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.
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 more senses below
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)
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×)H5175 1. serpent, snake (31×)G0721 1. Lamb (29×)H6260 1. male goat, he-goat (28×)
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…