H7462c H7462c
To associate with, companion; to graze, feed, tend flocks or land
A secondary root רָעָה (II), distinct from the common shepherd verb, carries the social meaning of companionship and association. In Proverbs it appears repeatedly as a warning: 'one who companions with fools' (Prov 13:20), 'one who associates with gluttons' (28:7), 'one who keeps company with prostitutes' (29:3). Spanish captures both dimensions — 'te asocies' (associate) versus 'apacienta' (tend/graze) — revealing how translation traditions sometimes blur the two roots. The pastoral sense surfaces in Psalm 37:3 ('cultivate faithfulness') and Isaiah 11:7, where the cow and bear graze together in messianic peace.
Senses
1. to associate with, be a companion — To associate with someone, be a companion or friend, form a close relationship. The Qal participle רֹעֶה functions as 'one who companions with' in Proverbs' wisdom warnings: fools (13:20), gluttons (28:7), and prostitutes (29:3). English renders 'companion/the-ones-who-companion,' while Spanish uses 'te asocies' and 'el que se junta con' — both relational rather than pastoral vocabulary. Prov 22:24 extends the sense to the Hitpael: 'do not make friendship' with an angry person. 4×
AR["تَصاحَبْ", "وَ-راعي", "وَ-صاحِبُ"]·ben["এবং-যে-সঙ্গী-হয়", "কিন্তু-যে-সঙ্গী-হয়", "বন্ধুত্ব-কর"]·DE["[תתרע]", "und-Boeses"]·EN["but-one-who-companions", "but-the-companion-of", "make-friendship"]·FR["et-paître", "paître"]·heb["ו-רועה", "תתרע"]·HI["और-मित्र-होने-वाला", "और-साथी", "मित्रता-कर"]·ID["berteman", "tetapi-siapa-berteman", "tetapi-teman"]·IT["e-pascolare", "pascolare"]·jav["lan-kanca-saking", "nanging-mitra-saking", "sesrawungan"]·KO["그러나-벗하는-자-는", "그러나-사귀는-자가", "사귀지"]·PT["e-companheiro", "e-companheiro-de", "te-associes"]·RU["а-пасущий", "а-пасущийся-с", "дружи"]·ES["te-asocies", "y-el-que-apacienta", "y-el-que-se-junta-con"]·SW["lakini-mwenye-kuandamana", "lakini-mwenzi-wa", "rafiki"]·TR["arkadaş-ol", "fakat-arkadaşı", "ve-arkadaşı"]·urd["اور-ساتھی", "دوستی-کر"]
2. to graze, feed, tend — To graze, feed, or tend in a pastoral-agricultural sense, overlapping with the much more common רָעָה I (shepherd). In Psalm 37:3 the imperative 'cultivate faithfulness' (or 'feed on faithfulness,' depending on interpretation) uses this root. Isaiah 11:7 describes the cow and bear grazing together. Spanish distinguishes the two passages with 'apacienta' (tend) and 'paceran' (they will graze), while English varies between 'cultivate' and 'will graze,' reflecting ongoing lexicographic debate about whether these belong to root I or root II. 2×
AR["تَرْعَيَانِ", "وَارْعَ"]·ben["ও-পালন-কর", "চরবে"]·DE["[תרעינה]", "und-cultivate"]·EN["and-cultivate", "will-graze"]·FR["[תרעינה]", "et-berger"]·heb["ו-רעה", "תרעינה"]·HI["और-चर", "चरेंगी"]·ID["merumput"]·IT["[תרעינה]", "e-si-associo'"]·jav["lan-ngingah", "pangon"]·KO["그리고-먹이라", "풀을-먹으리라"]·PT["e-alimenta-te", "pastarão"]·RU["будут-пастись", "и-питайся"]·ES["pacerán", "y-apacienta"]·SW["na-uishi", "watalisha"]·TR["otlayacaklar", "ve-beslenmekle"]·urd["اور-چَرا", "چریں-گی"]
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×)H7462b 1. shepherd (agent noun) (76×)H5795 1. she-goat(s), female goat(s) (68×)H7462b 2. to shepherd, tend, pasture (60×)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×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† II. [רָעָה] vb. prob. associate with (cf. Schulthess69 ff. but also NöZMG liv (1900), 154 f.; Assyrian ruʾa, ruttu, neighbour, fellow (m. et f.; cf. JägerBAS i.483, 486); so Bed. أُرْعُوَّةٌ master, owner, WallinZMG v (1851), 9 JayakarJA xxi. 851; Ethiopic መርዓ: marriage; Arabic رَاعِى, راعيها, Ethiopic አርዑት: yoke; NH רֵעוּת friendship is from BH רֵעַ);— Qal Imv. ms. וּרְעֵה אֱמוּנָה ψ 37:3…