Lexical Definition

‎רַע‎ raʻ (rah) bad: harmful ^H:A
from ‎רָעַע‎

adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, [phrase] not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.).

• bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)

adj
1) bad, evil
1a) bad, disagreeable, malignant
1b) bad, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery)
1c) evil, displeasing
1d) bad (of its kind-land, water, etc)
1e) bad (of value)
1f) worse than, worst (comparison)
1g) sad, unhappy
1h) evil (hurtful)
1i) bad, unkind (vicious in disposition)
1j) bad, evil, wicked (ethically)
1j1) in general, of persons, of thoughts
1j2) deeds, actions
n m
2) evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity
2a) evil, distress, adversity
2b) evil, injury, wrong
2c) evil (ethical)
n f
3) evil, misery, distress, injury
3a) evil, misery, distress
3b) evil, injury, wrong
3c) evil (ethical)

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Extended Information

spelling of: רַע

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎רַע‎₂₂₆ adjective bad, evil (distinction from noun, and verb Perfect 3 masculine singular, is sometimes not easy, and opinions differ); — masculine singular ‎רַע‎ Gen 6:5 +; ‎רָ֑ע‎ Gen 31:24 +; plural ‎רָעַים‎ Gen 13:13 +; construct ‎רָעֵי‎ Ezek 7:24 (strike out Co); feminine singular ‎רָעָה‎ Gen 37:2 + 37 t. (this form usually noun), plural ‎רָעוֺת‎ Gen 28:8 + 14 t.; ‎רָעֹת‎ Gen 41:27 (18 t. noun); —

1. bad, disagreeable, malignant: of a woman, ‎רָעָה בְּעֵינֵי‎ Exod 21:8 (E; perhaps, with changed accent, verb 3 feminine singular ‎רָ֫עָה‎) disagreeable, unpleasing in the eyes of, plural Gen 28:8 (P); of poisonous herb 2Kgs 4:41, malignant boils Deut 28:35; Job 2:7, diseases Deut 7:15; Deut 28:59; 2Chr 21:19; Eccl 6:2, deadly sword Ps 144:10, arrows Ezek 5:16, severe judgments Ezek 14:21, wonders Deut 6:22 ‎מַלְאֲכֵי רָעִים‎ Ps 78:49 = fierce messengers (of God; Ew^{§ 287 a} Ges^{«GKC:130e»§ 130e}), wild beasts Gen 37:20; Gen 37:33 (JE) Lev 26:6 (H) Ezek 5:17; Ezek 14:15; Ezek 14:21; Ezek 34:25 unclean thing Deut 23:10*.

2. bad, unpleasant, giving pain, unhappiness, misery: ‎ימים רעים‎ evil days (of trial and hardship) Gen 47:9 (P) Prov 15:15 ‎עִנְיָן רע‎ Eccl 1:13; Eccl 5:13* ‎עִנְיַן‎ Eccl 4:8, compare Eccl 2:17; Eccl 9:3 ‎הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הָרָע‎ Eccl 4:3 ‎הדבר הרע‎ evil report Exod 33:4 (J), so ‎דִּבָּה רָעָה‎ Gen 37:2 (JE) Num 14:37 (P), ‎שׁם רע‎ Deut 22:14; Deut 22:19; Neh 6:13, ‎שְׁמוּעָה רָעָה‎ Jer 49:23; Ps 112:7 of things: painful discipline Prov 15:10, evil occurrence 1Kgs 5:18*, evil (-bringing) net Eccl 9:12, instruments Isa 32:7: ‎כל הדבר הרע‎ Josh 23:15 (D) all evil (injurious) things; ‎רַע‎ it is bad, harmful Isa 3:11; Jer 2:19 of speech, ‎דבּר‎, ‎רעאו טוב‎ Gen 24:50 (J) in proverb, speak bad or good = anything at all, ‎מטוב עד רע‎ Gen 31:24; Gen 31:29 (E), ‎לְמֵרָע ועד טוב‎ 2Sam 13:22, of the divine spirit as producing an ecstatic state of frenzy and violence 1Sam 16:14; 1Sam 16:15; 1Sam 16:16; 1Sam 16:23; 1Sam 18:10; 1Sam 19:9 (see ‎רוּח‎ 9).

3. evil, displeasing ‎עָשָׂח רָ֔ע בְּעֵינֵי סַרְנֵי פְלשְׁתִּים‎ 1Sam 29:7.

4. bad of its kind, land Num 13:19 (J), place Num 20:5 (JE), waters 2Kgs 2:19, figs Jer 24:2; Jer 24:3 (twice in verse); Jer 24:8, kine Gen 41:3; Gen 41:4; Gen 41:19; Gen 41:20; Gen 41:21; Gen 41:27 (E), ‎מוּם רע‎ Deut 15:21, compare Deut 17:1.

5. bad, i.e. of low value Lev 27:10 (twice in verse); Lev 27:12; Lev 27:14; Lev 27:33 (H), compare Mal 1:8 (twice in verse); ‎רַע רַע יאֹמַר מַקּוֺנֶה‎ Prov 20:14 (twice in verse).

6. + ‎מִן‎ comparative, worse than, 2Sam 19:8* as superlative, ‎רָעֵי‎ ‎גוֺיִם‎ Ezek 7:24 worst of nations (strike out Co).

7. sad, unhappy: ‎לֶברָֿע֑‎ sad heart (compare opposed to ‎טוב‎, ‎יטב‎) Prov 25:20 of face Gen 40:7 (E) Neh 2:2 ‎רע לְפָנָיו‎ vNeh 2:1.

8. ‎חָשַׁב מַחֲשֶׁבֶת(ה)רָעָה‎ devise evil (hurtful) device Ezek 38:10; Esth 9:25.

9. bad, unkind, vicious in disposition or temper: ‎וְלֵברָֿ֑ע‎ when the mind is vicious, harmful Prov 26:23 ‎רַע עָ֑יִן‎ one evil of eye Prov 23:6; Prov 28:22 ‎רוּחַ רָעָה‎ Judg 9:23 bad temper.

10. ethically bad, evil, wicked:
a. in general, ‎אם טוב ואם רע‎ Eccl 12:14 whether good or bad.
b. of persons, ‎אושׁ רע‎ 1Sam 30:22 ‎אדם רע‎ Ps 140:2* ‎המן הרע הזה‎ Esth 7:6 this wicked Haman, so ‎רָ֑ע‎ = evil man Ps 10:15; Job 21:30; Prov 11:21; Prov 12:13; Prov 24:20, ‎רָעִים‎ = evil men Gen 13:13 (J) Jer 6:29; Jer 15:21; Ezek 30:12; Job 35:12; Prov 4:14; Prov 12:12; Prov 14:19; Prov 15:8 ‎רָעוֺת‎ evil women Jer 2:33 ‎שׁכנים רעים‎ Jer 12:14 evil neighbours; of ‎הַדּוֺר‎ Deut 1:35, ‎הָעָם‎ Jer 13:10 ‎הָעֵדָה‎ Num 14:27; Num 14:35 (P), ‎המשׁפחה‎ Jer 8:3 ‎׳‎‎רַע בְּעֵינֵי י‎ wicked in the eyes of ‎׳‎‎י‎ Gen 38:7 (JE) = 1Chr 2:8 ‎׳‎‎עָשָׂה הָרָע בְּעֵינֵי י‎ Num 32:13 (R) Deut 4:25; Deut 9:18; Deut 17:2; Deut 31:29; Judg 2:11 + 48 t., + (with suffix of God) 2Kgs 21:15; Isa 65:12; Isa 66:4; Jer 7:30; Jer 32:30; Ps 51:6*; 2Sam 12:9, probably also Jer 18:10 (read ‎הָרָע‎ for ‎הָרָעָה‎).
c. of thoughts, ‎יֵצֶר‎ Gen 6:5; Gen 8:21 (J), ‎הַלֵּב הָרָע‎ Jer 3:17; Jer 7:24; Jer 11:8; Jer 16:12; Jer 18:12 words, ‎רעות‎ Prov 15:28.
d. deeds, actions, ‎עשׂה (כ)דבר הרע‎ Deut 13:12*; Deut 17:5; Deut 19:20; ‎עשׂה‎ ‎הרעות‎ Jer 3:5 ‎דבר רע‎ Ps 64:6*; Ps 141:4; Eccl 8:3; Eccl 8:5 ‎דברים‎ 1Sam 2:23; 2Kgs 17:11 ‎דֶּרֶךְ‎ 1Kgs 13:33; Jer 18:11; Jer 23:22 + 11 t.; ‎דרכים‎ 2Kgs 17:13; 2Chr 7:14; Ezek 20:44; Ezek 33:11; Ezek 36:31; Zech 1:4 ‎מעשׂינוּ‎ Ezra 9:13 ‎מעללים‎ Zech 1:4; Neh 9:35 (compare ‎רֹעַ‎ 4); ‎בֶּצַע רע‎ Hab 2:9 ‎מרוצתם‎ Jer 23:10 ‎(ה)תועבות (ה)רעות‎ Ezek 6:11; Ezek 8:9 (strike out Co); ‎כִּי רָעוֺת בִּמְגוּרָם‎ Ps 55:16* for evil deeds are in their dwelling.

II. ‎רַע‎₁₂₆ noun masculine^{Job 30:26} evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity; — absolute ‎רַע‎ Num 11:1 +, ‎בְּרָע‎ Exod 5:19 +, ‎רָ֑ע‎ Gen 48:16 +; —

1. evil, distress, adversity: ‎יָרֵא רַע‎ fear evil Ps 23:4; Zeph 3:15 ‎בּוֺרֵא רָ֑ע‎ Isa 45:7 (of God), ‎הביא רע‎ Isa 31:2 ‎מתאננים רַע‎ Num 11:1 (J) murmuring respecting distress (see Di); ‎אם טוב ואם רע‎ Jer 42:6 whether prosperity or adversity; ‎יוֺם רע‎ Amos 6:3 day of calamity; ‎יְמֵי רע‎ Ps 49:6*; Ps 94:13 ‎כי טוב קויתי ויבא רע‎ Job 30:26 ‎בְּרָע‎ in adversity Exod 5:19 (E) Ps 10:6 ‎יִפֹּל בְּרָ֑ע‎ Prov 13:17 ‎אֶרְאֶה בָרָ֑ע‎ Gen 44:34 (J); ‎בכלרֿע‎ Prov 5:14, ‎מכל רע‎ Gen 48:16 (E) Ps 121:7 see also Mic 1:12; Ps 140:12*; Job 5:19; Job 31:29; Prov 12:21; Prov 19:23.

2. evil, injury, wrong: Hab 2:9; Job 2:10; Prov 21:10 ‎עשׂה רע‎, + ‎עִם‎ person Gen 31:29 (E); ‎ל‎ person Jer 39:12 as object of ‎חשּׁב‎ Hos 7:15, ‎חרשׁ‎ Prov 6:14; Prov 12:20; Prov 14:22, ‎השׁיב‎ Ps 54:7*, ‎גמל‎ Ps 7:5*; Prov 31:12, ‎בקּשׁ‎ Prov 17:11, ‎שׁלּם‎ Prov 20:22, ‎אמר‎ Ps 41:6*, ‎דבּר‎ Ps 109:20 ‎דבּר בְּרָע‎ Ps 73:8 speak about injury; ‎לֹא יִתְנַבֵּא טוֺב כִּי אִם רָ֑ע‎ 1Kgs 22:8; 1Kgs 22:18 = 2 Chronicles (2Chr 18:7 ‎לְרָעָמ‎), 2Chr 18:17 ‎לְרָ֑ע‎; ‎לרע‎ for harm, injury Isa 59:7; Jer 7:6; Jer 25:7; Ps 56:6*; Prov 1:16; Prov 21:12; Eccl 8:9 ‎רַע יֵרוֺעַ‎ Prov 11:15 (but read ‎רֹעַ‎ Gr SS, see Toy).

3. ethical evil, Deut 30:15; 2Sam 14:17; Isa 5:20; Amos 5:14; Mic 7:3 + 10 t.; ‎עשׁה רע‎ 2Kgs 21:9; 2Chr 12:14; 2Chr 33:9; Neh 9:28 + 8 t.; ‎פֹּעֲלֵי רע‎ Mic 2:1 ‎אהד רע‎ Mic 3:2 (Qr), Ps 52:5* ‎שׂנא רע‎ Amos 5:15; Ps 97:10; Prov 8:13 ‎מאס רע‎ Ps 36:5* ‎מאס ברע‎ Isa 7:15; Isa 7:16 ‎בִּעֵר הרע מִן‎ consume evil from Deut 13:6* + 8 t. Deuteronomy; ‎לֹא רְגֻרְךָ רָ֑ע‎ Ps 5:5* (adjective = evil man Hup De and others); ‎ירע טוב ורע‎ Gen 2:9; Gen 2:17; Gen 3:5; Gen 3:22 (all J), Deut 1:39 ‎סר מֵרָע‎ Isa 59:15; Ps 34:15*; Ps 37:27; Prov 3:7 + 8 t.; ‎כי ברע הוא‎ Exod 32:22 (J) he is set on evil; ‎רע רשׁעים‎ Ps 7:10*, ‎רע מעללים‎ 1Sam 25:3, compare Mic 3:4 (see ‎רֹעַ‎ 3); ‎דִּבְרֵי רָע‎ deeds of evil Jer 5:28 ‎תַּהְפֻּכוֺתרָ֑ע‎ Prov 2:14 ‎אֹרַחרע‎ Ps 119:101 ‎עֲצַת‎ ‎רע‎ Exod 11:2 ‎מַחְשְׁבוֺת רע‎ Prov 15:26 ‎אִישׁ רע‎ Prov 29:6 ‎אַנְשֵׁי רע‎ Prov 28:5 ‎אֵשֶׁת רע‎ Prov 6:24 (but read ‎רֵעַ‎ Gr Bi Toy).

‎רָעָה‎₃₁₀ noun feminine evil, misery, distress, injury; — absolute ‎׳‎‎ר‎ Gen 26:29 +; construct ‎רָעַת‎ Gen 6:5 +; suffix ‎רָֽעָתִי‎ Ps 35:4 +; ‎רָעָֽתְךָ‎ 1Kgs 2:44 +; ‎רָֽעָתֵכִי‎ Jer 11:15 (text dubious); ‎רָֽעַתְכֶם‎ 1Sam 12:17, etc.; plural ‎רָעוֺת‎ Deut 31:17 +; ‎רָעֹת‎ Jer 44:9; Exod 23:2 suffix ‎רָעוֺתֵיכֶם‎ 1Sam 10:19 +, etc.; —

1. evil, misery, distress: ‎פַּחַד רָעָה‎ Prov 1:33, ‎באה (ה)רעה‎ Ezek 7:5 (twice in verse); with ‎עַל‎ Isa 47:11 (read ‎באה‎ for ‎בא‎), Jer 5:12 + 5 t.; with ‎אֶל‎ Jer 2:3; Jer 51:60 ‎הביא רעה‎ Jer 4:6; 1Kgs 21:29 + ‎אֶל‎ 2Sam 17:14 + 8 t. in Kings Jeremiah; + ‎עַל‎ 1Kgs 9:9 = 2Chr 7:22; Jer 19:3 + 6 t. Jeremiah + 8 t.; + ‎אֶל‎ and ‎לְ‎ Jer 19:15; Jer 36:31 ‎יוֺם רעה‎ Jer 17:17; Jer 17:18 + 5 t.; ‎יְמֵי העה‎ Eccl 12:1 (i.e., spring days, fatal to old people, Wetzst in De^{Koh. 447}); ‎רָעוֺת‎ evils Deut 31:17 (twice in verse); Deut 31:21 (JE), Deut 32:23 (poem), Ps 34:20*; Ps 40:13*; Ps 88:4* ‎עֵת רָעָה‎ Amos 5:13; Jer 2:27; Jer 2:28 + 5 t.; ‎ראה ברעה‎ Num 11:15 (JE) Obad 1:13; Esth 8:6 ‎ראה רעה‎ Jer 44:17; Ps 90:15; Prov 22:3 = Prov 27:12 ‎יפול ברעה‎ Prov 17:20; Prov 28:14 ‎בְּרָעָה‎ Gen 44:29 (J) Prov 14:32; Prov 24:16; Neh 1:3; 1Chr 7:23; Ps 107:26 ‎ברעותיכם‎ Ps 141:5 ‎נִחַם עַל רָעָה‎ Exod 32:12; Exod 32:14 (J) Jer 8:6 + 6 t.; with ‎אֶל‎ 2Sam 24:16; Jer 26:3; Jer 26:13; Jer 26:19; Jer 42:10.

2. evil, injury, wrong: ‎עשׂה רעה‎ 2Sam 12:18; Jer 26:19; Jer 41:11 with ‎עִם‎ Gen 26:29 (J) Judg 15:3; 2Sam 13:16 with ‎את‎ Judg 11:27 with ‎ל‎ 1Sam 6:9; 1Kgs 2:44 + 4 t.; with ‎אֶל‎ Jer 44:7 object of verbs ‎השׁב‎ Gen 50:20 (E) Jer 36:3; Jer 48:2 + 7 t.; ‎חרשׁ‎ 1Sam 23:9; Prov 3:29 ‎הֵשִׁיב‎ Gen 50:15 (E) Judg 9:56; Judg 9:57 + 4 t.; ‎גמל‎ Gen 50:17 (E) 1Sam 24:18* (17) Isa 3:9; Prov 3:30 ‎בקשׁ‎ Num 35:23 (P) 1Sam 24:10* (9) 1Sam 25:26 + 4 t.; ‎שׁלּם‎ Gen 44:4 (J) Jer 18:20; Jer 51:24; Ps 35:12; Ps 38:21* ‎לְרָעָה‎ for harm Gen 31:52; Exod 23:2 (E) Deut 29:20*; Judg 2:15; 2Sam 18:32; Jer 21:10 + 8 t. Jeremiah; Amos 9:4; Zech 1:15; Prov 6:18; Eccl 5:12* ‎בְּרָעָתֶ֑ךָ‎ 2Sam 16:8 in thy mischief; ‎בְּרָעָה‎ Exod 32:12 (J) for mischief; ‎רָעָה רַבָּה‎ Eccl 2:21 ‎רָעָה חוֺלָה‎ Eccl 5:12*; Eccl 5:15*.

3. ethical evil, 1Sam 12:17; 1Sam 12:19; 1Sam 24:12*; 1Sam 26:18; + 13 t. Jeremiah, + 18 t., + following: ‎עָשָׂה (הָ)רָעָה‎ Gen 39:9; Deut 31:18 (J) + 5 t. + Jer 18:10 (Kt, but Qr ‎רע‎); ‎מַעֲשֵׂה רעה‎ Eccl 8:11 ‎אהב רעה‎ Mic 3:2 (Kt); ‎שׁוּב מרעה‎ Jer 18:8; Jer 23:14; Jer 44:5 ‎׳‎‎בִּעֵר רעה מ‎ Judg 20:13 (see II. ‎רַע‎ 3); ‎מִפְּנֵי רָעָה‎ Jer 7:12; Jer 44:3 ‎מפגי רָעַתרעתכם‎ Hos 10:15 ‎׳‎‎בגלל ר‎ Jer 11:17 ‎׳‎‎על כל ר‎ Jer 1:16; Jer 32:32; Jer 33:5 ‎׳‎‎מֵר‎ Ps 107:34; Jer 12:4 ‎אַנְשֵׁי רָעָה‎ Prov 24:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References