H7355 H7355
To have compassion, show mercy; Piel: actively exercise tender care; Pual: be shown mercy; related to rechem ('womb').
Racham is one of the Hebrew Bible's most viscerally emotive verbs, rooted in the noun rechem ('womb') and carrying the connotation of the deep, instinctive tenderness a mother feels for her child. In its Piel stem — the dominant form — it describes God's active compassion toward his people with remarkable consistency: 'As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him' (Ps 103:13). The multilingual evidence beautifully illuminates the word's warmth: German erbarmen and French avoir compassion both foreground the emotional stirring, while Arabic rahima (from the same Semitic root r-h-m, preserved in the Quranic formula ar-Rahman ar-Rahim) confirms the womb-compassion etymology across the Semitic family. The word appears overwhelmingly in prophetic promises of restoration — after judgment, God will 'again have compassion' (Isa 14:1; 49:13; 54:8).
Senses
1. have compassion/mercy on — The dominant Piel sense: God or a person actively exercising compassion, mercy, and tender care toward another — 39 occurrences spanning the entire canon. God declares to Moses: 'I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion' (Exod 33:19, the programmatic statement); the Psalms celebrate it (Ps 103:13, the father-metaphor); the prophets promise it as the ground of restoration after exile (Isa 14:1; 49:13; 54:8, 10; 55:7). German sich erbarmen, French avoir compassion, and Spanish compadecer all cluster tightly around the active-tenderness frame. Korean 긍휼히 여기다 ('to regard with deep pity') captures the deliberate, relational quality — this is not passive sympathy but chosen, willed mercy. 39×
AR["أَرحَمُ","تَرحَم","تَرْحَمُ","رَحِمْتُكِ","رَحْمَةً","فَأَرْحَمُ","وَ-يَرْحَمُكُمْ","وَأَرحَمُ","وَأَرْحَمُ","وَأَرْحَمُهُمْ","وَيَرْحَمُ","يَتَحَنَّنُ","يَرْحَمُ","يَرْحَمُونَ"]·ben["-আমি-তোমার-প্রতি-করুণা-করেছি","আর-আমি-দয়া-করব-তাদের","আর-দয়া-করব","এবং-করুণা-করেন","এবং-দয়া-করব","এবং-সে-করুণা-করবে","ও-দয়া-করব-তাদের","করুণা-করবে","তারা-করুণা-করবে","তারা-দয়া-করবে","তিনি-দয়া-করবেন","দয়া-করতে","দয়া-করব","দয়া-করবে","দয়া-করবেন","সে-করুণা-করবে।"]·DE["er-erbarmt-sich","erbarmte-sich","sich-erbarmen","und-erbarmte-sich","und-sich-erbarmen"]·EN["I-had-compassion-on-you","I-will-have-compassion-on","and-I-will-have-compassion-on","and-I-will-have-compassion-on-them","and-I-will-have-mercy-on","and-have-compassion-on","and-have-compassion-on-them","and-he-will-have-compassion","he-will-have-compassion","he-will-have-mercy","surely","they-have-mercy","they-show-mercy","they-will-have-compassion","will-have-compassion","yet-He-will-have-compassion"]·FR["avoir-compassion","avoir-pitié","et-avoir-compassion","et-avoir-pitié"]·heb["ארחם","ו-ריחם","ו-ריחמתי","ו-ריחמתים","ירחם","ירחמו","רחם","ריחמתיך","תרחם"]·HI["और-दया-करूँगा","और-दया-करूंगा","और-दया-करूंगा-उन-पर","और-दया-करूंगा-उन्हें","और-दया-करेगा","करुणा-करेगा","तू-दया-करेगा","तो-वह-दया-करेगा","दया","दया-करूँगा","दया-करेंगे","दया-करेगा","मैंने-तुझपर-दया-की","वह-दया-करेगा","वे-दया-करेंगे"]·ID["Aku-berbelas-kasihan-kepadamu","Aku-mengasihi-engkau","Dia-akan-mengasihani","Ia-mengasihani","akan-Aku-kasihani","akan-ia-berbelas-kasih","berbelaskasihan","dan-Aku-akan-mengasihani","dan-Aku-akan-mengasihani-mereka","dan-dia-akan-mengasihani","dan-mengasihani-mereka","mengasihani","mengasihi","mereka-berbelas-kasihan","mereka-mengasihi","sungguh"]·IT["avere-compassione","avra-compassione","e-avere-compassione","ebbe-compassione"]·jav["Kawula-melasi","Kawula-welas-dhateng-panjenengan","Kula-sampun-welasi-panjenengan","Panjenenganipun-nresnani","Panjenenganipun-welasi","badhe-melasi","badhé-kawelasan","badhé-paring-kawelasan","badhé-welasi","lan-Ingsun-melasi","lan-Kawula-badhé-melasi-piyambakipun","lan-Kawula-melasi","lan-Kula-badhé-melasi-piyambakipun","lan-piyambakipun-badhé-melasi","nanging-Panjenengan-badhé-welasan","nggadhahi-welas","paring-welas","sami-melasi","welasan"]·KO["그가-긍휼히-여기지","그리고-그-가-긍휴히-여기시리라","그리고-긍휼히-여기리라","그리고-꺍휘하다-그가","그리고-내가-그들을-불쌍히-여기리라","그리고-내가-불쌍히-여기리라","그리고-불쌍히여기겠다","긍휼히-여기겠다","긍휼히-여기시리니","내가-너를-긍휼히-여겼다","내가-너를-불쌍히-여겼느니라","돈보고","돈보시리라","동정하지","불쌍히-여기기를","불쌍히-여기리라","불쌍히-여기시리라","불쌍히-여기시지"]·PT["e-terei-compaixão-de","e-terei-compaixão-deles","e-terei-compaixão-deles;","e-terá-compaixão","tendo-compaixão","terei-compaixão","terá-compaixão","terá-misericórdia","terás-compaixão","terão-compaixão","terão-misericórdia","tive-misericórdia-de-ti"]·RU["и-помилует","и-помилую","и-помилую-их","милостью","помиловал-тебя","помилует","помилуешь","помилую","помилуют","пощадят","умилосердишься"]·ES["compadeceré","compadeciendo","también-tendrá-compasión","tendrá-compasión","tendrá-misericordia","tendrán-compasión","tendrán-misericordia","tendrás-compasión-de","tuve-compasión-de-ti","tuve-misericordia-de-ti","y-compadeceré","y-tendrá-compasión","y-tendré-misericordia-de","y-tendré-misericordia-de-ellos"]·SW["atamhurumia","ataonea-huruma","atawarehemu","hatawahurumia","huruma","hurumia","juu-ya","na-atawahurumia","na-kuwarehemu","na-nitamhurumia","na-nitawahurumia","nimekuhurumia","nimekurehemu","nitaihurumia","nitawahurumia","nitawarehemu","utaihurumia","warehemu"]·TR["acıyacaklar","acıyacağım","merhamet-edecek","merhamet-edecekler","merhamet-edeceksin","merhamet-ederek","merhamet-ederler","merhamet-ettim-sana","ve-acıyacağım","ve-merhamet-edecek","ve-merhamet-edeceğim","ve-merhamet-edeceğim-onlara","ve-merhamet-eder"]·urd["اور-رحم-کرتا-ہے","اور-رحم-کروں-گا","اور-رحم-کروں-گا-ان-پر","اور-رحم-کروں-گا-اُن-پر","اور-رحم-کرےگا","ترسیں-گے","رحم","رحم-کروں-گا","رحم-کریں-گے","رحم-کرے-گا","رحم-کیا-تجھ-پر","مہربانی-کرے-گا"]
Exod 33:19, Exod 33:19, Deut 13:17, Deut 30:3, 1 Kgs 8:50, 2 Kgs 13:23, Ps 102:13, Ps 103:13, Ps 103:13, Isa 9:17, Isa 13:18, Isa 14:1 (+27 more)
2. compassionate one — The Piel participle used substantively: 'the compassionate one,' 'the one who has compassion' — describing a person or God as characteristically merciful (3 occurrences). Ps 116:5: 'Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is compassionate.' Isa 49:10: 'the one who has compassion on them will guide them.' Isa 54:10: 'the one who has compassion on you' speaks of enduring covenant faithfulness. Spanish misericordioso and German barmherzig both use dedicated adjectival forms, confirming that the participial usage has crystallized into a character-trait attribution distinct from individual acts of mercy. 3×
AR["راحِم","رَاحِمَهُمْ","رَاحِمُكِ"]·ben["-যিনি-তাদের-উপরে-দয়া-করেন","-যিনি-তোমার-প্রতি-করুণা-করেন","দয়ালু"]·DE["erbarmte-sich","sich-erbarmen"]·EN["is-compassionate","one-having-compassion-on-you","the-one-having-compassion-on-them"]·FR["avoir-pitié","de-avoir-compassion"]·heb["מרחם","מרחמך","מרחמם"]·HI["तुझपर-दया-करनेवाले","दया-करने-वाला","दया-करने-वाले"]·ID["penyayang","yang-berbelas-kasihan-kepadamu","yang-mengasihani-mereka"]·IT["avere-compassione","ebbe-compassione"]·jav["Ingkang-nresnani","Ingkang-welasi-panjenengan","ngmirahi"]·KO["그들을-불쌍히-여기는-자가","너를-불쌍히-여기는-자","자비로우시도다"]·PT["o-que-tem-misericórdia-de-ti","quem-tem-misericórdia-deles","tem-compaixão"]·RU["жалеющий-их","милующий","милующий-тебя"]·ES["el-que-tiene-compasión-de-ti","el-que-tiene-misericordia-de-ellos","misericordioso"]·SW["Mwenye-kukuhurumia","mwenye-huruma","mwenye-huruma-yao"]·TR["merhamet-eden-onlara","merhamet-eden-sana","merhametli"]·urd["اُن-پر-رحم-کرنے-والا","تجھ-پر-رحم-کرنے-والا","رحم-کرنے-والا-ہے"]
3. sense 3 — The symbolic proper name Ruhamah — 'she who has received compassion' — used in Hosea's prophetic theater (2 occurrences: Hos 2:1, 23). God reverses the earlier verdict of Lo-Ruhamah ('Not-Pitied,' Hos 1:6) by declaring 'I will have compassion on Lo-Ruhamah' and renaming her Ruhamah. Spanish Compadecida and the transliterated Ruhama in various languages preserve both the name and its theological freight: the reversal of judgment through restored compassion. The name functions as a compressed narrative of Israel's exile and return. 2×
AR["مَرحومة","مَرحومَةَ"]·ben["রুহামা","রুহামাকে"]·DE["erbarmte-sich"]·EN["Ruhamah"]·FR["avoir-compassion"]·heb["רוחמה"]·HI["रुहामा"]·ID["Ruhama"]·IT["avere-compassione"]·jav["Dipun-Welasi"]·KO["루하마","를"]·PT["Ruchamah"]·RU["Рухама","Рухаму"]·ES["Compadecida","Ruhama"]·SW["Lo-Ruhama","Mrehemiwa"]·TR["Ruhama","Ruhama'ya"]·urd["رحامہ"]
4. be shown mercy (passive) — Pual passive: to be shown mercy, to receive compassion from another — 2 occurrences marking the recipient's perspective. Prov 28:13: the one who confesses and forsakes sin 'will obtain mercy.' Hos 14:3: the orphan 'finds mercy' in God alone. French and German retain their compassion vocabulary but shift to passive constructions. The Pual form is theologically significant: mercy is not something one earns or generates but receives — the grammatical passivity mirrors the theological reality. 2×
AR["يُرحَمُ","يُرْحَمُ"]·ben["দয়া-পাওয়া-হয়","দয়া-পাবে"]·DE["er-erbarmt-sich"]·EN["finds-mercy","will-obtain-mercy"]·FR["avoir-compassion"]·heb["ירוחם"]·HI["दया-पाएगा।","दया-पाता-है"]·ID["akan-dikasihani"]·IT["avere-compassione"]·jav["badé-pikantuk-kawelasan","dipun-welasi"]·KO["긍휴를-받다","불쌍히-여김을-받는도다"]·PT["alcançará-misericórdia","terá-compaixão"]·RU["будет-помилован","помилован"]·ES["alcanzará-misericordia","se-compadece"]·SW["anapata-huruma","atahurmiwa"]·TR["merhamet-bulur","merhamet-görür"]·urd["رحم-پائے-گا","رحم-کیا-جاتا-ہے"]
5. sense 5 — A single Qal occurrence at Ps 18:1 where the meaning shifts from compassion to deep personal love: 'I love you, O LORD, my strength.' This is the only Qal form of racham in the Hebrew Bible, and it carries an intensity beyond the Piel's 'have compassion' — David expresses fierce, intimate devotion. Spanish te amaré ('I will love you') and English 'I love you' both select love-vocabulary rather than mercy-vocabulary. The verse is absent from the parallel in 2 Sam 22:2, leading some scholars (Hitzig, Cheyne) to suspect a gloss, but its presence in the Psalter tradition gives it canonical standing as a unique extension of the r-h-m root from womb-compassion into passionate personal attachment. 1×
AR["أُحِبُّكَ"]·ben["আমি-আপনাকে-ভালোবাসি"]·DE["erbarmte-sich"]·EN["I-love-you"]·FR["avoir-compassion"]·heb["ארחמך"]·HI["प्रेम-करूँगा-तुझ-से"]·ID["Aku-mengasihi-Mu"]·IT["ebbe-compassione"]·jav["Kula-tresna-Panjenengan"]·KO["사랑하나이다"]·PT["Eu-te-amo"]·RU["люблю-Тебя"]·ES["te-amaré"]·SW["Ninakupenda"]·TR["seveceğim-Seni"]·urd["میں-محبت-کرتا-ہوں-تجھ-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
† [רָחַם] vb.denom. love Pi. have compassion;— Qal Impf. 1 s. sf. אֶרְחָֽמְךָ ψ 18:2 I love thee (perhaps gloss; v. not in ‖ 2 S 22:2; Hi Ch SS Gerber read אֲרֹמִמְךָ). Pi. Pf. 3 ms. רִחַם ψ 103:13 +; sf. וְרִחַמְךָ consec. Dt 13:18, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יְרַחֵם Is 9:16 +; sf. יְרַחֲמֵהוּ Is 55:7, etc.; Inf. abs. רַחֵם Je 31:20; Hb 3:2; cstr. רַחֵם Is 49:15 ψ 103:13; sf. רַחֶמְכֶם Is 30:18; Pt.…