H7387 H7387
Emptily, empty-handed, with nothing; figuratively in vain, without cause or purpose.
An adverb built on the root r-y-q ('empty'), used to describe the condition of having nothing in hand or returning without result. Its most common usage is concrete and economic: Jacob protests that Laban would have sent him away 'empty-handed' (Gen 31:42), and the Torah commands that no one appear before God reqam, without an offering (Exod 23:15; 34:20; Deut 16:16). Ruth's mother-in-law Naomi laments returning 'empty' (Ruth 1:21). A secondary, more abstract sense emerges in the Psalms, where it shades into 'without cause' or 'in vain,' describing enemies who oppose the psalmist for no legitimate reason (Ps 7:4; 25:3).
Senses
1. empty, empty-handed — In an empty state, empty-handed, without possessions or provisions. This concrete sense dominates the usage: Jacob would have been sent away 'empty' by Laban (Gen 31:42); Israel must not appear before the LORD empty-handed (Exod 23:15; 34:20; Deut 16:16); a freed servant must not be sent out empty (Deut 15:13); Naomi returns to Bethlehem 'empty' (Ruth 1:21; 3:17). Spanish 'vacío/vacía' and German 'leer' consistently reflect the physical sense of lacking goods or substance. 14×
AR["فارِغينَ", "فارِغًا", "فَارِغًا", "فَارِغَاتٍ", "فَارِغَةً", "فَارِغِينَ", "وَ-فَارِغَةً"]·ben["এবং-শূন্য", "শূন্য", "শূন্য-হাতে", "শূন্য-হাতে।", "শূন্যহস্তে"]·DE["[וריקם]", "[ריקם]", "leer", "leer-handed", "leeren", "mit-leeren-Händen"]·EN["and-empty", "empty", "empty-handed"]·FR["[ריקם]", "et-vider", "vide", "vide-handed", "vider", "ריקם"]·heb["ו-ריקם", "ריקם"]·HI["और-खाली", "खाली", "खाली-हाथ"]·ID["dan-kosong", "dengan tangan kosong", "dengan-hampa", "dengan-kosong", "dengan-sia-sia", "dengan-tangan-hampa", "dengan-tangan-kosong", "kosong"]·IT["[ריקם]", "e-vuoto", "vuotare", "vuotare-handed", "vuoto"]·jav["kalayan-kosong", "kanthi-tangan-kosong.", "kosong", "kosong.", "lan-kosong", "suwung"]·KO["그리고-비어서", "비어서", "빈-것으로", "빈-손으로", "빈-채로", "빈손으로"]·PT["e-vazia", "vazia", "vazias", "vazio", "vazios", "vazios;"]·RU["и-пустой", "ни-с-чем", "пустая", "пустым", "пустыми"]·ES["vacía", "vacías", "vacío", "vacíos", "y-vacía"]·SW["bure", "mikono-mitupu", "na-tupu", "tupu", "vitupu"]·TR["bos", "boş", "eli-boş", "ve-boş"]·urd["اور-خالی", "خالی", "خالی-ہاتھ"]
Gen 31:42, Exod 3:21, Exod 23:15, Exod 34:20, Deut 15:13, Deut 16:16, Ruth 1:21, Ruth 3:17, 1 Sam 6:3, 2 Sam 1:22, Job 22:9, Isa 55:11 (+2 more)
2. without cause, in vain — Without cause, without purpose, in vain -- an abstract extension of emptiness into the realm of motive or result. In Psalm 7:4 the psalmist denies having plundered 'those who were my adversaries without cause,' and Psalm 25:3 speaks of those who 'deal treacherously without reason.' French 'en vain' and Spanish 'sin causa' capture this figurative shift from physical emptiness to purposelessness or groundlessness. 2×
AR["فَارِغًا", "فَارِغِينَ"]·ben["খালি-হাতে", "শূন্যহস্তে"]·DE["ohne-Sache"]·EN["without-cause"]·FR["en-vain"]·heb["ריקם"]·HI["बिना-कारण", "व्यर्थ"]·ID["dengan-sia-sia"]·IT["a-vuoto"]·jav["tanpa-sabab"]·KO["까닭없이", "헛되이"]·PT["em-vão", "sem-causa"]·RU["напрасно"]·ES["sin-causa"]·SW["bure"]·TR["boşuna"]·urd["بے-وجہ", "خالی-ہاتھ"]
Related Senses
H5414 1. give, bestow (1855×)H3947 1. take, seize, grasp (Qal) (940×)G2192 1. possess / have (680×)G1325 1. give, bestow (336×)H5159 1. inherited land or property (170×)G2983 1. receive, obtain (134×)H3423 1. Qal: take possession of land (130×)G2983 2. take, take up (113×)G2398 1. one's own, belonging to oneself (91×)G3860 1. hand over, deliver to custody (78×)H7998 1. spoil, plunder, booty (74×)G1325 2. be given, be granted (70×)H5414 2. put, place, set (68×)H7999a 1. pay, repay, recompense (63×)H7069 1. Buy, purchase (59×)H1892 1. vanity, futility, absurdity (58×)H5159 2. heritage as covenant portion (52×)H6299 1. redeem or ransom (Qal active) (49×)H4376 1. Sell (Qal active) (47×)H1350a 1. Redeem, buy back (46×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† רֵיקָם adv. emptily, vainly;— 1. in empty condition, empty = with empty hands; c. vb. of sending Gn 31:42 (E), Dt 15:13 1 S 6:3 Jb 22:9; of going forth Ex 3:21, returning Ru 1:21; 3:17; = without an offering, לֹא יֵרָאוּ פָנַי ר׳ Ex 23:15 (E) = 34:20 (J), more fully Dt 16:16 (cf. [פָּנֶה] II. 2, ראה Niph. 1 b). 2. in vain, without effect: c. שׁוּב 2 S 1:22 (poem), Is 55:11 Je 14:3 (but v. רֵיק…