רִיר
saliva; by resemblance, broth
Definition
The Hebrew noun רִיר (rîyr) primarily means 'saliva' or 'spittle.' In its literal sense, it refers to the bodily fluid, as seen in 1 Samuel 21:13 where David feigns madness by letting saliva run down his beard. By metaphorical extension, the word can denote a viscous, slimy substance, such as the 'white' or albumen of an egg, which Job 6:6 compares to tasteless food. This dual usage shows the word's range from a concrete physical secretion to a simile for something insipid or unappetizing.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only twice in the Old Testament, each illustrating a distinct sense. In 1 Samuel 21:13, it is used literally for human saliva in a narrative context describing David's deceptive behavior. In Job 6:6, it is used figuratively in poetic discourse, where Job laments that his suffering is as repulsive and tasteless as the 'white of an egg' (or possibly a type of slimy broth). There is no broader pattern of usage across books.
Etymology
רִיר (rîyr) is derived from the root רוּר (rûr, H7325), which carries the sense of flowing or trickling, often in relation to water or saliva. This root connection emphasizes the fluid, dripping nature of the substance. Cognates in other Semitic languages also relate to moisture or saliva, confirming the core meaning of a liquid secretion.
Semantic Range
While the word itself is a mundane bodily substance, its usage in Job 6:6 contributes to the book's profound exploration of human suffering and the inadequacy of simplistic comfort. The comparison of misery to something as tasteless and slimy as egg white or broth vividly conveys Job's visceral disgust and despair, enriching the reader's emotional engagement with his plight.
In the ancient Near East, saliva, especially when uncontrolled, could be associated with madness, uncleanness, or debasement, as reflected in David's act in 1 Samuel 21:13. The comparison in Job 6:6 relies on a common cultural understanding of certain foods (like bland, slimy egg whites or broth) as utterly undesirable and nauseating, a metaphor instantly recognizable to the original audience.
רֹק (rōq, H7536) — Another word for 'spittle' or 'saliva,' used more frequently and generally without the extended metaphorical sense of רִיר.
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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