Lexical Definition

‎רָפָה‎ râphâh (raw-faw') to slacken ^H:V
a primitive root

abate, cease, consume, draw (toward evening), fail, (be) faint, be (wax) feeble, forsake, idle, leave, let alone (go, down), (be) slack, stay, be still, be slothful, (be) weak(-en). See ‎רָפָא‎.

• to slacken (in many applications, literal or figurative)

1) to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to sink down
1a2) to sink, drop
1a3) to sink, relax, abate
1a4) to relax, withdraw
1b) (Niphal) idle (participle)
1c) (Piel) to let drop
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to let drop, abandon, relax, refrain, forsake
1d2) to let go
1d3) to refrain, let alone
1d4) to be quiet
1e) (Hithpael) to show oneself slack

See Greek: ἀνίημι · ἀπέρχομαι · ἀσθενέω · ἀφίημι · ἐάω · ἐγκαταλείπω · ἐκλύω · καταπαύω · κλίνω · παραλύω · παρίημι · παύω · σχολάζω

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎רָפה‎ verb sink, relax (Late Hebrew id., so Aramaic ‎רפא‎ (derived species), Zinjirli ‎רפה‎ Aph`el, ; Arabic an easy life is perhaps akin); —

Qal Perfect 3 masculine singular Judg 19:9 (yet see below); 3 feminine singular ‎רָֽפִ֑תָה‎ Judg 8:3; Jer 49:24, etc.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎יִרְפֶּה‎ Isa 5:24, ‎וַיִּרֶף‎ Exod 4:26 (see below), etc.; —

1. sink down, of hay in flame Isa 5:24 sink, decline, of day Judg 19:9 (si vera lectio; ᵐ5^L κέκλικεν, GFM ‎נָטָה‎ [but how explain the difficult ‎רפה‎?]). Usu.

2. sink, drop (of wings, see Pi`el), of hands, with ‎מִן‎ Neh 6:9 their hands will drop from the work (in fear); elsewhere absolute figurative = lose heart, energy, 2Sam 4:1; Isa 13:7; Jer 6:24; Jer 50:43; Ezek 7:17; Ezek 21:12*; Zeph 3:16 ‎יָרַיִם‎ omitted Jer 49:24.

3. sink, relax, abate, of temper Judg 8:3 (+ ‎מֵעַל‎ person).

4. relax, withdraw, subject ‎׳‎‎י‎, ‎מִן‎ person Exod 4:26 (J), i.e. let one alone (but read perhaps ‎וַיֶרֶף‎, see Hiph`il). Niph`al Participle plural ‎נִרְפִּים‎ idle Exod 5:8; Exod 5:17 (J). Pi`el Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎רִפָּה‎ Job 12:21 Imperfect 3 feminine plural ‎תְּרַפֶּינָה‎ Ezek 1:24; Ezek 1:25 Participle ‎מְרַפֵּא‎ (Ges<sup>«GKC:75rr»§ 75rr</sup>) Jer 38:4 plural ‎מְפִַּים‎ Ezra 4:4 — causative: let wings drop Ezek 1:24; Ezek 1:25 (read Qal, ‎כנפיהם‎ subject, ᵐ5 Co Toy Krae and others, who strike out in vEzek 1:25); loosen and let drop, girdle of mighty, figurative for weaken them Job 12:21 with accusative hands, figurative for enfeeble, dishearten Jer 38:4; Ezra 4:4. Hiph`il Imperfect, 3 masculine singular suffix ‎יַרְפְּךָ‎ Deut 4:31 +; jussive 2 masculine singular ‎תֶּ֫רֶף‎ Josh 10:6 +, etc.; Imperative masculine singular ‎הַרְפֵּה‎ Judg 11:37; 2Kgs 4:27 ‎הֶֶ֫רֶךָ‎ Deut 9:14 +; masculine plural ‎הַרְפּוּ‎ Ps 46:11* — causative,

1. let drop, the hand 2Sam 24:16 = 1Chr 21:15 figurative, + ‎מִן‎ person, = abandon, Josh 10:6 (JE); perhaps also (‎יָד‎ omitted) = relax, refrain Exod 4:26 (reading ‎וַיֶרֶף‎, see Qal); accusative of thing, = abandon, forsake, Neh 6:3, so (subject ‎׳‎‎י‎) Ps 138:8 subject ‎׳‎‎י‎, with accusative of person, Deut 4:31; Deut 31:6; Deut 31:8; Josh 1:5 (D), 1Chr 28:20.

2. let go, suffix person, Song 3:4 (opposed to ‎אחז‎); figurative, accusative (omitted) ‎מוּסָר‎, Prov 4:13 (opposed to ‎החזיק‎), ‎צְדָקָה‎ Job 27:6 (opposed to id.).

3. refrain, with ‎מִן‎ person, = let one alone Judg 11:37; Deut 9:14, ‎מִן‎ of anger Ps 37:8 with ‎ל‎ person 1Sam 11:3; 2Kgs 4:27 accusative of person Job 7:19 absolute let alone, i.e. do nothing, be quiet, 1Sam 15:16; Ps 46:11* (compare Weir in Dr^{1Sam 15:16}). — Jer 3:22; Job 5:18; Ps 60:4* see ‎רָפָא‎. Hithpa`el Perfect 2 masculine singular ‎הִתְרַפִּיתָ‎ Prov 24:10 hast shewn thyself slack; Participle ‎מִתְרַפֶּה‎ Prov 18:9 one shewing himself slack, plural ‎מִתְרַפִּים‎ Josh 18:3. — See also ‎רָפָא‎ heal.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References