H7462b H7462b
To shepherd, tend, or pasture flocks; also the agent noun 'shepherd'; by extension, to graze (intransitive) or to devour figuratively.
Few Hebrew words carry as much theological weight as רָעָה (ra'ah). From Abel's literal sheep-keeping in Genesis 4:2 to God's own declaration 'I myself will shepherd my flock' in Ezekiel 34:15, this verb bridges the mundane world of animal husbandry and the exalted imagery of divine kingship. The Qal participle רֹעֶה (ro'eh) became the standard title for Israel's leaders — shepherd-kings whose failure prompted God to take over (Ezek 34). The intransitive sense describes animals feeding on pasture, clearly marked in Spanish by pacer/pastar (versus the transitive apacentar). A rarer figurative extension turns grazing into devouring — 'a wild boar feeds on it' (Ps 80:13) — where the pastoral image inverts into destruction.
Senses
1. shepherd (agent noun) — The Qal active participle used as an agent noun: 'shepherd, herdsman, pastor.' With 76 occurrences this is the most frequent usage, functioning as a standalone substantive rather than a verbal form. It appears across singular and plural, masculine and feminine (Rachel as רֹעָה in Gen 29:9), construct chains ('shepherds of Israel,' Ezek 34:2), and with the article. Cognate languages confirm the pattern: Aramaic רְעָא, Arabic رَاعِي, all denoting the occupation. The theological metaphor is paramount — Psalm 23:1 'The LORD is my shepherd' (רֹעִי) and Ezekiel 34's extended shepherd allegory both rest on this participial noun. 76×
AR["الرَّاعِي", "الرُّعاةِ", "الرُّعَاةُ", "الرُّعَاةِ", "راعٍ", "رَاعٍ", "رَاعِيًا", "يَا-الرُّعَاةُ"]·ben["-পালকদের", "-পালকেরা", "-মেষপালকদের", "পশুপালকদের", "পালক", "পালককে", "পালকদের", "পালকের", "পালকেরা", "মেষপালক"]·DE["Boeses", "Hirte", "shepherd", "weiden", "weidete"]·EN["a-shepherd", "in-the-land", "shepherd", "the-shepherds"]·FR["[רעה]", "berger", "le-mauvais", "mal", "mauvaise", "paître", "shepherd"]·heb["ה-רוֹעים", "ה-רועים", "רועה", "רעה"]·HI["चरवाहा", "चरवाहे", "चरवाहो", "चरवाहों", "चरवाहों-की", "चरवाहों-के", "चरवाहों-के-लिए", "नहीं"]·ID["gembala", "gembala,", "gembala;", "para-gembala"]·IT["[רעה]", "pascere", "pascolare", "pascolo", "pastore", "shepherd"]·jav["pangon", "pangèn", "pangèn-pangèn", "para-pangon"]·KO["그-목자들", "그-목자들에게서", "그-목자들을", "그-목자들의", "목자", "목자-가", "목자가", "목자들아", "목자들의", "목자들이", "목자를", "목자와", "목자의"]·PT["os-pastores", "pastor"]·RU["-пастырей", "пастух", "пастуха", "пастухов", "пастырей", "пастыри", "пастыря", "пастырях"]·ES["los-pastores", "pastor", "pastor,", "pastor;"]·SW["mchungaji", "wachungaji", "wachungaji-hao"]·TR["çoban", "çobanlar", "çobanlara", "çobanlardan", "çobanların", "çobanı", "çobanın"]·urd["-چرواہوں-کی", "چرواہا", "چرواہو", "چرواہوں", "چرواہوں-کی", "چرواہوں-کے", "چرواہے", "چرواہے-کا", "چرواہے-کے"]
Gen 4:2, Gen 46:32, Gen 46:34, Gen 47:3, Exod 2:17, Exod 2:19, Num 27:17, 1 Sam 17:40, 1 Sam 25:7, 1 Kgs 22:17, 2 Chr 18:16, Isa 31:4 (+38 more)
2. to shepherd, tend, pasture — The transitive verbal sense: to shepherd, tend, or pasture a flock (or, metaphorically, a people). The subject is the shepherd acting upon the flock as object. Covers all finite conjugations — perfect, imperfect, imperative, infinitive — across 60 occurrences. Spanish apacentar ('to pasture [transitively]') and French paître/faire paître cleanly distinguish this from intransitive grazing. Key passages: Genesis 30:31 ('I will again shepherd your flock'), Micah 5:3 ('he shall shepherd in the strength of the LORD'), and Micah 7:14 ('Shepherd your people with your staff'). 60×
AR["أَرْعَاهَا", "أَرْعَى", "ارْعَ", "اِرْعَ", "تَرْعَى", "فَ-رَعَيْتُ", "لِرَعيِ", "لِـ-رَعْيِ", "لِيَرْعَى", "هَ-رُوعِه", "وَ-رَعَيْتُ", "وَيَرْعَاهَا", "وَيَرْعَى", "يَرعاهُم", "يَرعَيانِهِم", "يَرْعَوْنَ"]·ben["-যিনি-চরান", "আমি-চরাব", "আর-সে-চরাবে", "এবং-আমি-চরালাম", "এবং-তিনি-চরাবেন", "চরাও", "চরাচ্ছে", "চরাতে", "চরাব", "চরাবে", "চরাবে-তাদের", "পালন-করতে", "পালন-করবে"]·DE["Boeses", "Hirte", "der-Boeses", "und-Boeses", "und-Hirte", "und-weiden", "weiden", "weidend", "wird-shepherd", "zu-Hirte", "zu-shepherd"]·EN["I-will-shepherd", "Shepherd", "and-I-shepherded", "and-he-will-shepherd", "and-shepherd", "are-pasturing", "pasturing", "shall-feed-them", "shepherd", "the-one-pasturing", "to-shepherd", "will-pasture-them", "will-shepherd"]·FR["[תרעה]", "celui-qui-fait-paître", "celui-qui-paît", "et-mauvaise", "et-paître", "fera-berger", "mauvaise", "pasturing", "paître", "sont-pasturing", "à-berger", "à-paître"]·heb["ארעה", "ה-רועה", "ו-ארעה", "ו-רעה", "ירעם", "ל-רעות", "רעה", "תרעה"]·HI["और-चराएगा", "और-मैंने-चराया", "और-वह-चराएगा-उन्हें", "चरने", "चरवाही-करने", "चरा", "चरा-रहे-हैं", "चराएगा", "चराएगा-उन्हें", "चराने-को", "चरानेवाला", "मैं-चराऊँगा", "मैं-चराऊँगा-उन्हें"]·ID["Aku-akan-menggembalakan", "Gembalakanlah", "akan-memberi-makan-mereka", "akan-menggembalakan", "akan-menggembalakan-mereka", "dan-Aku-menggembalakan", "dan-dia-akan-menggembalakan", "dan-menggembalakan", "menggembalakan", "untuk-menggembalakan", "yang-menggembalakan"]·IT["[תרעה]", "a-pastore", "e-pascolare", "il-pascolare", "pascolare", "pastore", "pasturing", "sono-pasturing", "vorrà-pastore"]·jav["Ingsun-badé-ngèn", "badhé-ngengon", "badhé-ngèn", "engona", "kang-ngengon", "kangge-ngengon", "kanggé-ngengèn", "lan-ngengon", "lan-ngengon-kula", "lan-piyambakipun-ngèn", "ngengen", "ngengon-kula", "ngingoni-piyambakipun", "sami-ngengon-piyambakipun", "supados-ngengon"]·KO["그리고-그가-모이리라", "그리고-내가-쳤다", "그리고-먹이시리라", "내가-모이리라", "내가-치지", "먹이는-자-가", "먹이는-자-라", "먹이리라-그들을", "모이리라", "목양하고-있다", "목양하기-위해", "목양하는지", "목양하도록", "목양할-것이다", "치기-위해", "치라", "치리라"]·PT["Apascenta", "E-pastoreei", "Pastoreia", "alimentará-eles", "apascentando", "apascentar", "apascentarei", "apascentará-eles", "apascentarás", "apascentá-las-ei", "e-apascentará", "e-pastoreei", "o-que-apascenta", "para-apascentar", "pastorearerei", "pastorearás"]·RU["Паси", "будет-пасти-их", "будешь-пасти", "буду-пасти", "и-будет-пасти", "и-пас-я", "напитает-их", "паси", "пасти", "пасут", "пасущий"]·ES["Apacienta", "Y-apacentaré", "apacentan", "apacentar", "apacentaré", "el-que-apacienta", "los-alimentarán", "los-apacentará", "los-apacentaré,", "os-apacentaré", "para-apacentar", "para-pastorear", "pastorearás", "y-apacentará", "y-apacentaré"]·SW["alishaye", "atawalisha", "chunga", "kuchunga", "kulisha", "na-atachungisha", "na-atawachunga", "na-nikaichunga", "nitawachunga", "utachunga", "walisha", "wanachunga"]·TR["Güt", "besleyecek-onları", "güdecek-onları", "güdeceksin", "güdeceğim", "güdüyorlar", "güt", "gütmek-için", "otlatan", "ve-güdecek", "ve-güttüm"]·urd["اور-میں-نے-چرایا", "اور-چرائے-گا", "جو-چراتا-ہے", "لِ-چرانے", "چرا", "چرا-رہے-ہیں", "چراؤں-گا", "چرائے-گا", "چرائے-گا-اُن-کو", "چرانے", "چرانے-کے-لیے", "کھلائے-گی-اُن-کو"]
Gen 30:31, Gen 30:36, Gen 36:24, Gen 37:13, Gen 37:16, 1 Sam 16:11, 1 Sam 17:15, 2 Sam 5:2, 2 Sam 7:7, 1 Chr 11:2, 1 Chr 17:6, Job 24:2 (+38 more)
3. to graze, feed (intransitive) — The intransitive sense: to graze or feed, with the animal as subject rather than a human shepherd. Distinguished cross-linguistically by Spanish pacer/pastar (versus transitive apacentar), Korean 풀을 뜯다 ('to pluck grass'), and Swahili -lisha (self-feeding context). The 17 occurrences describe cattle grazing by the Nile (Gen 41:2, 18), livestock feeding near Sinai (Exod 34:3), and animals at pasture in prophetic imagery (Isa 27:10). Proverbs 15:14 extends this metaphorically: 'the mouth of fools feeds on folly.' 17×
AR["تَرعى", "تَرْعى", "تَرْعَوْنَ", "تَرْعَى", "لِيَرْعَوْا", "وَ-تَرعَى", "وَ-رَعَيْنَ", "وَ-يَرْعَى", "وَيَرْعَى", "يَرْعى", "يَرْعَوْا", "يَرْعَوْنَ", "يَرْعَى", "يَرْعَيَانِ"]·ben["আর-চরছিল-তারা", "আর-সে-চরবে", "ও-চরবে", "চরছিল", "চরবে", "চরায়", "চরুক", "চরে", "তারা-চরাবে", "তারা-চরুক", "তোমরা-চর"]·DE["Hirte", "Streben", "soll-graze", "und-weidet", "und-weidete", "und-weideten", "weiden"]·EN["and-he-will-graze", "and-they-grazed", "and-will-graze", "feeds-on", "graze", "grazing", "let-them-graze", "shall-graze", "they-graze", "they-will-graze", "you-graze", "your-livestock"]·FR["--graze", "et-ils-grazed", "et-mal", "et-paître", "paître"]·heb["ו-רעה", "ו-רעו", "ירעה", "ירעו", "רועות", "תרעו", "תרעינה"]·HI["और-चर-रही-थीं", "और-चरेंगे", "और-चरेगा", "चरता-है", "चरती-थीं", "चरें", "चरेंगे", "चरेगा", "तुम-चरोगे", "रौंदी-हुई", "वे-चरें", "वे-चरेंगे", "वे-लेटेंगी"]·ID["Dan-akan-merumput", "Dan-merumput", "akan-merumput", "biarlah-mereka-makan", "dan-ia-akan-merumput", "dan-mereka-merumput", "kamu-makan,", "memakan", "mereka-akan-makan", "mereka-akan-merumput", "mereka-makan,", "merumput", "merumput,", "sedang-makan-rumput"]·IT["e-essi-grazed", "e-pascolate", "e-pascolo", "pascere", "pascolare", "shall-graze"]·jav["Lan-badhé-ngupakarani", "Lan-pangon", "badhe-nyenggut", "lan-ngenèm", "lan-sami-nèdha-rumput", "mangan-suket", "merangan", "mugi-merangan", "ngingon", "panjenengan-nèdha", "piyambakipun-badhé-angon", "piyambakipun-badhé-dipanggèn", "piyambakipun-nèdha", "sami-nyenggut"]·KO["그들이-모이리라", "그리고-먹으리라-그가", "그리고-풀을뜯었다", "너희가-모이고", "먹게-하라-그들-을", "먹고-있었습니다", "먹느니라", "먹라", "먹으리니", "먹으리라", "먹일-것이다", "먹지-말라", "모이리라", "목축하리라", "함께-풀을-먹을-것이다"]·PT["E-pastarão", "apascentar-se-ão", "comereis", "e-pastaram", "e-pastará", "pastando", "pastará", "pastarão", "pastem", "se-alimenta-de"]·RU["будет-пастись", "будут", "будут-пастись", "должны-есть", "и-будет-пастись", "и-будут-пастись", "и-паслись", "пастись", "пасут", "пасущиеся", "пусть-пасутся"]·ES["Y-pacerán", "Y-pastarán", "apacentar,", "apacentarán", "apacentarán,", "pacerá", "pacerán", "paciendo", "pasten", "pazcan", "que-apacienten", "se-alimenta-de", "y-pacerá", "y-pacían"]·SW["atalisha", "italisha", "kinakula", "lishe", "lishwe", "mnakula", "na-atalisha", "na-wakalisha", "na-walishwe", "na-watachunga", "na-watakula", "wakichungwa", "wanakula", "watakula", "watalisha"]·TR["beslenir", "otlamanız", "otlamasınlar", "otlasınlar", "otlayacak", "otlayacaklar", "otluyorlardı", "ve-otlayacak", "ve-otluyorlardı"]·urd["اور-چرتیں-تھیں", "اور-چریں-گے", "اور-چرے-گا", "وہ-چریں-گے", "چر-رہی-تھیں", "چرتا-ہے", "چرتے-ہو", "چریں", "چریں-گی", "چریں-گے", "چرے-گا", "چرے-گے"]
4. to consume, devour (figurative) — A figurative-destructive extension where 'feeding on' becomes 'devouring' or 'consuming' with harmful effect. Only 3 occurrences, but vividly distinct: the wild boar that 'feeds on' (= ravages) the vine in Psalm 80:13, Job 24:21's description of the wicked who 'feeds on' the barren woman (i.e., exploits her), and Jeremiah 2:16's 'they have broken the crown of your head.' Spanish devorar/quebrar and Arabic يَرْعَى with destructive coloring confirm this is a genuine semantic extension, not a separate root — the pastoral image deliberately inverted to signal violation and ruin. 3×
AR["رَعَى", "يَرْعَاهَا", "يَرْعَوْنَكِ"]·ben["এটিকে-চরে", "তোমাকে-চরাচ্ছে", "সে-চরানো-করে"]·DE["Boeses", "feeds-auf-es", "weiden"]·EN["feeds-on-it", "have-broken", "he-feeds-on"]·FR["paître"]·heb["ירעוך", "ירענה", "רועה"]·HI["चरते-हैं-इसे", "चरने-वाला", "चराएंगे-तुझे"]·ID["ia-makan", "memakannya", "memecahkan"]·IT["pascere", "pascolare", "pastore"]·jav["ngengon", "ngumbah", "sami-ngulapi"]·KO["그들이-파괴한다-너를", "뜯어-먹나이다-그것을", "먹이나니"]·PT["Ele-devora", "a-pastam", "quebraram-te"]·RU["обирает", "пасут-тебя", "поедают-её"]·ES["Que-devora", "la-devora", "te-quebraron"]·SW["Anakula", "wamekula", "wanaula"]·TR["gütmek", "seni-otlatıyorlar", "yiyor"]·urd["چرانے-والا", "چریں-گے-تجھے", "چرے-گا-اُسے"]
Related Senses
H6629 1. flock, sheep/goats (small livestock) (274×)H1241 1. cattle, herd (bovine livestock) (183×)H0352a 1. ram (male sheep) (156×)H6499 1. young bull, bullock (130×)H3532 1. lamb, young male sheep (105×)H2543 1. donkey (male ass) (96×)H7794 1. ox, bull (79×)H5795 1. she-goat(s), female goat(s) (68×)H1581 1. camel (domestic animal) (54×)H0738b 1. lion (46×)G4263 1. sheep (39×)H5739 1. flock or herd of livestock (38×)H5695 1. calf, young bull (35×)H0738a 1. lion (large predatory feline) (34×)H0860 1. female donkey (34×)H3611 1. dog (animal) (32×)H3715a 1. young lion, lion cub (31×)G0721 1. Lamb (29×)H6260 1. male goat, he-goat (28×)H7716 1. sheep, head of small cattle (27×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
I. רָעָה167 vb. pasture, tend, graze (Assyrian rêʾû vb. pasture, n. ruler, TelAm. ruh̬i (as Canaanism) WklNo. 181, 11; Arabic رَدَى, Ethiopic ርዕየ Aramaic רְעָא, ܪܥܳܐ, all = BH);— Qal Pf. 3 ms. consec. וְרָעָה Mi 5:3 +, 1 s. sf. consec. וּרְעִיתִים Ez 34:13, 3 pl. sf. consec. וְרָעוּם Je 23:4, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יִרְעֶה Is 27:10 +, juss. יֵרַע Jb 20:26, sf. יִעֶנָּה ψ 80:14, וַיִּרְעֵם ψ 78:72…