H7227a H7227a
much, many, great — adjective expressing quantity (numerous), quality (mighty, intense), or sufficiency (enough)
Found over 400 times, this flexible adjective primarily denotes large quantities ('many people', 'much wealth') but extends naturally to qualitative greatness ('great wickedness', 'mighty power'). In construct forms it expresses abundance ('abounding in mercy', 'rich in lovingkindness'), and in exclamatory contexts simply means 'enough!' The multilingual evidence—Arabic كَثِير, Korean 많은, Swahili -engi, Hindi बहुत—confirms this root's core span from numerical plurality to evaluative magnitude. Occasionally the adjective functions adverbially ('greatly', 'long') or substantively ('abundance', 'chief').
4. enough, sufficient — As an exclamation or predicate (14×), רב expresses sufficiency: 'Enough! I have seen enough' (Gen 45:28), 'Enough! Stop contending!' (Num 16:3, 16:7). The cross-linguistic data—Arabic كَفَى, Korean 족하다/충분하다, Swahili -tosha, Spanish basta—confirm this pragmatic extension from quantitative 'much' to evaluative 'sufficient'. Often in imperative or hortative contexts (Deut 1:6, Ex 9:28). 14×
AR["فَكَفَى","كَافِيَتَاهُ","كَثِيرٌ-","كَفاكُمْ","كَفى","كَفَاكَ-","كَفَاكُمْ-","كَفَى"]·ben["এবং-যথেষ্ট","যথেষ্ট","যথেষ্ট-"]·DE["contending","genug","genug-","und-genug","viel"]·EN["and-enough","contending","enough","enough-"]·FR["assez","assez-","contending","et-assez","grand","nombreux"]·heb["ו-רב","רַב","רב"]·HI["और-बहुत-हो-गया-है","बहुत","बहुत-","बहुत-है"]·ID["Cukup-","cukup","cukup-","cukuplah","dan-cukup"]·IT["abbastanza","abbastanza-","contending","e-abbastanza","molto","numeroso"]·jav["cekap","cekap-","kathah","kathah-","lan-cekap","sampun-cekap","sampun-cekap-"]·KO["그리고-충분하다","많다","많다-","많은","족하다","충분하다","충분하다-"]·PT["Basta-","Suficiente-","basta","demais","e-basta","lutem","muito","muito-","¶ Suficiente-"]·RU["Достаточно-","довольно","довольно-","и-достаточно","сильны"]·ES["Basta","Basta-","basta","bastante-","suficiente","suficientes","y-basta","¡basta!"]·SW["Mmeishi-kwa-muda-mrefu","Mmezunguka-kwa-muda-mrefu","imetosha","imetosha-","inatosha","kambi","na-yatosha","ni-mengi-sana","yatosha"]·TR["güçlü","ve-yeter","yeter","yeter-","yeterli","yeterli-"]·urd["اور-کافی-ہے","بس","بس-","بہت","بہت-ہے","بہت-ہے-","کافی","کافی-","کافی-ہے"]
Gen 45:28, Exod 9:28, Num 16:3, Num 16:7, Deut 1:6, Deut 2:3, Deut 3:26, Deut 33:7, 2 Sam 24:16, 1 Kgs 12:28, 1 Kgs 19:4, 1 Chr 21:15 (+2 more)
▼ 9 more senses below
Senses
1. many, much (quantitative) — The most frequent sense (305×) is straightforward quantitative plurality: 'many' people, animals, or things; 'much' silver, grain, or years. Cross-linguistic data strongly align here—Arabic كَثِير, Korean 많은, Swahili -engi/-ingi, Hindi बहुत, Spanish muchos/mucho—demonstrating this as the semantic core. Typical occurrences include Gen 21:34 ('many days'), Gen 26:14 ('much livestock'), Gen 30:43 ('numerous flocks'). 305×
AR["أَكْثَرَ","كَثيرَةً","كَثيرَةٌ","كَثِيرٌ","كَثِيرَاتٌ","كَثِيرَةً","كَثِيرَةٌ","كَثِيرَةٍ"]·ben["অনেক","অনেক।","বহু","বেশি।"]·DE["viel","viele"]·EN["many"]·FR["beaucoup"]·heb["רב","רבות","רבים"]·HI["बड़ी","बहुत","बहुत-से","बहुती"]·ID["banyak","yang-banyak"]·IT["molti"]·jav["kathah"]·KO["많다","많으면","많은","많은지","많이가"]·PT["maiores","muitas","muito","muitos","multidão","numerosas","numerosos"]·RU["-многие","многие","многий","многих","много","многочислен","многочисленная","многочисленнее","многочисленный","многочисленных"]·ES["mucha","muchas","mucho","muchos","muchos?","más-grandes","más-numerosas","más-numerosos","numerosos"]·SW["mengi","mingi","nyingi","wengi"]·TR["çok"]·urd["بہت","بہتیرے","زیادہ"]
2. great, mighty (qualitative) — The qualitative leap to 'great, mighty' (65×) describes intensity or importance: 'great wickedness' (Gen 6:5), 'great deep' (Gen 7:11), 'heavy rain' (1 Sam 12:17). Multilingual parallels—Arabic عَظِيم, Korean 큰/크다, Hindi बड़ा/महान, Spanish grande—show qualitative greatness as a natural semantic extension. This sense often overlaps with quantitative 'much' when referring to abstract intensity. 65×
AR["الكَثيرَةِ","الْ-عَظِيمِ","عَظيمٌ","عَظيمَةً","عَظِيمٌ","عَظِيمَةً","عَظِيمَةٌ","عَظِيمَةٍ","كَثيرٌ","كَثُرَ","كَثِيرٌ"]·ben["অনেক","বড়","বহু","বিপুল","বিশাল","বৃহৎ"]·DE["der-großen","es-ist-groß","gross","grosse","groß-war","vermehrte","viel","viele"]·EN["great"]·FR["grand","nombreux"]·heb["רב","רבה"]·HI["बड़ा","बड़ा-है","बड़ी","बड़े","बदे","बहुत"]·ID["besar","sangat-besar"]·IT["grande","molto","numeroso"]·jav["ageng","agung"]·KO["많다","많은","크다","크도다","큰"]·PT["congregação","grande","recompensa","transgressão"]·RU["большая","велик","велика","великая","великим","велико","великого","великое","великой","великом"]·ES["grande","mucha"]·SW["kikubwa","kubwa","mkubwa","ni-kikubwa"]·TR["büyük","çok"]·urd["اجر","بڑا","بڑی","بڑی-ہے","بہت","بہت-بڑی","زیادہ"]
Gen 6:5, Gen 7:11, Gen 18:20, Num 11:33, 1 Sam 12:17, 1 Sam 26:13, 1 Kgs 5:7, 2 Chr 13:8, 2 Chr 13:17, 2 Chr 20:2, 2 Chr 20:12, 2 Chr 20:15 (+38 more)
3. abounding in, rich in (construct) — In construct state (19×), the adjective means 'abounding in, rich in' when modifying another noun: 'abounding in lovingkindness' (Ex 34:6, Num 14:18), 'mighty in deeds' (2 Sam 23:20). Korean 풍성한, Spanish abundante-de, and Arabic كَثِيرُ + genitive support this attributive-construct usage, which highlights the noun's quality of possessing X in abundance. 19×
AR["كَثيرُ-","كَثِير-","كَثِيرَةَ","كَثِيرُ-","كَثِيرِ","كَثْرَةِ-","وَ-كَثيرُ-","وَ-كَثِيرُ","وَ-كَثِيرُ-","وَكَثِيرُ","وَكَثِيرُ-"]·ben["অনেক-","আর-প্রচুর-","আর-বড়-","আর-শক্তিশালী","এবং-প্রচুর","এবং-প্রচুর-","এবং-বৃহৎ-","ও-প্রচুর-","প্রচুর","প্রচুর-","বড়-"]·DE["gross-von","und-gross-von","und-gross-von-","und-viel","und-viele","viel","viele"]·EN["abounding-in","abundance-of","abundant","and-abounding-in","and-abundant-in","and-abundant-of-","and-great-in-","and-great-of","and-great-of-","and-mighty-of","great-of","great-of-","has-great"]·FR["et-grand","et-grand-de","et-grand-de-","et-nombreux","grand-de","nombreux"]·heb["ו-רַב-","ו-רב","ו-רב-","רב","רב-","רב־","רבת"]·HI["और-बड़ा-","और-बहुत","और-बहुत-","और-महान","बहुत","बहुत-","बहुत-से"]·ID["banyak","banyak-","banyaknya-","berlimpah","besar","besar-","dan-banyak","dan-berkuasa","dan-berlimpah","dan-berlimpah-","dan-melimpah-"]·IT["e-grande","e-grande-di","e-grande-di-","e-molti","e-molto","e-numeroso","grande","grande-di","molti","molto","numeroso"]·jav["akeh","kathah","kathah-","lan-ageng","lan-ageng-","lan-kathah","lan-kathah-"]·KO["그리고-많다-","그리고-많은","그리고-크시며","그리고-풀성한","그리고-풍성하시다-","그리고-풍성하신","그리고-풍성한","많다","많은","많은-","풍부한-자여","풍성한","풍성한-"]·PT["abundante-","abundante-de","de-tua-grande","e-abundante-de","e-abundante-em","e-grande","e-grande-de","e-grande-de-","e-grande-em","e-muita-","grande-de","grande-de-"]·RU["велик-","великий-","и-великий","и-великий-","и-многая-","и-могучий","и-обилен","и-обильный-","изобилует-","много-","множестве-","обильная"]·ES["abundante-de-","abundante-en","grande-de","mucha-","mucho-de-","y-abundante","y-abundante-de","y-abundante-en-","y-grande-de","y-grande-de-","y-grande-en-","y-mucho-de-"]·SW["ana-ufahamu","mwingi-wa","na-manyoya","na-mwingi-wa","na-mwingi-wa-","na-wenye-nguvu","wa-upendo","wingi-wa","ya-wingi-wa"]·TR["bol","ve-bol","ve-bol-","ve-çok","ve-çok-","çok-","çokluğunun-"]·urd["اور-بہت","اور-بہت-","اور-عظیم","اور-کثیر","بڑی","بڑے","بڑے-","بہت","بہتایت-"]
Exod 34:6, Num 14:18, 2 Sam 23:20, 1 Chr 11:22, Neh 9:17, Ps 86:5, Ps 86:15, Ps 103:8, Ps 145:7, Ps 147:5, Prov 14:29, Prov 28:20 (+7 more)
5. more, greater (comparative) — Comparative sense 'more, greater' (10×) appears when contrasted with another entity: 'the greater will serve the younger' (Gen 25:23), 'a people more and mightier' (Deut 20:1). Arabic أَكْثَرُ and Spanish mayor/más align with this usage. Found in contexts where two quantities or magnitudes are explicitly compared (Josh 10:11, Judg 16:30, 2 Kgs 6:16). 10×
AR["أَكْثَرَ","أَكْثَرَ-مِنَ-كَثيرينَ","أَكْثَرُ","كَبيرٌ","كَثيرونَ","كَثِيرٍ","وَالْكَبِيرُ"]·ben["অনেক","অনেকের-চেয়ে","এবং-বড়","বহু","বৃহৎ","বেশি"]·DE["greater","mehr","und-der-Ältere","viel","viele","von-viele"]·EN["and-the-greater","greater","more","more-than-many","numerous"]·FR["et-le-plus-grand","grand","nombreux","plus","plus-grand","von-nombreux"]·heb["ו-רב","מ-רב","רב","רבים"]·HI["और-बड़ा","बड़ा","बड़ी","बहुत","बहुतों-से-अधिक","रब्बीम"]·ID["besar","dan-yang-lebih-tua","dari-banyak-orang","lebih-banyak","lebih-besar"]·IT["da-numerosi","e-il-greater","greater","molto","numerosi","numeroso","più"]·jav["kathah","lan-ingkang-ageng","langkung-kathah","langkung-saking-kathah","wates"]·KO["그리고-큰-자가","많다","많았다","많은","많은-자들-보다","많은-자들이","크냐","큰-것이"]·PT["e-maior","grande","maior","mais-que-muitos","muitos","numeroso"]·RU["больше","больше-многих","больший","и-старший","многие","многими","многочисленным"]·ES["mayor","muchos","más","más-que-muchos","numeroso","y-mayor"]·SW["kuliko-wengi","mkubwa","na-mkubwa","wengi"]·TR["büyük","cok","hizmet-edecek","çok","çoklarından"]·urd["اور-بڑا","بڑی","بہت","بہتوں-سے-زیادہ","زیادہ"]
6. greatly, long (adverbial extent) — Adverbial use (8×) indicates degree ('greatly') or extent ('long, far'): 'greatly multiplied' (Ps 65:9), 'long have I dwelt' (Ps 120:6). Korean 크게/오래, Swahili sana/muda mrefu, Spanish grandemente/largo, and Arabic طَوِيل support this adverbial development. Typical in poetic or heightened prose (1 Kgs 19:7, Ps 62:2, 123:3). 8×
AR["طَويلٌ","كَثيراً","كَثيرًا","كَثِيرًا"]·ben["অত্যন্ত","অনেক","দীর্ঘ","বেশি।"]·DE["gross","viele"]·EN["great","greatly","long"]·FR["grand","nombreux"]·heb["רב","רבה","רבת"]·HI["अधिक","बहुत"]·ID["Banyak","Lama","Sangat","sangat","terlalu-jauh"]·IT["grande"]·jav["Kathah-sanget","Suwe","kathah-sanget","sanget","tebih-sanget"]·KO["많이","멀다","오래도다","크게"]·PT["Muito","longo","muito"]·RU["Весьма","Долго","Много","весьма","далёк","сильно"]·ES["Mucho","grandemente","largo","mucho"]·SW["Sana","muda-mrefu","ndefu","sana"]·TR["çok","çokça"]·urd["بہت","بہُت","لمبا"]
7. abundance, multitude (nominal) — Nominal/substantival sense (5×) meaning 'abundance, multitude, greatness' when used with prepositions or in construct: 'by the greatness of his power' (Job 36:18), 'with much grief' (Eccl 1:18). Arabic كَثْرَة, Korean 많음/큰, Swahili wingi confirm this reification. Concentrated in wisdom literature (Job 23:6, 30:18) and one occurrence in Isaiah 63:7. 5×
AR["بِ-كَثرَةِ","كَثْرَةُ","هَلْ-بِ-عِظَمِ-","وَ-كَثرَةُ","وَ-كَثْرَةَ-"]·ben["-এবং-প্রচুর-","-প্রচুর-","অধিক-","আর-বহু","বড়-"]·DE["in-viel","und-viel","viel"]·EN["and-great-","and-the-great","by-great-","much-","with-greatness-of"]·FR["dans-nombreux","et-nombreux","nombreux"]·heb["ב-רוב","ה-ב-רוב","ו-רב","ו-רוב","רב-"]·HI["और-बड़ी","और-बहुत","क्या-बहुत","बड़ी","बहुत-"]·ID["Dengan-besar-","apakah-dengan-banyaknya","banyak","dan-banyaknya","dan-besarnya-"]·IT["e-molti","e-molto","in-molto","molto","nel-molto"]·jav["Kanthi-ageng","kathah-","lan-ageng-ipun","lan-kathah-","menapa-ing-ageng-"]·KO["(질문)큰-","그리고-큰","많음-","큰"]·PT["Com-grande","Porventura-com-grande","e-grande-","muito"]·RU["и-много-","и-множество-","много-","с-великой-ли-","с-великою-"]·ES["Acaso-con-grandeza-de-","Con-mucha-","mucha","y-la-gran-","y-mucho-"]·SW["Je-kwa-wingi-wa","kwa-nguvu-kubwa","na-ukubwa-wa","na-wema","wingi-wa"]·TR["Büyük-","cok","ve-büyük-","ve-cok-","çokluğuyla-mı-"]·urd["اور-بہت","اور-کثرت","زیادہ","کثرت سے","کیا-بڑے-"]
8. increase, multiply (verbal) — Verbal Qal forms (4×) mean 'to become many, increase, multiply'—rare but attested. Arabic يَكثُرُ/تَكثُرَ, Korean 많아지다/커졌다, Swahili kuongezeka align. Found in Ex 23:29 ('lest the beasts multiply'), 1 Sam 14:19 ('the tumult increasing'), 2 Sam 15:12 ('conspiracy growing strong'), Isa 6:12 ('desolation be great'). 4×
AR["وَ-ازْدَادَ","وَ-تَكثُرَ","وَ-تَكثُرُ","وَيَكثُرُ"]·ben["আর-বৃদ্ধি-পাচ্ছিল","এবং-বৃদ্ধি-পাবে","এবং-বৃদ্ধি-পেতে-থাকল","ও-অনেক-হবে"]·DE["und-becoming-viele","und-increasing","und-mehrte","und-multiplies"]·EN["and-becoming-many","and-great","and-increasing","and-multiplies"]·FR["et-augmentant","et-becoming-beaucoup","et-multiplies","et-nombreux"]·heb["ו-רב","ו-רבה"]·HI["और-बढ़-रहे-थे","और-बढ़ते","और-बढ़े","और-बढ़ेगी"]·ID["dan-bertambah","dan-bertambah-banyak","dan-besar"]·IT["e-becoming-molti","e-increasing","e-molti","e-multiplies"]·jav["lan-ageng","lan-mundhak","lan-tansah-saya-kathah","sarta-kathah"]·KO["그리고-많아지는","그리고-많아지다","그리고-커졌다","많아지리라"]·PT["e-aumentando","e-grande","e-se-multiplique"]·RU["и-множество","и-увеличивался","и-умножающийся","и-умножится"]·ES["y-aumentando","y-creciendo","y-se-multiplique","y-sea-multiplicado"]·SW["na-kuongezeka","na-kuwa-kubwa","na-wakaongezeka"]·TR["ve-büyüyerek","ve-cok-olacak","ve-çoğalan","ve-çoğalır"]·urd["اور-بڑھ-جائیں","اور-بڑھتا","اور-بڑھتے-تھے","اور-بہت-ہو-گی"]
9. chief, captain, master (title) — Substantival title רַב meaning 'chief, captain, master' (2×) appears in Prov 26:10 (possibly 'a great one' or 'an archer'—text uncertain) and Jer 52:24 ('captain of the guard'). Arabic رَئِيس, Korean 장관, Swahili mkuu, Hindi प्रधान support this honorific/titular usage. Compare Akkadian rabû and later Aramaic rab. 2×
AR["رَئِيسُ-","رَبٌّ"]·ben["প্রধান-","মহান"]·DE["viel"]·EN["an-archer","the-chief-of-"]·FR["nombreux"]·heb["רב"]·HI["प्रधान-","महान"]·ID["Pemanah","kepala-"]·IT["molti","molto"]·jav["bendara","pangageng-"]·KO["장관이-","큰"]·PT["Grande","chefe-de-"]·RU["великий","начальник-"]·ES["Grande","jefe-de"]·SW["mkubwa","mkuu-wa"]·TR["komutani-","okçu"]·urd["بڑا","سردار-نے"]
10. sense 10 — One uncertain occurrence in Isa 19:20, where context is difficult and translation diverges—possibly 'defender' or 'great one'. Multilingual data show variance (English 'defender', Spanish 'grande', French/German 'nombreux'/'viel'), suggesting textual or contextual obscurity. This may belong to sense 2 (qualitative great) or sense 9 (title), but remains ambiguous. 1×
AR["وَمُحَامِيًا"]·ben["ও-মহান"]·DE["und-viel"]·EN["and-defender"]·FR["et-nombreux"]·heb["ו-רב"]·HI["और-शक्तिशाली"]·ID["dan-pembela"]·IT["e-molti"]·jav["lan-panguwasa"]·KO["그리고-싸우는-자를"]·PT["e-grande"]·RU["и-заступника"]·ES["y-grande"]·SW["na-mtetezi"]·TR["ve-savunucu"]·urd["اور-محافظ"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
I. רַב429 adj. much, many, great;—ms. abs. ר׳ Gn 24:25 +, רָ֑ב Gn 33:9 +, also רָב֥ 2 Ch 20:2, רָב֖ 28:8, רָב֨ Ezr 10:13, etc.; cstr. רַב Ex 34:6 +; fs. רַבָּה Nu 11:33 +; cstr. רַבַּת Ez 22:5 +, רַבָּ֫תִי (Ges§ 90 k l) La 1:1(×2); mpl. abs. רַבִּים Ex 23:2(×2) +, cstr. v. ii. רַב⁴" dir="rtl" >רב; fpl. abs. רַבּוֹת Gn 30:43 +;—[often both as pred. and as attrib.; as attrib. preceding n. (infl. of…