Ῥαγαῦ

Ῥαγαῦ

Ragau, Reu

Definition

Ῥαγαῦ (Ragau) is the Greek form of the Hebrew name 'Reu,' found in the genealogy of Jesus Christ in Luke 3:35. In this context, it refers to a specific patriarch, the son of Peleg and father of Serug, who is listed in the ancestral line from Adam to Jesus (Luke 3:23-38). The name appears identically in the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) in Genesis 11:18-21 and 1 Chronicles 1:25, where Reu is a descendant of Shem. There are no differing biblical meanings; the term functions solely as a proper name identifying this individual within the biblical genealogical record.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Luke 3:35, within the genealogy of Jesus. Its usage is strictly as a proper noun to identify a specific ancestor in the lineage from Adam to Joseph, the husband of Mary. The context is purely genealogical, following the pattern of the Septuagint's rendering of the names from the Hebrew scriptures.

Etymology

The name Ῥαγαῦ is a direct Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name רְעוּ (Reʿû), found in Genesis 11:18-21. The Hebrew name likely derives from the root רָעָה (rʿh), meaning 'friend' or 'companion.' The Greek form simply adapts the Hebrew sounds into the Greek alphabet without adding semantic meaning, a common practice for personal names in the Septuagint and New Testament.

Semantic Range

While the name itself is not theologically loaded, its inclusion in Luke's genealogy (Luke 3:35) is significant. It connects Jesus to the entire sweep of salvation history, tracing his lineage back through King David to the patriarchs and ultimately to Adam, 'the son of God' (Luke 3:38). This affirms Jesus's messianic credentials and his role as the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel and, through Adam, to all humanity. Understanding that this is a precise transliteration highlights the careful preservation of the ancestral record. In the cultural context of first-century Judaism and early Christianity, genealogies were of paramount importance for establishing lineage, inheritance rights, and, crucially, messianic claims. A name like Ragau/Reu, drawn directly from the Septuagint, would immediately signal to a Greek-speaking audience that Jesus's lineage was authentically rooted in the authoritative Hebrew scriptures. The name itself, meaning 'friend,' was a common Semitic name pattern, but its primary function here is identificatory within a sacred historical list. No direct synonyms exist as it is a proper name. Related genealogical terms include: πατριάρχης (patriarchēs, G3966) — a patriarch or founding father, a category which includes Ragau; and γενεαλογία (genealogia, G1076) — genealogy, the literary context in which the name appears.

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