What does רָכַל (rākal) mean in the Bible?
רָכַל (rākal): Movement for profit through commerce; distinct from settled merchant—implies itinerant trader or peddler
Hebrew · H7402
רָכַל
To travel for trading
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רָכַלH7402
Pronunciationrākal
What does רָכַל (rākal) mean in the Bible?
רָכַל (rākal): Movement for profit through commerce; distinct from settled merchant—implies itinerant trader or peddler
Full entry for רָכַל (H7402) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7402?
The BSB source-word alignment has 17 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include traded with you (3), the merchants (2), [were] your clients (1), and [so did] the merchants (1), and merchants (1).
Where does רָכַל (rākal) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 1 Kings 10:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (11), Nehemiah (3), 1 Kings (1), Nahum (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Ittraded with you3×Ezekiel 27:17, Ezekiel 27:22, Ezekiel 27:23
the merchants2×Nehemiah 13:20, Ezekiel 27:22
[were] your clients1×Ezekiel 27:15
and [so did] the merchants1×Ezekiel 27:23
and merchants1×Nehemiah 3:32
and the merchants1×Nehemiah 3:31
merchant1×Ezekiel 27:3
of the merchant1×Song Of Solomon 3:6
of traders1×Ezekiel 17:4
traded1×Ezekiel 27:24
traders1×1 Kings 10:15
was your merchant1×Ezekiel 27:20
were your merchants1×Ezekiel 27:13
your merchants1×Nahum 3:16
Show sample aligned rows
1 Kings 10:15הָרֹכְלִ֑יםtotradersArticle | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralNehemiah 3:31וְהָרֹכְלִ֑יםtoand the merchantsConjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralNehemiah 3:32וְהָרֹכְלִֽים׃פtoand merchantsConjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralNehemiah 13:20הָרֹכְלִ֜יםtothe merchantsArticle | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralSong Of Solomon 3:6רוֹכֵֽל׃toof the merchantVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularEzekiel 17:4רֹכְלִ֖יםtoof tradersVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralEzekiel 27:3רֹכֶ֙לֶת֙tomerchantVerb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularEzekiel 27:13רֹֽכְלָ֑יִךְtowere your merchantsVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularEzekiel 27:15רֹֽכְלַ֔יִךְto[were] your clientsVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularEzekiel 27:17רֹכְלָ֑יִךְtotraded with youVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row1 Kings 10:15
Aligned rows17
Books represented5
1 Kings1Nehemiah3Song Of Solomon1Ezekiel11Nahum1
Source forms
רֹֽכְלַ֔יִךְ2xrō·ḵə·la·yiḵEzekiel 27:15, Nahum 3:16
רֹכְלָ֑יִךְ2xrō·ḵə·lā·yiḵEzekiel 27:17, Ezekiel 27:22
הָרֹכְלִ֑ים1xhā·rō·ḵə·lîm1 Kings 10:15
הָרֹכְלִ֜ים1xhā·rō·ḵə·lîmNehemiah 13:20
וְהָרֹכְלִ֑ים1xwə·hā·rō·ḵə·lîmNehemiah 3:31
וְהָרֹכְלִֽים׃פ1xwə·hā·rō·ḵə·lîmNehemiah 3:32
רוֹכֵֽל׃1xrō·w·ḵêlSong Of Solomon 3:6
רֹכְלֵ֤י1xrō·ḵə·lêEzekiel 27:22
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular6xEzekiel 27:13, Ezekiel 27:15, Ezekiel 27:17, Ezekiel 27:22
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural2x1 Kings 10:15, Nehemiah 13:20
Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural2xNehemiah 3:31, Nehemiah 3:32
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular2xEzekiel 27:20, Ezekiel 27:23
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct2xEzekiel 27:22, Ezekiel 27:23
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular1xEzekiel 27:3
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural1xEzekiel 17:4
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular1xSong Of Solomon 3:6
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Movement for profit through commerce; distinct from settled merchant—implies itinerant trader or peddler
Source Gloss
to travel for trading
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Movement for profit through commerce; distinct from settled merchant—implies itinerant trader or peddler
to travel for trading BDB: go about Usage: (spice) merchant.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups1Aligned forms5
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense5×
Participle activeEzek 17:4 · Ezek 27:3 · Ezek 27:22 · Ezek 27:23 · Song 3:65×
Word Origins
רָכַל is a primitive root - no further derivation.