רָחֵל

רָחֵל

a ewe (the females being the predominant element of a flock) (as a good traveller)

Definition

The Hebrew noun רָחֵל (râchêl) specifically means a female sheep, or ewe. While it can be used in a general sense for sheep (Genesis 31:38), its primary and most precise meaning is the mature female of the flock, as seen in Jacob's gift of livestock to Esau, which included 'thirty milch camels with their colts, forty cows, and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys' and 'two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes (רָחֵל) and twenty rams' (Genesis 32:14-15). In poetic contexts like the Song of Solomon 6:6, it is used metaphorically for beauty and gentleness. The word is also famously applied in the prophecy of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53:7, where the Servant is compared to a silent lamb led to slaughter and a ewe (רָחֵל) before her shearers.

Biblical Usage

The word occurs only four times in the Old Testament. It appears in narrative contexts describing livestock wealth (Genesis 31:38, Genesis 32:14), in a poetic metaphor for a beloved's beauty (Song of Solomon 6:6), and in a profound prophetic metaphor for the Messiah's submission (Isaiah 53:7). Its usage is specific, moving from literal flocks to powerful symbolic imagery.

Etymology

Derived from an unused root meaning 'to journey' or 'to travel.' This likely connects to the ancient practice of shepherds leading their flocks on seasonal migrations to find pasture, highlighting the ewe's role as a central, productive member of a mobile flock.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant primarily through its use in Isaiah 53:7. By comparing the Suffering Servant (understood by Christians as Jesus Christ) to a silent רָחֵל (ewe), the prophecy powerfully conveys the Messiah's voluntary, gentle, and unresisting submission to suffering and sacrifice. This enriches the understanding of Christ's passion as both purposeful and meek. In ancient Near Eastern pastoral societies, the ewe was a vital economic asset, providing wool, milk, and lambs. Its value made it a common element in trade and gifts (Genesis 32:14). The imagery of a ewe would evoke ideas of provision, gentleness, and vulnerability, which is central to its metaphorical use in Scripture. כֶּבֶשׂ (kebes, H3532) — a young lamb or sheep, often used for sacrifice. שֶׂה (seh, H7716) — a general, collective term for a sheep or goat (small cattle). צֹאן (tsô'n, H6629) — the most common general term for the entire flock (sheep and goats).

Word Details