Lexical Definition

‎רָעָה‎ râʻâh (raw-aw') House of Shepherds ^N:N--L
a primitive root

[idiom] break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep (sheep) (-er), pastor, [phrase] shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste.

• to tend a flock
• i.e. pasture it
• intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively)
• generally to rule
• by extension, to associate with (as a friend)

1) to pasture, tend, graze, feed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to tend, pasture
1a1a) to shepherd
1a1b) of ruler, teacher (fig)
1a1c) of people as flock (fig)
1a1d) shepherd, herdsman (subst)
1a2) to feed, graze
1a2a) of cows, sheep etc (literal)
1a2b) of idolater, Israel as flock (fig)
1b) (Hiphil) shepherd, shepherdess
2) to associate with, be a friend of (meaning probable)
2a) (Qal) to associate with
2b) (Hithpael) to be companions
3) (Piel) to be a special friend

See Greek: ποιμαίνω

Extended Information

• Also means: ro.i (‎ר‎ֹ‎ע‎ִ‎י‎ "to shepherd" רֹעִי)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Also see: רֹעִי | רְמִיָּה

I. ‎רָעָה‎₁₆₇ verb pasture, tend, graze (Assyrian rê°û, verb pasture, noun ruler, Tel Amarna ru—i (as Canaanism) Wkl^{No. 181, 11}; Arabic , Ethiopic Aramaic ‎רְעָא‎, , all = Biblical Hebrew); —

Qal Perfect 3 masculine singular consecutive ‎וְרָעָה‎ Mic 5:3* +, 1 singular suffix consecutive ‎זּרְעִיתִים‎ Ezek 34:13, 3 plural suffix consecutive ‎וְרָעוּם‎ Jer 23:4, etc.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎יִרְעֶה‎ Isa 27:20 +, jussive ‎יֵ֫רַע‎ Job 20:26, suffix ‎יִרְעֶנָּה‎ Ps 80:14*, ‎וַיִרְעֵם‎ Ps 78:72 (‎׳‎‎וַיַּר‎ Hiph`il van d. H.), etc.; Imperative masculine singular ‎רְעֵה‎ Mic 7:14 +, suffix ‎רְעֵם‎ Ps 28:9 feminine singular ‎רְעִי‎ Song 1:8 masculine plural ‎רְעוּ‎ Gen 29:7 Infinitive construct ‎לִרְעוֺת‎ Gen 37:12 +, etc.; Participle ‎רֹעֶה‎ Gen 30:36 +, suffix ‎רֹעִי‎ Ps 23:1 +; feminine singular ‎רֹעָה‎ Gen 29:9; Prov 25:19, etc.; —

1. transitive
a. pasture, tend (pascere), literal, with accusative ‎צאֹן‎ Gen 30:31; Gen 30:36; Gen 37:12 (all J), Exod 3:1 (E), 1Sam 17:15; 1Sam 25:16; Isa 61:5, accusative of asses Gen 36:24 (P), kids Song 1:8 accusative (‎צאֹן‎) omitted Gen 29:7; Gen 37:13 (‎ב‎ location) vGen 37:16 (all J), Song 1:7 (|| ‎הִרְבִּיץ‎), Job 24:2 (ᵐ5 Me Siegf Bu ‎וְרֹעוֺ‎); — metaphor ‎גֹּרֶן וָיֶקֶב לֹא יִרְעֵם‎ Hos 9:2, but read ‎יֵדָעֵם‎ ᵐ5 We Now GASm; ‎מָוֶת יִרְעֵם‎ Ps 49:15*.
b. figurative of ‎׳‎‎י‎, accusative of person, Gen 48:15 (E) God, who shepherded me; with accusative of people, as flock Hos 4:16; Isa 40:11; Mic 7:14 (‎בְּשִׁבְטֶ֑ךָ‎), Ezek 34:13 (pregnantly, with ‎אֶל‎ location), vEzek 34:14 vEzek 34:15 (+ ‎הִרְבִּיץ‎), vEzek 34:16; Ps 28:9.
c. figurative of ruler, and teacher, accusative of people, as flock, 2Sam 5:2 = 1Chr 11:2; 2Sam 7:1 = 1Chr 17:6; Ps 78:72; Jer 3:15; Jer 23:2; Jer 23:4; Ezek 34:2; Ezek 34:3; Ezek 34:8; Ezek 34:10; Ezek 34:23 (twice in verse); Zech 11:4; Zech 11:7 (twice in verse); Zech 11:9 of teaching, ‎יִרְעוּ רַבִּים שִׂפְתֵי צַדִּיק‎ Prov 10:21 with ‎ב‎ of people Ps 78:71 absolute Mic 5:3* with accusative of person reflexive pastured (fed, enriched) themselves Ezek 34:2; Ezek 34:8; Ezek 34:10.
d. especially participle ‎רֹעֶה‎, etc., as substantive = shepherd, herdsman: (I) literal, ‎צאֹן רֹעֵה‎ Gen 4:2; Gen 46:32; Gen 46:34; Gen 47:3 (all J), ‎׳‎‎רֹעֶה בַּצּ‎ Gen 37:2 (E), 1Sam 16:11; 1Sam 17:34 ‎רֹעֵי מִקְנֶה‎ Gen 13:7 (twice in verse) (J); ‎׳‎‎(ה)ר‎ alone, singular Amos 3:12 + 7 t. (all in simile); ‎רֹעָה‎ shepherdess, Gen 29:9 (J); ‎כְּלִי רֹעֶה אֱוִילִי‎ Zech 11:15 (see ‎כְּלִי‎ 2 c), as symbol; plural ‎(הָ)רֹעִים‎ Amos 1:2; Exod 2:17; Exod 2:19 (J) 1Sam 21:8* (‎׳‎‎אַבִּיר הָר‎; Gr Dr Bu Kit Löhr ‎חָרָצִים‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎; ᵐ5 Lag^{BN 45} HPS ‎אֹבִיל הָעְַיָרִים‎, but compare We) + 8 t. + Isa 31:4 (simile), Isa 38:12 (read ‎רֹעִים‎ for ‎רֹעִי‎ Perles²⁹ Du Che^Hpt compare Di), compare (suffix) Gen 13:8 (twice in verse) (J); ‎כְּלִי הָרֹעִים‎ 1Sam 17:40 (see ‎כְּלִי‎ 3); — ‎בֵּידעֵֿקֶד הָרִעִיס‎. (2) figurative of ruler (as often Assyrian; compare Greek (Homer) ποιμένα λαῶν), absolute singular Jer 17:16 **figurative of prophet (but Aq Symm ‎ᵑ6‎ Gie Du Co ‎מֵרָעָה‎); Zech 10:2; Zech 11:16; Zech 13:7b + 8 t. Jeremiah, Ezekiel; suffix of ‎׳‎‎י‎, ‎רֹעִי‎ Isa 44:28 (of Cyrus), Zech 13:7a.; Zech 13:17 (read ‎רֹעִי הָאֱוִילִי‎ We Now GASm); absolute plural Isa 56:11; Jer 2:8; Jer 3:15; Mic 5:4*; Zech 10:3; Zech 11:5; Zech 11:8 + 18 t. Jeremiah Ezek 34, + (of Assyrian leaders) Nah 3:18 ‎׳‎‎רֹעֵי יִשׂ‎ Ezek 34:2 ‎צאֹנוֺ רֹעֵי‎ Isa 63:11 (but read ‎רֹעֵה‎ [of Moses] ᵐ5 Targam Di Du and others). (3) epithet of ‎׳‎‎רֹעִי ׃ י‎ ‎׳‎‎י‎ Ps 23:1, ‎׳‎‎רֹעֵה יִשׂ‎ Ps 80:2*, ‎׳‎‎רֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשׂ‎ Gen 49:24 (poem in J; read construct ‎רֹעֵה‎. compare Commentaries); ‎מֵרֹעֶה אֶחָד‎ Eccl 12:11 De Wild, < president of assembly of sages Siegf SS.

2. intransitive feed, graze:
a. literally of cows, sheep, etc.: with ‎ב‎ location Gen 41:2; Gen 41:18 (E), 1Chr 27:29 with accusative of pasture Isa 30:23 with ‎עַל‎ location Zeph 2:7 (‎עֲלֵי הַיָּם‎ for ᵑ0 ‎עֲלֵיהֶם‎, see Now); ‎אֶלמֿוּל‎ location Exod 34:3 (J); absolute Isa 5:17; Isa 11:7 (|| ‎רבץ‎; but see ‎רעה‎ below) Isa 27:10 (|| id.), Isa 65:25; Jonah 3:7; Job 1:14.
b. figurative of idolater, Isa 44:20 he feedeth on ashes (accusative); compare Hos 12:2* Ehpraimitic source feedeth on wind (acc); ‎אִוֶּלֶת‎ ‎׳‎‎פִּי כְסִילִים יִר‎ Prov 15:14 (so Vrss Qr; Kt ‎פני‎ for ‎פי‎) the mouth of fools feeds on folly (Toy; Buhl √ II. ‎רעה‎, Gerber¹⁶² below III. ‎רעה‎); in Canticles, with ‎ב‎ location, figurative of lover Song 2:16; Song 6:2; Song 6:3 of breasts (like gazelles) Song 4:5.
c. figurative, of Israel as flock Isa 14:30 (|| ‎רבץ‎), read (‎יַ֯‎) ‎בְּכָרֹי‎ in my pasture(s), for ᵑ0 ‎בְּכוֺרֵי‎, Koppe Ew Di Du (otherwise Che^Hpt, compare Marti); Zeph 3:13 (|| id..); with ‎עַלדְּֿרָכִים‎ Isa 49:9 with accusative of pasture-land Jer 50:19; Mic 7:14; Ezek 34:14b ( + ‎אֶל‎ location), vEzek 34:18 vEzek 34:19 hence crop, strip, i.e. devastate, of conqueror, with accusative of land Mic 5:6*, cf; ‎אֶתיָֿדוֺ‎ Jer 6:3 so ‎יִרְעוּךְ קָדְקֹד‎; Jer 2:16 accusative of Israel under figure of vine (subject foes, as beasts) Ps 80:14*.
d. subject wind, with accusative of person Jer 22:22, i. e. drive them away; subject fire, with accusative of thing, ‎יֵרַע‎ Job 20:26, but read perhaps ‎יֵרָע‎, Niph`al (Ol Di Hoffm Siegf Bu; otherwise Du). ‎רֹעֶה עֲקָרָה֯‎ Job 24:21 is difficult; Bu ‎חֵרַע‎ for ‎׳‎‎ר‎; more radical conjectures in Du. Niph`al possibly Job 20:26, see 2 d above Hiph`il Ps 78:72 van d. H., see 1 c above

Also see: רֹעִי

‎רֹעֶה‎ shepherd, ‎רֹעָה‎ shepherdess, see √ 1 d. above

Also see: רָעַע

II. [‎רָעָה‎] verb probably associate with (compare Schulth^{69 ff.} but also Nö^{ZMG iiv (1900), 154 f.}; Assyrian ru°a, ruttu, neighbour, fellow (masculine and feminine; compare Jäger^{BAS i. 483,486}); so Bedouin , master, owner, Wallin^{ZMG v (1851), 9} Jayakar^{JA xxi. 851}; Ethiopic marriage; Arabic , Ethiopic yoke; Late Hebrew ‎רֵעוּת‎ friendship is from Biblical Hebrew ‎רֵעַ‎); —

Qal Imperative masculine singular ‎וּרְעֵה אֱמוּנָה‎ Ps 37:3 cherish faithfulness (Hup-Now RV Che Du Dr); > feed seocurely (Bae; I.‎רעה‎; feed on (his) faithfulness AmRV); Participle ‎כְסִילִים רֹעֶה‎ Prov 13:20 one associating with fools, so ‎׳‎‎זֹלְלְים ר‎ Prov 28:7, ‎זוֺנוֺת‎ ‎׳‎‎ר‎ Prov 29:3 (Thes and others think these figurative from I. ‎רעה‎, see 2 b). Hithpa`el 2 masculine singular ‎אַלתִּֿתְרַע‎ ‎אֶתבַּֿעַל אָ֑ף‎ Prov 22:24 do not make companionship with a bad-tempered man; perhaps also 3 feminine plural ‎תִּתְרָעֶינָה‎ Isa 11:7 (Lag^{Or. i. 21}; Deceased Wife's Sister 399 Brd Du Che Hpt) cow and bear shall be each other's companions; + Infinitive construct ‎הִתְרָעֹת‎ Prov 18:24 (Toy, for ᵑ0 ‎הִתְרֹעֵעַ‎) there are [‎יֵשׁ‎, for ‎אִישׁ‎] friends (merely) to be companions (see II. ‎רעע‎ near the end).

[‎רָעָה‎] verb denominative Pi`el be a special friend; — Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎מֵרֵעֵהוּ אֲשֶׁר רֵעָה לוֺ‎ Judg 14:20 his comrade who had been 'best man' (GFM) to him.

‎רעה‎ (√ of following; compare Biblical Hebrew III. ‎רעה‎).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References