H7350 H7350
Distant, far, remote — spatially, temporally, or adverbially ('from afar'); also as a noun: distance
An adjective meaning 'distant' or 'far,' frequently paired with its opposite קָרוֹב ('near'). Its most common use describes spatial remoteness — distant lands, far-off peoples, remote islands — but it also serves adverbially with prepositions to mean 'from afar' or 'at a distance,' and occasionally extends to temporal remoteness, pointing to events 'long ago.' The multilingual evidence highlights how context governs the translation: Hindi दूर for spatial distance, but प्राचीनकाल ('ancient time') for the temporal sense; Swahili mbali ('far away') versus zamani za kale ('times of old'). Joshua 3:4 preserves a rare nominal use where it means 'distance' as a measured quantity.
4. distance (abstract/nominal) — A nominal or substantival use meaning 'distance' as a measurable quantity. Attested clearly in Joshua 3:4, where Israel is told to keep a רָחוֹק (distance) of about two thousand cubits between themselves and the ark. Spanish distancia, Arabic بُعد ('distance'), and Hindi दूरी all render this as an abstract noun rather than an adjective, confirming its distinct grammatical function. 1×
AR["بُعدٌ"]·ben["দূরত্ব"]·DE["distance"]·EN["distance"]·FR["distance"]·heb["רחוק"]·HI["दूरी"]·ID["jarak"]·IT["distance"]·jav["tebih"]·KO["멀리"]·PT["distância"]·RU["расстояние"]·ES["distancia"]·SW["nafasi"]·TR["uzaklık"]·urd["فاصلہ"]
▼ 3 more senses below
Senses
1. far, distant (spatial) — Spatial remoteness as an adjective — describing places, lands, peoples, islands, or journeys that are physically far away. Used attributively ('a distant land,' Josh 9:6, 9), predicatively ('is it not far?'), and substantivally ('distant ones,' Isa 66:19). The Deuteronomic concern with 'nations far or near' (Deut 13:7, 20:15, 29:22) reflects Israel's awareness of its place among the peoples. Spanish lejano, French lointain, and Arabic بَعِيد all confirm the core spatial-distance semantics without ambiguity. 44×
AR["الْبَعِيدَةَ","بَعيدونَ","بَعيدَةٍ","بَعِيدٌ","بَعِيدٍ","بَعِيدَةً","بَعِيدَةٌ","بَعِيدَةٍ","بَعِيدُونَ"]·ben["দূর","দূরবর্তী","দূরে","দূরের"]·DE["[רחוק]","[רחוקה]","[רחוקות]","[רחוקים]","far","fern"]·EN["distant","far","far-away","far-off","the-distant"]·FR["loin","lointain","éloigné"]·heb["ה-רחוקים","רחוֹק","רחוק","רחוקה","רחוקות","רחוקים","רחקה"]·HI["दूर","दूर।","वे-आए"]·ID["jauh","jauh-","yang-jauh","yang-jauh;"]·IT["far","lontano"]·jav["Tebih","tebih","tebih-"]·KO["먼","멀다","멀리","멀었다"]·PT["as-distantes","distante","distantes","estava-longe","longe","longe-","é-distante"]·RU["hа-дальние","далека","далеко","дальней","далёкие","далёкий","далёкой","далёкому","далёкую"]·ES["está-lejos","lejana","lejanas","lejano","lejanos","lejos"]·SW["ilikuwa-mbali","kwa-ajili-ya","la-mbali","mbali","ulikuwa-mbali","vya-mbali","wa-mbali","ya-mbali","za-mbali"]·TR["uzak","uzak-"]·urd["دور","دور-کی","دور-ہے","دُور"]
Num 9:10, Deut 13:7, Deut 20:15, Deut 29:22, Deut 30:11, Josh 9:6, Josh 9:9, Josh 9:22, Judg 18:7, Judg 18:28, 1 Kgs 8:41, 1 Kgs 8:46 (+32 more)
2. from afar, at a distance — Adverbial use with prepositions (מֵרָחוֹק 'from afar,' לְמֵרָחוֹק 'to a distance,' בְּרָחוֹק 'at a distance') — expressing observation, standing, or movement relative to a remote point. Abraham 'saw the place from afar' (Gen 22:4), Joseph's brothers 'recognized him from a distance' (Gen 37:18), Miriam 'stationed herself at a distance' (Exod 2:4), and the people 'stood far off' at Sinai (Exod 20:18, 21). German von fern, Swahili kwa mbali, and Korean 멀리서 consistently render this adverbial-prepositional pattern. 36×
AR["بَعيدًا","مِن-بَعيدٍ","مِن-بَعِيدٍ","مِنْ-بَعيدٍ","مِنْ-بَعِيدٍ"]·ben["-দূর-থেকে","-দূরে-থেকে","-দূরের-দিকে","দূর-থেকে","দূর-থেকে।","দূরে","দূরে।"]·DE["[למרחוק]","[מרחוק]","fern","von-afar","von-fern","von-ferne"]·EN["from-afar","from-far","to-afar"]·FR["de-afar","de-au-loin","de-loin","de-lointain","loin"]·heb["ל-מרחוק","מ-רחוק","מ-רחק"]·HI["दूर-तक","दूर-से","से-दूर"]·ID["dari-jauh","dari-kejauhan"]·IT["da-afar","da-far","da-lontano","lontano","per-lontano"]·jav["saking-tebih","saking-tebih.","saking-tèbang"]·KO["먼-곳-에서","먼-곳에서","멀리","멀리-서","멀리-에서","멀리서","멀리서-","멀리에서","에서-멀리","에서-멀리서"]·PT["de-longe","de-longe."]·RU["вдали","вдаль","далеко","издалека","издали"]·ES["de-lejos","desde-lejos"]·SW["kutoka-mbali","kwa-mbali","mbali","tangu-zamani"]·TR["-uzaklardan","-uzaktan","uzaktan"]·urd["دور سے","دور-سے","دُور-سے","سے-دور","کو-فاصلہ-سے"]
Gen 22:4, Gen 37:18, Exod 2:4, Exod 20:18, Exod 20:21, Exod 24:1, Deut 28:49, 1 Sam 26:13, 2 Kgs 2:7, 2 Kgs 19:25, 1 Chr 17:17, 2 Chr 26:15 (+24 more)
3. long ago, remote in time — Temporal remoteness — referring to events, plans, or periods that are ancient or long ago. A rare but significant extension of the spatial metaphor. Isaiah 37:26 asks, 'Have you not heard? From long ago I did it; from ancient days I planned it.' Hindi प्राचीनकाल ('ancient era'), Arabic مِنْ قَدِيمٍ ('from of old'), and Swahili zamani za kale ('times of old') confirm the shift from space to time. Also found in 2 Samuel 7:19, Isaiah 22:11, and 25:1. 4×
AR["لِلبَعيدِ","مِنْ-بَعِيدٍ","مِنْ-قَدِيمٍ"]·ben["-দূর-থেকে","দূর-থেকে","দূর-ভবিষ্যতে"]·DE["fern","fuer-distant-Zeit"]·EN["for-distant-time","from-afar","from-long-ago"]·FR["de-loin","pour-distant-temps","à-de-loin"]·heb["ל-מרחוק","מ-רחוק"]·HI["दूर-तक","पहले-से","से-प्राचीनकाल"]·ID["dari-dahulu","dari-jauh","untuk-jauh"]·IT["lontano","per-distant-tempo"]·jav["kangge-tébih","mireng-panjenengan","saking-rumiyin","saking-tebih"]·KO["멀리-에서","에게-먼-것","에서-먼-곳에서","오랫동안"]·PT["de-longe","para-longe"]·RU["издревле","на-далёкое-время"]·ES["antigüedad","desde-lejos","para-lejos"]·SW["kwa-mbali","ya-zamani","zamani","zamani-za-kale"]·TR["uzaklardan","uzaktan","uzağa"]·urd["دور-تک","دور-سے","پہلے-سے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† רָחֹק, רָחוֹק adj. distant, far, et n.m. Jos 3:4 distance (LagBN 31);—abs. רָחֹק Ex 2:4 +, רָחוֹק Ez 6:12 +; fs. רְחֹקָה Dt 30:11 +, רְחוֹקָה Jos 6:9 +; mpl. רְחֹקִים Dt 13:8 +, etc., fpl. abs. רְחֹקוֹת Je 48:24 +, etc.;—often opp. קָרוֹב: 1. adj. a. of space: distant, land Jos 9:6, 9 (+ מְאֹד), Dt 29:21; 1 K 8:41, 46 = 2 Ch 6:32, 36; 2 K 20:14 = Is 39:3, אִיִּים ר׳ Is 66:19 + perhaps ψ 65:6…