Lexical Definition

‎רָקִיעַ‎ râqîyaʻ (raw-kee'-ah) expanse ^H:N-M
from ‎רָקַע‎

firmament.

• properly, an expanse, i.e. the firmament or (apparently) visible arch of the sky

1) extended surface (solid), expanse, firmament
1a) expanse (flat as base, support)
1b) firmament (of vault of heaven supporting waters above)
1b1) considered by Hebrews as solid and supporting 'waters' above

See Greek: οὐρανός · στερέωμα

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎רָקִיעַ‎ noun masculine^{Gen 1:6} extended surface, (solid) expanse (as if beaten out; compare Job 37:18); — absolute ‎׳‎‎ר‎ Ezek 1:22 +, construct ‎׳‎‎רְ‎ Gen 1:14 +; — ᵐ5 στερέωμα, ᵑ9 firmamentum, compare Syriac below √above; —

1. (flat) expanse (as if of ice, compare ‎כְּעֵין הַקֶּרַח‎), as base, support (Wkl^{Altor. Forsch. iv. 347}) Ezek 1:22; Ezek 1:23; Ezek 1:25(gloss ? compare Co Toy), vEzek 1:26 (supporting ‎׳‎‎י‎'s throne). Hence (Co^{Ezek 1:22})

2. the vault of heaven, or 'firmament,' regarded by Hebrews as solid, and supporting 'waters' above it, Gen 1:6; Gen 1:7 (3 t. in verse); Gen 1:8 (called ‎שָׁמַיַם‎; all P), Ps 19:2* (|| ‎הַשָּׁמַיַם‎), ‎׳‎‎זֹהַר הָר‎ Dan 12:3 also ‎׳‎‎ר‎ ‎הַשָּׁמִיִם‎ Gen 1:14; Gen 1:15; Gen 1:17, ‎׳‎‎הַשּׁ‎ ‎׳‎‎עַלפְּֿנֵי ר‎ vGen 1:20 (all P). **‎רְקִיעַ עֻזּוֺ‎ Ps 150:1 (suffix reference to ‎׳‎‎י‎).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References