spiritual house.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, piles of stones (cairns) often served as memorials, boundary markers, or even as instruments of execution by stoning. The figurative use to mean a 'throng' would have been a vivid metaphor for an original audience familiar with seeing stones gathered into significant piles, understanding a crowd as a similarly consolidated mass.
קָהָל (qāhāl, H6951) — a called assembly or congregation, often for religious or civic purposes. עֵדָה (ʿēdâ, H5712) — a community or band, typically with a shared identity or purpose. הָמוֹן (hāmôn, H1995) — a multitude or noisy crowd, emphasizing size and commotion.
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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