Bible Word Study
רָאמָה
râʼmâh · something high in value, i.e. perhaps coral
רָאמָה
something high in value, i.e. perhaps coral
Definition
The Hebrew noun רָאמָה refers to a precious substance, likely coral, that was highly valued in the ancient world. It is used in the Old Testament to symbolize great worth and inaccessibility, often in poetic contexts that contrast it with divine wisdom. In Job 28:18, it is listed among treasures like pearls and crystal, all deemed worthless in comparison to the price of wisdom. In Ezekiel 27:16, it appears as a luxury trade item from Edom, exchanged for Tyre's merchandise, indicating its role in high-value commerce.
Biblical Usage
This word occurs only twice, both in poetic or prophetic literature. In Job 28:18, it is part of a wisdom poem that catalogs precious materials to emphasize that wisdom cannot be bought. In Ezekiel 27:16, it is listed among the goods traded with Tyre, highlighting economic prosperity. Both uses consistently portray it as a rare, costly commodity.
Etymology
Derived from the root רָאַם (rā'am, H7213), meaning 'to be high' or 'exalted.' This root suggests the word originally conveyed the idea of something elevated, either literally in height or figuratively in value, which naturally extended to precious substances like coral.
Semantic Range
רָאמָה contributes to the biblical theme that earthly treasures are ultimately inferior to spiritual realities. In Job 28, its inclusion underscores that divine wisdom surpasses all material wealth, a key concept in wisdom literature. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by highlighting the deliberate contrast between fleeting human riches and the enduring value of God's wisdom. In the ancient Near East, coral was a rare import, likely harvested from the Red Sea or Mediterranean, and used in jewelry and ornamentation. Its mention in trade lists (Ezekiel 27:16) reflects its status as a luxury item, akin to precious stones, in the economies of Israel and its neighbors. פְּנִינִים (pənînîm, H6446) — pearls or red coral, also a precious substance used in parallel with רָאמָה in Job 28:18. כֶּתֶם (kethem, H3800) — gold, particularly fine gold, another metaphor for high value and purity.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]