What does רָפָה (rāpāh) mean in the Bible?
רָפָה (rāpāh): Progressive loss of strength or tension; weakening resolve, physical vigor, or commitment across literal and moral domains.
Hebrew · H7503
רָפָה
To slacken (in many applications, literal or figurative)
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רָפָה H7503
Pronunciation rāpāh
What does רָפָה (rāpāh) mean in the Bible?
רָפָה (rāpāh): Progressive loss of strength or tension; weakening resolve, physical vigor, or commitment across literal and moral domains.
Full entry for רָפָה (H7503) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7503?
The BSB source-word alignment has 46 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include leave you (3), let go (3), . . . (2), abandon (2), hang limp (2).
Where does רָפָה (rāpāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 4:26. Its strongest book concentrations include Deuteronomy (4), Exodus (4), Ezekiel (4), Jeremiah (4).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It leave you 3× Deuteronomy 31:6, Deuteronomy 31:8, Joshua 1:5
let go 3× Job 27:6, Proverbs 4:13, Song Of Solomon 3:4
. . . 2× Judges 11:37, Job 12:21
abandon 2× Joshua 10:6, Psalms 138:8
hang limp 2× Jeremiah 6:24, Jeremiah 50:43
Leave Me alone 2× Deuteronomy 9:14, Job 7:19
will go limp 2× Ezekiel 7:17, Ezekiel 21:7
Withdraw 2× 2 Samuel 24:16, 1 Chronicles 21:15
abandon you 1× Deuteronomy 4:31
are lazy 1× Exodus 5:8
are slackers 1× Exodus 5:17
be discouraged 1× 2 Chronicles 15:7
Be still 1× Psalms 46:10
fail you 1× 1 Chronicles 28:20
fall limp 1× Zephaniah 3:16
has become feeble 1× Jeremiah 49:24
he lost 1× 2 Samuel 4:1
Hold off 1× 1 Samuel 11:3
I leave it 1× Nehemiah 6:3
If you faint 1× Proverbs 24:10
is discouraging 1× Jeremiah 38:4
is drawing 1× Judges 19:9
is slothful 1× Proverbs 18:9
Leave her alone 1× 2 Kings 4:27
lowered 1× Ezekiel 1:25
put off 1× Joshua 18:3
Refrain 1× Psalms 37:8
set out to discourage 1× Ezra 4:4
shrivels 1× Isaiah 5:24
Slackers 1× Exodus 5:17
So [the LORD] let him alone 1× Exodus 4:26
Stop 1× 1 Samuel 15:16
subsided 1× Judges 8:3
they lowered 1× Ezekiel 1:24
will be weakened 1× Nehemiah 6:9
will fall limp 1× Isaiah 13:7
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 4:26 וַיִּ֖רֶף to So [the LORD] let him alone Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Exodus 5:8 נִרְפִּ֣ים to are lazy Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural Exodus 5:17 נִרְפִּ֥ים to are slackers Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural Exodus 5:17 נִרְפִּ֑ים to Slackers Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural Deuteronomy 4:31 יַרְפְּךָ֖ to abandon you Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular Deuteronomy 9:14 הֶ֤רֶף to Leave Me alone Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular Deuteronomy 31:6 יַרְפְּךָ֖ to leave you Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular Deuteronomy 31:8 יַרְפְּךָ֖ to leave you Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular Joshua 1:5 אַרְפְּךָ֖ to leave you Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular Joshua 10:6 תֶּ֥רֶף to abandon Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 4:26
Aligned rows 46
Books represented 19
Exodus 4 Deuteronomy 4 Joshua 3 Judges 3 1 Samuel 2 2 Samuel 2 2 Kings 1 1 Chronicles 2 2 Chronicles 1 Ezra 1 Nehemiah 2 Job 3 Psalms 3 Proverbs 3 Song Of Solomon 1 Isaiah 2 Jeremiah 4 Ezekiel 4 Zephaniah 1
Source forms
הֶ֣רֶף 3x he·rep̄ 2 Samuel 24:16, 1 Chronicles 21:15, Psalms 37:8
יַרְפְּךָ֖ 3x yar·pə·ḵā Deuteronomy 4:31, Deuteronomy 31:6, Deuteronomy 31:8
הֶ֤רֶף 2x he·rep̄ Deuteronomy 9:14, 1 Samuel 11:3
תְּרַפֶּ֥ינָה 2x tə·rap·pe·nāh Ezekiel 1:24, Ezekiel 1:25
תִּרְפֶּ֑ינָה 2x tir·pe·nāh Isaiah 13:7, Ezekiel 7:17
אַרְפֶּ֔הָ 1x ’ar·pe·hā Nehemiah 6:3
אַרְפֶּ֑הָ 1x ’ar·pe·hā Job 27:6
אַרְפְּךָ֖ 1x ’ar·pə·ḵā Joshua 1:5
Parsing patterns
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular 8x Deuteronomy 9:14, Judges 11:37, 1 Samuel 11:3, 1 Samuel 15:16
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular 4x Deuteronomy 4:31, Deuteronomy 31:6, Deuteronomy 31:8, 1 Chronicles 28:20
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular 3x Joshua 10:6, Psalms 138:8, Proverbs 4:13
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural 3x Exodus 5:8, Exodus 5:17
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 3x 2 Chronicles 15:7, Nehemiah 6:9, Zephaniah 3:16
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural 2x Jeremiah 50:43, Ezekiel 21:7
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular 2x Nehemiah 6:3, Job 27:6
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine plural 2x Ezekiel 1:24, Ezekiel 1:25
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Progressive loss of strength or tension; weakening resolve, physical vigor, or commitment across literal and moral domains.
Strong's H7503
Lexical occurrences 46 verses Word forms 5 forms 33 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Exodus 5:10-21 Source Gloss
to slacken (in many applications, literal or figurative)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Progressive loss of strength or tension; weakening resolve, physical vigor, or commitment across literal and moral domains.
to slacken (in many applications, literal or figurative) BDB: sink Usage: 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 7495.
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 groups 5 Aligned forms 33
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 12×
Sequential imperfect 1Chr 21:15 · 1Sam 11:3 · 1Sam 15:16 · 2Kgs 4:27 · 2Sam 24:16 · Deut 9:14 · Judg 11:37 · Ps 37:8 · Ps 46:11 9×
Jussive Josh 10:6 · Prov 4:13 · Ps 138:8 3×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 3×
Participle active Exod 5:8 · Exod 5:17 3×
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 10×
Imperfect Ezek 7:17 · Isa 13:7 · Isa 5:24 · Neh 6:9 4×
Perfect Jer 49:24 · Judg 8:3 · Jer 6:24 · Judg 19:9 4×
Jussive 2Chr 15:7 · Zeph 3:16 2×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 5×
Imperfect Ezek 1:24 · Ezek 1:25 2×
Participle active Ezra 4:4 · Jer 38:4 2×
Perfect Job 12:21 1×
Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others 3×
Participle active Josh 18:3 · Prov 18:9 2×
Perfect Prov 24:10 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
To relax or reduce work output, failing in duty or labor
To be careless or negligent in work, showing spiritual deterioration
To lose strength or courage in difficult circumstances, becoming weak
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 46 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
רָפָה is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain