What does רָעֵב mean in the Bible?
רָעֵב is a Hebrew word meaning "to hunger".
Hebrew · H7456
רָעֵב
To hunger
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רָעֵבH7456
What does רָעֵב mean in the Bible?
רָעֵב is a Hebrew word meaning "to hunger".
Full entry for רָעֵב (H7456) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7456?
The BSB source-word alignment has 13 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include hunger (2), and hungry (1), and in your hunger (1), but they are still hungry (1), go hungry (1).
Where does רָעֵב appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 41:55. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (5), Proverbs (3), Psalms (2), Deuteronomy (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 Ithunger2×Proverbs 6:30, Isaiah 49:10
and hungry1×Psalms 34:10
and in your hunger1×Deuteronomy 8:3
but they are still hungry1×Isaiah 9:20
go hungry1×Proverbs 10:3
he grows hungry1×Isaiah 44:12
I were hungry1×Psalms 50:12
or hunger1×Jeremiah 42:14
they are famished1×Isaiah 8:21
When extreme hunger1×Genesis 41:55
will go hungry1×Isaiah 65:13
will suffer hunger1×Proverbs 19:15
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 41:55וַתִּרְעַב֙toWhen extreme hungerConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularDeuteronomy 8:3וַיַּרְעִבֶךָ֒toand in your hungerConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularPsalms 34:10וְרָעֵ֑בוּtoand hungryConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralPsalms 50:12אֶ֭רְעַבtoI were hungryVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularProverbs 6:30יִרְעָֽב׃tohungerVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularProverbs 10:3יַרְעִ֣יבtogo hungryVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularProverbs 19:15תִרְעָֽב׃towill suffer hungerVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularIsaiah 8:21יִרְעַ֜בtothey are famishedVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularIsaiah 9:20וְרָעֵ֔בtobut they are still hungryConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularIsaiah 44:12רָעֵב֙tohe grows hungryVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 41:55
Aligned rows13
Books represented6
Genesis1Deuteronomy1Psalms2Proverbs3Isaiah5Jeremiah1
Source forms
אֶ֭רְעַב1x’er·‘aḇPsalms 50:12
וַיַּרְעִבֶךָ֒1xway·yar·‘i·ḇe·ḵāDeuteronomy 8:3
וְרָעֵ֔ב1xwə·rā·‘êḇIsaiah 9:20
וְרָעֵ֑בוּ1xwə·rā·‘ê·ḇūPsalms 34:10
וַתִּרְעַב֙1xwat·tir·‘aḇGenesis 41:55
יִרְעַ֜ב1xyir·‘aḇIsaiah 8:21
יִרְעָֽב׃1xyir·‘āḇProverbs 6:30
יִרְעָ֙בוּ֙1xyir·‘ā·ḇūIsaiah 49:10
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular2xProverbs 6:30, Isaiah 8:21
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular1xDeuteronomy 8:3
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural1xPsalms 34:10
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular1xIsaiah 9:20
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular1xGenesis 41:55
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular1xProverbs 10:3
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural1xJeremiah 42:14
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular1xPsalms 50:12
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. to hunger
Source Gloss
to hunger
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
to hunger BDB: be hungry Usage: (suffer to) famish, (be, have, suffer, suffer to) hunger(-ry).
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 groups2Aligned forms9
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense8×
ImperfectIsa 8:21 · Prov 6:30 · Isa 49:10 · Isa 65:13 · Jer 42:14 · Prov 19:15 · Ps 50:127×
PerfectIsa 44:121×
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action1×
ImperfectProv 10:31×
Word Origins
רָעֵב is a primitive root - no further derivation.