H4828 H4828
A close friend, companion, or confidant -- one bound by personal loyalty and intimate association.
A masculine noun denoting a friend or intimate companion, distinct from the more general rea ('neighbor'). It implies a bond of personal loyalty and trust. Abimelech's 'friend' Ahuzzath (Gen 26:26) served as a royal confidant or advisor. The term appears prominently in the Samson narrative for his wedding companions and the 'best man' to whom his wife was given (Judg 14:11, 20; 15:2, 6). In Proverbs 19:7 it appears in a sobering observation about how even close friends distance themselves from the poor. Spanish 'companero/amigos' and French 'compagnons' capture the sense of bonded, personal companionship.
Senses
1. friend, companion — A close friend, companion, or confidant -- someone bound by personal loyalty rather than mere proximity. English 'friend-his/companions,' Spanish 'su-companero/amigos-suyos,' and French 'compagnons' all point to intimate personal association. In Genesis 26:26 Ahuzzath is Abimelech's merea, his personal advisor-friend who accompanies him to make a treaty with Isaac. In Judges 14:11 Samson's thirty 'companions' are wedding attendants; in 14:20 and 15:2, 6 the term designates the specific 'best man' or groomsman to whom Samson's wife was controversially given. In 2 Samuel 3:8 the word appears in the context of loyal allies, and Proverbs 19:7 warns that even intimate friends flee from poverty. 7×
AR["أصْدِقاؤهُ", "أَصْحَابًا-مِنْ", "أَصْحَابِهِ", "صاحِبُهُ", "لِ-صَاحِبِكَ", "لِ-صَاحِبِهِ"]·ben["তাঁর-বন্ধুর", "তাঁর-মিত্র", "তার-বন্ধুকে", "তার-বন্ধুদের", "তার-বন্ধুরা", "তোমার-বন্ধুকে", "বন্ধুদের"]·DE["[מרעהו]", "companions", "fuer-sein-companion", "sein-Freund", "sein-friends", "zu-dein-companion", "zu-sein-companion"]·EN["companions", "for-his-companion", "friend-his", "his-friends", "to-his-companion", "to-your-companion"]·FR["compagnons", "friend-son", "pour-son-companion", "son-friends", "son-מרעהו-lui", "à-son-companion", "à-ton-companion"]·heb["ל-מרעהו", "ל-מרעך", "מ-רעהו", "מרעהו-ו", "מרעי-הו", "מרעים"]·HI["उस-का-मित्र", "उसके-साथी-की", "उसके-साथी-को", "तेरे-साथी-को", "मित्र-उसके", "मित्रों-उसके", "साथियों"]·ID["dan-tidak", "kepada-temanmu", "kepada-temannya", "teman", "teman-temannya", "temannya"]·IT["a-suo-companion", "a-tuo-companion", "amico-suo", "compagni", "per-suo-companion", "suo-amici", "suo-friends-suo"]·jav["dhateng-kanca-panjenengan", "dhateng-kancanipun", "kanca", "kangge-kanca-nipun", "mitra", "mitranipun", "para-mitrènipun"]·KO["그의-친구들", "그의-친구와", "에게-그의-친구", "에게-당신의-친구", "친구들은-그-의", "친구들을"]·PT["amigos-seus", "ao-seu-companheiro", "ao-teu-companheiro", "companheiro-seu", "companheiros", "para-companheiro-seu", "seus-amigos"]·RU["друг-его", "другу-его", "другу-твоему", "друзей", "друзья-его", "друзьям-его"]·ES["a-su-compañero", "a-tu-compañero", "amigos-suyos", "compañeros", "para-su-compañero", "su-amigo", "sus-compañeros"]·SW["kwa-rafiki-yake", "kwa-rafiki-yako", "marafiki", "marafiki-wake", "rafiki-yake", "rafiki-zake", "wa-rafiki-yake"]·TR["-e-arkadaşı", "-e-arkadaşına", "arkadaş", "dostları", "dostlarına", "dostundan"]·urd["اُس-کے-دوستوں", "اُس-کے-ساتھی-کو", "اُس-کے-ساتھی-کی", "تیرے-ساتھی-کو", "دوست-اُس-کا", "دوستوں-اُس-کے", "ساتھیوں-میں-سے"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [מֵרֵעַ] n.m. friend, companion (strange formation; orig. dub.; Wetzst Syriac Dreschtafel, ZEthnol. 1873, 289 cp. مرياع miryâʿ, name of bell-wether among Syriac nomads (proposes [inseparable] companion), and der. from ריע, proposes closely joined; cf. Gerber 97, 162);—sf. מֵרֵעֵ֫הוּ Gn 26:26 +, מְרֵעֵ֫הוּ Pr 19:7, מֵרֵעֶ֑ךָ Ju 15:2; pl. מֵרֵעִים 14:11;—companion, confidential friend, Gn 26:26…