Lexical Summary
rekeb: Chariot, chariotry, charioteer
Original Word:רֶכֶב
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:rekeb
Pronunciation:reh'-keb
Phonetic Spelling:(reh'-keb)
KJV: chariot, (upper) millstone, multitude (from the margin), wagon
NASB:chariots, chariot, charioteers, upper millstone, chariot horses, riders, train
Word Origin:[fromH7392 (רָכַב - ride)]
1. a vehicle
2. (by implication) a team
3. (by extension) cavalry
4. (by analogy) a rider
5. (hence, specially) the upper millstone
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
chariot, upper millstone, multitude, wagon
Fromrakab; a vehicle; by implication, a team; by extension, cavalry; by analogy a rider, i.e. The upper millstone -- chariot, (upper) millstone, multitude (from the margin), wagon.
see HEBREWrakab
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
rakabDefinitionchariotry, chariot, millstone
NASB Translationchariot (19), chariot horses (2), charioteers (3), chariots (87), rider (1), riders (2), train (2), upper millstone (3).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
2Kings 13:7 [even
Nahum 2:5, where read (for -) We Now Albr
ZAW xvi (1896), 90] ; apparently also riders (compare Lag
BN 151); — absolute
Genesis 50:9 +,
2 Samuel 8:4 +; construct
Exodus 14:9 +; suffix
Judges 4:7 +,
2 Kings 5:9 +,
Nahum 2:14; plural construct
Songs 1:9; —
Hosea 10:13 see below; —
109 collectivechariotry, chariots [sometimes of specific no.2 Kings 13:7;2 Samuel 8:4;Exodus 14:7 etc.; often + , () ], especially war-chariots : in EgyptExodus 14:7 (J),Joshua 24:6 (E) +; early CanaanJoshua 11:4;Judges 4:7,13;Judges 5:28 (not singular; "" ) +, called (i.e. iron-bound, or studded, compare GFMJudges 1:2 19and references),Joshua 17:16,18;Judges 1:19;Judges 4:3,13 ; Philistine, according to1 Samuel 13:5;2 Samuel 1:6; Aram2 Samuel 8:4;2 Samuel 10:18 +; Judah and Israel (from David's time, compare2 Samuel 8:4)1 Kings 9:19,22;1 Kings 10:26 +, read alsoHosea 10:13 (for )B We Now GASm; Assyria2 Kings 19:23 =Isaiah 37:24;Nahum 2:4;Nahum 2:5;Nahum 2:14 (to be burnt; made mainly of wood); BabylonJeremiah 47:3 (on titleJeremiah 47:1, see Gf Gie),Jeremiah 50:37;Jeremiah 51:21;Ezekiel 23:24 +, etc.; for dignity and display1 Kings 1:5;2 Kings 5:9;Jeremiah 17:25;Jeremiah 22:4;Isaiah 66:20, compareGenesis 50:9 (J), (compare also1 Kings 9:19,22;1 Kings 10:26, etc.); figurative of Elijah,2 Kings 2:12, of elisha2 Kings 13:14;2 Kings 2:11chariotry of fire (at Elijah's translation);Psalm 68:18chariots of El, i.e. his heavenly host, compare vision2 Kings 6:17, and also2 Kings 7:6; meton, for chariot-horses2 Samuel 8:4 =1 Chronicles 18:4.
1 Kings 22:35,38;2 Kings 9:21 (twice in verse);2 Kings 9:24;2 Kings 10:16; 2Chronicles 35:24, probably alsoExodus 14:6; pluralSongs 1:9.
upper millstone (asriding on the lower)Deuteronomy 24:6;Judges 9:53;2 Samuel 11:21.
apparently =riders (collective),troop (of riders):2 Kings 7:14 read perhaps , compare and2 Kings 9:16 Bur.;two riders of horses, horsemen (rotwo chariots drawn by horses ?); in following text dubious:Isaiah 21:7riders, namelya pair of horsemen, ass-riders, camel-rides; compareIsaiah 21:9 i.e.men riding, a pair of horsemen;Isaiah 22:6with riders (consisting of)men, horsemen, but use of very improbable; attractive iswith chariotry of (drawn by)steeds ( as gloss) Du CheHpt Di-Kit but hardlysteeds here (comparehorsemen,Isaiah 22:7); read perhaps simply .
Topical Lexicon
Military Technology and Strategyרֶכֶב appears most frequently in contexts of warfare, underscoring the chariot’s decisive role on the ancient Near-Eastern battlefield. Pharaoh’s best “six hundred choice chariots” pursued Israel to the Red Sea (Exodus 14:7), and his entire chariot corps was swept away when “the waters returned and covered the chariots” (Exodus 14:28). From the conquest of Canaan onward, Israel repeatedly faced enemies whose superiority was measured by chariot numbers (Joshua 11:4;Judges 4:3;1 Samuel 13:5). By David’s reign Israel itself fielded chariot units (2 Samuel 8:4), and Solomon expanded the arm to an unprecedented scale, amassing “one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses” (1 Kings 10:26). Yet the corpus also records the vulnerability of chariot power before the LORD’s intervention, as in Sisera’s rout (Judges 4:15) or when the Syrians lost “seven hundred charioteers” to David (2 Samuel 10:18).
Royal Splendor and Political Power
Beyond combat, רֶכֶב denotes prestige. Joseph rode in Pharaoh’s “second chariot” as vizier (Genesis 41:43), and Jacob’s funeral procession impressed Canaan’s inhabitants with “a very large company of chariots” (Genesis 50:9). Solomon’s stables at Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer (1 Kings 9:19) reflected his international status and economic reach, confirming archaeological evidence of Judean chariot cities. The monarchy’s reliance on these vehicles later drew prophetic censure when kings sought Egyptian cavalry instead of divine help (Isaiah 31:1).
Instruments of Judgment
Chariots serve repeatedly as agents or emblems of God’s judgment. The prophet Nahum envisions Nineveh’s downfall with “chariots flashing with steel on the day of its preparation” (Nahum 2:3), while Jeremiah likens invading armies to “his chariots like a whirlwind” (Jeremiah 4:13). The image intensifies inHabakkuk 3:8 where the LORD Himself is depicted with “Your chariots of salvation,” emphasizing His sovereignty over every human engine of war.
Divine and Angelic Symbolism
On several occasions רֶכֶב transcends earthly reality.Psalm 68:17 celebrates: “The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands.” When Elijah is taken up, a “chariot of fire and horses of fire” separate him from Elisha (2 Kings 2:11); later Elisha’s servant’s eyes are opened to behold “the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17). These passages unveil the unseen forces of heaven that defend God’s servants and supersede any earthly cavalry.
Faith versus Reliance on Human Strength
Repeated warnings discourage trust in chariots. Moses commands future kings not to “multiply horses” (implicitly, chariots) lest their hearts turn from the LORD (Deuteronomy 17:16).Psalm 20:7 contrasts the vain security of “chariots” with the believer’s confidence “in the name of the LORD our God.”Isaiah 2:7 indicts Judah, “Their land is full of horses, and there is no end to their chariots,” diagnosing material security as spiritual decline. The theological refrain is clear: military technology is no substitute for covenant faithfulness.
Prophetic and Poetic Imagery
Poets employ רֶכֶב for vivid comparisons. InSong of Solomon 1:9 the beloved is likened to “a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots,” suggesting beauty amid royal splendor.Zechariah 6:1–8 reveals four heavenly chariots emerging between bronze mountains, symbolizing God’s universal governance. Such imagery anchors prophetic visions in familiar military language while elevating the concept to cosmic scale.
Archaeological and Historical Insights
Late Bronze and Iron Age discoveries from sites like Megiddo corroborate biblical references to stables and chariotry. Reliefs from Egypt and Assyria depict two-horse, two-man platforms consistent with descriptions in Scripture. Speed, shock value, and mobility explain why ancient scribes so often quantified military strength in chariots, justifying the roughly one-hundred-twenty textual occurrences of רֶכֶב.
Christological and Eschatological Hints
Although the New Testament never uses the Hebrew term, the motif informs Christian hope. Elijah’s fiery ascent prefigures Christ’s ascension;Psalm 68, applied to Jesus inEphesians 4:8, associates the victorious Messiah with the “myriads of chariots.” Revelation echoes Old Testament war-chariot imagery to portray the Conqueror who returns on a white horse with the armies of heaven (Revelation 19:11-16).
Pastoral and Homiletical Application
1. Reliance on human resources—symbolized by chariots—must never eclipse faith in the LORD (Psalm 20:7).
2. Divine protection surpasses visible defenses; believers may pray for eyes to discern “chariots of fire” encamped around them (2 Kings 6:17).
3. Earthly power is fleeting; Pharaoh’s drowned chariots (Exodus 14:28) and Nineveh’s burning wagons (Nahum 2:13) remind congregations that only the kingdom of God endures.
4. Spiritual leadership should heedDeuteronomy 17:16, avoiding accumulation of status symbols that foster pride and compromise dependence on God.
Summary
רֶכֶב threads through Scripture as a tangible measure of human might, a symbol of regal grandeur, an instrument of judgment, and ultimately a canvas upon which God proclaims His unrivaled power. Whether thundering in earthly combat or blazing in celestial glory, every chariot in the biblical narrative points beyond itself to the LORD who “rides through the heavens to your aid” (Deuteronomy 33:26).
Forms and Transliterations
בְּרִכְבֵ֣י בְּרִכְבּ֖וֹ בְּרִכְבּ֗וֹ בְּרִכְבּ֤וֹ בְּרִכְבּֽוֹ׃ בְּרֶ֙כֶב֙ בְּרֶ֥כֶב בָ֭רֶכֶב בָּרֶ֣כֶב בְּרֹ֥ב ברב ברכב ברכבו ברכבו׃ ברכבי הָרֶ֔כֶב הָרֶ֖כֶב הָרֶ֙כֶב֙ הָרֶ֛כֶב הָרֶ֜כֶב הָרֶ֣כֶב הָרֶ֤כֶב הָרֶ֧כֶב הָרֶ֨כֶב הָרָ֑כֶב הָרָֽכֶב׃ הרכב הרכב׃ וְרֶ֖כֶב וְרֶ֛כֶב וְרֶ֣כֶב וָרֶ֔כֶב וָרֶ֖כֶב וָרֶ֗כֶב וָרֶ֙כֶב֙ וָרָ֑כֶב וּ֠בָרֶכֶב וּבְרִכְבּ֑וֹ וּבְרֶ֥כֶב וּלְרִכְבּ֗וֹ וברכב וברכבו ולרכבו ורכב כָּרֶ֗כֶב כרכב לְרִכְבּ֔וֹ לְרֶ֖כֶב לְרֶ֥כֶב לרכב לרכבו רִכְבִּ֛י רִכְבָּ֔הּ רִכְבּ֑וֹ רִכְבּ֖וֹ רִכְבּ֗וֹ רִכְבּֽוֹ׃ רִכְבּוֹ֙ רֶ֔כֶב רֶ֖כֶב רֶ֗כֶב רֶ֙כֶב֙ רֶ֚כֶב רֶ֜כֶב רֶ֣כֶב רֶ֤כֶב רֶ֥כֶב רֶֽכֶב־ רָ֑כֶב רָֽכֶב׃ רכב רכב־ רכב׃ רכבה רכבו רכבו׃ רכבי bā·re·ḵeḇ ḇā·re·ḵeḇ baRechev bāreḵeḇ ḇāreḵeḇ bə·re·ḵeḇ bə·riḵ·ḇê bə·riḵ·bōw bə·rōḇ beRechev bəreḵeḇ berichBo berichVei bəriḵḇê bəriḵbōw beRo bərōḇ hā·rā·ḵeḇ hā·re·ḵeḇ haRachev hārāḵeḇ haRechev hāreḵeḇ kā·re·ḵeḇ kaRechev kāreḵeḇ lə·re·ḵeḇ lə·riḵ·bōw leRechev ləreḵeḇ lerichBo ləriḵbōw rā·ḵeḇ Rachev rāḵeḇ re·ḵeḇ re·ḵeḇ- Rechev reḵeḇ reḵeḇ- richBah richBi richBo riḵ·bāh riḵ·bî riḵ·bōw riḵbāh riḵbî riḵbōw ū·ḇā·re·ḵeḇ ū·ḇə·re·ḵeḇ ū·ḇə·riḵ·bōw ū·lə·riḵ·bōw ūḇāreḵeḇ ūḇəreḵeḇ ūḇəriḵbōw ulerichBo ūləriḵbōw Uvarechev uveRechev uverichBo vaRachev vaRechev veRechev wā·rā·ḵeḇ wā·re·ḵeḇ wārāḵeḇ wāreḵeḇ wə·re·ḵeḇ wəreḵeḇ
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