Lexical Summary
rabab: many, multiplied, abound
Original Word:רָבַב
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:rabab
Pronunciation:rah-BAHV
Phonetic Spelling:(raw-bab')
KJV: increase, be many(-ifold), be more, multiply, ten thousands
NASB:many, multiplied, abound, become numerous, been many, great, increase
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. (properly) to cast together, i.e. increase, especially in number
2. (as denominative from H7233) to multiply by the myriad
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
increase, be manifold, be more, multiply, ten thousands
A primitive root; properly, to cast together (comparerabiyb), i.e. Increase, especially in number; also (as denominative fromrbabah) to multiply by the myriad -- increase, be many(-ifold), be more, multiply, ten thousands.
see HEBREWrabiyb
see HEBREWrbabah
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto be or become many or much
NASB Translationabound (1), become...numerous (1), been many (1), great (1), increase (1), increased (1), long (1), many (9), more (1), more in number (1), multiplied (2), multiply (1), numerous (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. [] (Late Hebrew especially
lord, master,
my master teacher; MI
5 adjective plural ; Ph feminine ; Assyrian [
rabâbu],
rabbu; Arabic
rear, increase (active;
thick juice, compare Late Hebrew
grease is thought by Buhl and others to indicate original meaning
be thick),
lord, owner, master; Sabean especially in proper names, , , etc., CIS
iv,nos-285, 3; 286,1; 287,12, etc.; Lihyanian
its lord DHM
Epigr.Denkm.Arabic 232; Eth
expund, spread (intransitive); Aramaic
great, chief, so Old Aramaic, Nabataean, Palmyrene , Lzb
366 Cook
107); —
Perfect3feminine singular consecutiveExodus 23:29;Isaiah 6:12,Genesis 18:20 (Hosea 9:7 read [for ] . We Now); elsewhere only 3 plural1 Samuel 25:10+,Jeremiah 46:23+2t. [other forms supplied by q. v.];InfinitivecstrGenesis 6:1;Joshua 9:13;Leviticus 25:16 ("" ), suffixDeuteronomy 7:7, and perhapsHosea 4:7 (compare below); —
be (become) many, personGenesis 6:1 (J)Exodus 23:29 (E; see above),1 Samuel 25:10;Hosea 4:7 (perhaps),Isaiah 66:16;Psalm 3:2;Psalm 25:19;Psalm 38:20;Ecclesiastes 5:10+ compareJeremiah 46:23;Deuteronomy 7:7;Psalm 69:5; of thingsIsaiah 22:9;Psalm 4:8;Psalm 104:24, yearsLeviticus 25:16(P), sinsJeremiah 5:6;Jeremiah 14:7;Isaiah 59:12;Job 35:6 .
become great,Genesis 18:20 (J)Isaiah 6:12;be long, of journey,Joshua 9:13 —
see []
Topical Lexicon
OverviewThe Hebrew verb רָבַב occurs thirteen times and consistently denotes increase—whether of people, objects, deeds, or consequences. Scripture employs the term both positively (divine blessing, fruitful provision) and negatively (sin, enemies, judgment), revealing the moral polarity built into God’s created order: whatever multiplies apart from Him threatens life, while increase under His favor enriches it.
Range of Usage in Scripture
Genesis 6:1 sets the pattern: “men began to multiply on the face of the earth.” From that first great population surge, every later occurrence of רָבַב echoes one of two trajectories—multiplication that glorifies God, or multiplication that provokes His displeasure.
Multiplication of Humanity and the Spread of Sin
•Genesis 6:1 notes numerical growth that quickly becomes moral decline, leading to the Flood.
•Job 35:6 warns, “If your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him?” Even exponential rebellion cannot alter God, yet it devastates the rebel.
•Jeremiah 14:7 confesses, “our backslidings are many,” linking collective guilt to national calamity.
Enemies Made Numerous: A Motif of Persecution and Deliverance
David repeatedly laments multiplying adversaries:
– “O LORD, how my foes have increased!” (Psalm 3:1).
– “Consider my enemies, for they are many” (Psalm 25:19).
– “Many are my enemies without cause” (Psalm 38:19).
– “Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head” (Psalm 69:4).
In each case, the surge of opposition drives the psalmist toward deeper dependence on the LORD, showcasing divine deliverance over sheer numbers.
Abundance in Blessing: Creation, Provision, and Prosperity
•Psalm 104:24 marvels, “How many are Your works, O LORD!”—celebrating the prolific creativity of God.
•Psalm 4:7 exults, “You have filled my heart with more joy than when grain and new wine abound,” demonstrating that spiritual fullness surpasses material plenty.
•Psalm 144:13 envisions covenant prosperity: “our sheep will increase by thousands, by tens of thousands in our fields.” When the Lord prospers His people, multiplication becomes a visible sign of His covenant faithfulness.
Divine Judgment on the Multitude
Increase without righteousness triggers judgment:
–Isaiah 66:16 declares, “many will be slain by the LORD.”
–Jeremiah 5:6 explains that predators will strike “because their transgressions are many.”
–Jeremiah 46:23 portrays Egypt’s defeat although “they are more numerous than locusts.” Numerical strength proves futile against divine decree.
Historical and Cultural Background
In ancient Near Eastern thought, great numbers signified power, prestige, and security. Israel’s Scriptures radically qualify that assumption. Population growth (Genesis 12:2), livestock multiplication (Deuteronomy 7:13), and harvest abundance (Leviticus 26:9) were covenant blessings—but only within faithful relationship to Yahweh. Conversely, empires boasting of armies “too many to count” (cf.Jeremiah 46:23) discovered that quantity collapses when confronted by the Holy One of Israel.
Theological Implications
1. God alone is the true source of fruitful increase (Psalm 104:24).
2. Unchecked human multiplication apart from divine guidance intensifies sin (Genesis 6:1-5).
3. Spiritual opposition often multiplies against God’s servants, yet the Lord remains the majority on their side (Psalm 3:3-6).
4. Eschatologically, multitudes who reject God face certain judgment (Isaiah 66:16), prefiguring the “great multitude” judged inRevelation 20:11-15.
Practical Ministry Application
• Intercessory Prayer: When sin appears to multiply in a community,Jeremiah 14:7 models corporate confession that appeals to God’s name rather than human merit.
• Pastoral Encouragement:Psalm 3 assures believers that a surge in adversaries is not evidence of divine abandonment but an opportunity to witness God’s sustaining glory.
• Stewardship and Mission:Psalm 104:24 inspires believers to rejoice in God’s creative abundance and to steward resources for gospel advance, trusting Him for multiplication (cf.Acts 6:7).
Connections to the New Testament
The Septuagint often renders רָבַב with πληθύνω, a term carried into the New Testament. “The word of God continued to spread” (Acts 6:7) and “grace… overflowed” (Romans 5:20) echo the Old Testament theme: God sovereignly multiplies His work—whether in creation, redemption, or the Church’s witness. The Great Commission anticipates a righteous multitude “from every nation” (Revelation 7:9), fulfilling the promise that holy increase will one day eclipse every counterfeit surge of evil.
Summary
רָבַב traces a scriptural arc from the multiplying masses before the Flood to the countless slain under judgment, from proliferating enemies to swelling flocks, from abundant sin to abounding grace. The verb confronts readers with a choice: Will what increases in our lives magnify rebellion or reflect the Creator’s fruitful intention? The God who once ordered the earth to “be fruitful and multiply” still delights to multiply righteousness, joy, and witness among those who trust and obey Him.
Forms and Transliterations
וְרַבּ֖וּ וְרַבּ֥וּ ורבו לָרֹ֖ב לרב מְרֻבָּב֗וֹת מרבבות רַבּ֣וּ רַבּ֤וּ ׀ רַבּ֥וּ רַבּ֬וּ רַבּוּ֙ רָ֑בּוּ רָֽבּוּ׃ רבו רבו׃ lā·rōḇ laRo lārōḇ mə·rub·bā·ḇō·wṯ mərubbāḇōwṯ merubbaVot rab·bū rāb·bū rabBu rabbū rābbū verabBu wə·rab·bū wərabbū
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