Lexical Summary
ra'ah: To shepherd, to tend, to pasture, to feed
Original Word:רָעָה
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:ra`ah
Pronunciation:rah-AH
Phonetic Spelling:(raw-aw')
KJV: X break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep (sheep)(-er), pastor, + shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to tend a flock i.e. pasture it
2. (intransitively, literally or figuratively) to graze
3. (generally) to rule
4. (by extension) to associate with (as a friend)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat
A primitive root; to tend a flock; i.e. Pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a friend) -- X break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep (sheep)(-er), pastor, + shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste.
Brown-Driver-Briggs
I.
167 (Assyrian
rê°û, verb
pasture, noun
ruler, Tel Amarna
ru—i (as Canaanism) Wkl
No. 181, 11; Arabic
, Ethiopic
Aramaic ,
, all = Biblical Hebrew); —
Perfect3masculine singular consecutiveMicah 5:3 +, 1 singular suffix consecutiveEzekiel 34:13, 3plural suffix consecutiveJeremiah 23:4, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularIsaiah 27:20 +, jussiveJob 20:26, suffixPsalm 80:14,Psalm 78:72 (
van d. H.), etc.;Imperative masculine singularMicah 7:14 +, suffixPsalm 28:9; feminine singularSongs 1:8; masculine pluralGenesis 29:7;Infinitive constructGenesis 37:12 +, etc.;ParticipleGenesis 30:36 +, suffixPsalm 23:1 +; feminine singularGenesis 29:9;Proverbs 25:19, etc.; —
transitive
pasture, tend (pascere), literal, with accusativeGenesis 30:31,36;Genesis 37:12 (all J),Exodus 3:1 (E),1 Samuel 17:15;1 Samuel 25:16;Isaiah 61:5, accusative of assesGenesis 36:24 (P), kidsSongs 1:8; accusative () omittedGenesis 29:7;Genesis 37:13 ( location)Genesis 37:16 (all J),Songs 1:7 ("" ),Job 24:2 ( Me Siegf Bu ); — metaphorHosea 9:2, but read We Now GASm;Psalm 49:15.
, accusative of person,Genesis 48:15 (E) God, whoshepherded me; with accusative of people, as flockHosea 4:16;Isaiah 40:11;Micah 7:14 (),Ezekiel 34:13 (pregnantly, with location),Ezekiel 34:14;Ezekiel 34:15 (+ ),Ezekiel 34:16;Psalm 28:9.
,2 Samuel 5:2 =1 Chronicles 11:2;2 Samuel 7:1 =1 Chronicles 17:6;Psalm 78:72;Jeremiah 3:15;Jeremiah 23:2,4;Ezekiel 34:2,3,8,10,23 (twice in verse);Zechariah 11:4,7 (twice in verse);Zechariah 11:9; of teaching,Proverbs 10:21; with of peoplePsalm 78:71; absoluteMicah 5:3; with accusative of person reflexivepastured (fed, enriched)themselvesEzekiel 34:2,8,10.
especially participle , etc., as substantive =shepherd, herdsman: (I) literal,Genesis 4:2;Genesis 46:32,34;Genesis 47:3 (all J),Genesis 37:2 (E),1 Samuel 16:11;1 Samuel 17:34;Genesis 13:7 (twice in verse) (J); alone, singularAmos 3:12 7t. (all in simile);shepherdess,Genesis 29:9 (J);Zechariah 11:15 (see ), as symbol; pluralAmos 1:2;Exodus 2:17,19 (J)1 Samuel 21:8 (; Gr Dr Bu Kit Löhr ; LagBN 45 HPS , but compare We) + 8 t. +Isaiah 31:4 (simile),Isaiah 38:12 (read for Perles29 Du CheHpt compare Di), compare (suffix)Genesis 13:8 (twice in verse) (J);1 Samuel 17:40 (see
); — . (2) figurative of ruler (as often Assyrian; compare Greek (Homer) ), absolute singularJeremiah 17:16 figurative of prophet (but Aq Symm Gie Du Co );Zechariah 10:2;Zechariah 11:16;Zechariah 13:7b + 8 t. Jeremiah, Ezekiel; suffix of ,Isaiah 44:28 (of Cyrus),Zechariah 13:7a.;Zechariah 13:17 (read We Now GASm); absolute pluralIsaiah 56:11;Jeremiah 2:8;Jeremiah 3:15;Micah 5:4;Zechariah 10:3;Zechariah 11:5,8 18t. JeremiahEzekiel 34, + (of Assyrian leaders)Nahum 3:18;Ezekiel 34:2;Isaiah 63:11 (but read [of Moses] Targam Di Du and others). (3) epithet ofPsalm 23:1,Psalm 80:2,Genesis 49:24 (poem in J; read construct . compare Commentaries);Ecclesiastes 12:11 De Wild, <president of assembly of sages Siegf SS.
feed, graze:
literally , etc.: with locationGenesis 41:2,18 (E),1 Chronicles 27:29; with accusative of pastureIsaiah 30:23; with locationZephaniah 2:7 ( for , see Now); locationExodus 34:3 (J); absoluteIsaiah 5:17;Isaiah 11:7 ("" ; but see below)Isaiah 27:10 (""id.),Isaiah 65:25;Jonah 3:7;Job 1:14.
,Isaiah 44:20he feedeth on ashes (accusative); compareHosea 12:2 Ehpraimitic sourcefeedeth on wind (acc);Proverbs 15:14 (so Vrss Qr; Kt for )the mouth of fools feeds on folly (Toy; Buhl √ II. , Gerber162 below III. ); in Canticles, with location, figurative of loverSongs 2:16;Songs 6:2,3; of breasts (like gazelles)Songs 4:5.
Isaiah 14:30 ("" ), read ()in my pasture(s), for , Koppe Ew Di Du (otherwise CheHpt, compare Marti);Zephaniah 3:13 (""id..); withIsaiah 49:9; with accusative of pasture-landJeremiah 50:19;Micah 7:14;Ezekiel 34:14b ( + location),Ezekiel 34:18;Ezekiel 34:19; hencecrop, strip, i.e. devastate, of conqueror, with accusative of landMicah 5:6, cf;Jeremiah 6:3; so ;Jeremiah 2:16; accusative of Israel under figure of vine (subject foes, as beasts)Psalm 80:14.
subject wind, with accusative of personJeremiah 22:22, i. e. drive them away; subject fire, with accusative of thing,Job 20:26, but read perhaps ,
(Ol Di Hoffm Siegf Bu; otherwise Du).Job 24:21 is difficult; Bu for ; more radical conjectures in Du.
possiblyJob 20:26, see above
Psalm 78:72 van d. H., see above
shepherd,shepherdess, see √ 1 d. above
II. [] probably (compare Schulth69ff. but also NöZMG iiv (1900), 154 f.; Assyrianru°a, ruttu,neighbour,fellow (masculine and feminine; compare JägerBAS i. 483,486); so Bedouin
,
master, owner, WallinZMG v (1851), 9 JayakarJA xxi. 851; Ethiopic
marriage; Arabic
, Ethiopic
yoke; Late Hebrewfriendship is from Biblical Hebrew ); —
Imperative masculine singularPsalm 37:3cherish faithfulness (Hup-Now RV Che Du Dr); >feed seocurely (Bae; I.;feed on (his)faithfulness AmRV);ParticipleProverbs 13:20one associating with fools, soProverbs 28:7,Proverbs 29:3 (Thes and others think these figurative from I. , see ).
2masculine singularProverbs 22:24do not make companionship with a bad-tempered man; perhaps also 3 feminine pluralIsaiah 11:7 (LagOr. i. 21; Deceased Wife's Sister 399 Brd Du Che Hpt) cow and bearshall be each other's companions; +Infinitive constructProverbs 18:24 (Toy, for ) there are [, for ] friends (merely)to be companions (see II.near the end).
[] ; —Perfect3masculine singularJudges 14:20 his comrade whohad been 'best man' (GFM) to him.
(√ of following; compare Biblical Hebrew III. ).
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Scopeרָעָה carries the life-oriented idea of tending, feeding, and leading—whether flocks, people, or one’s own heart. Its 164 Old Testament occurrences span narrative, poetry, prophecy, and wisdom literature, keeping before the reader a single, integrated picture of shepherding that is both literal and metaphorical.
Shepherding in the Biblical World
Sheep and goats were staples of Near-Eastern agrarian life. The verb portrays everyday labors: guiding animals to grazing land, securing water, protecting from predators, searching for the lost, and dwelling among the flock (Genesis 30:31;Exodus 3:1;1 Samuel 17:34-35). In that world, a shepherd’s character—patient vigilance, gentle firmness, sacrificial courage—became an ideal image for leadership.
Literal Usage: Caring for Flocks
•Genesis 29:7—Jacob urges diligence: “Water the sheep and let them pasture.”
•Genesis 37:2—Joseph “was shepherding the flock with his brothers.”
•Exodus 3:1—Moses “was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro.”
•2 Samuel 7:8—David is called “from the pasture, from following the flock.”
•Psalm 78:70-71—God “brought him from the sheepfolds … to shepherd Jacob His people.”
The verb describes routine but formative disciplines that forged leaders such as Moses and David, preparing them to guide the covenant community.
Divine Shepherdhood: The LORD as Shepherd
God appropriates the imagery for Himself, asserting personal, covenantal care:
•Genesis 48:15—“God, before whom my fathers walked … has been my shepherd all my life to this day.”
•Psalm 23:1-3—“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want … He leads me beside still waters.”
•Psalm 80:1—“Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock.”
•Isaiah 40:11—“He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms.”
•Ezekiel 34:11-16—Yahweh promises, “I Myself will search for My sheep … I will shepherd them.”
These passages ground assurance in the character of God: He feeds, guides, protects, heals, and seeks.
Messianic Anticipation
Prophets harness רָעָה to foretell a coming Shepherd-King:
•Ezekiel 34:23—“I will place over them one Shepherd, My servant David, and He will shepherd them.”
•Micah 5:4—“He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD.”
•Zechariah 9:16-17; 11:4-14—contrast between the faithful and the worthless shepherd, foreshadowing rejection of Messiah for “thirty pieces of silver.”
These texts shape expectation for a leader combining regal authority with pastoral compassion, fulfilled in the New Testament Good Shepherd (John 10).
Human Shepherds: Kings, Priests, and Prophets
Israel’s leaders are repeatedly charged to “shepherd” the people:
•2 Samuel 5:2—“You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over Israel.”
•1 Chronicles 11:2 echoes the same covenant responsibility.
•Jeremiah 3:15—“I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”
•Jeremiah 23:4—promise of shepherds who “will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid.”
Leadership is evaluated by this pastoral yardstick—feeding with truth, guarding from harm, guiding in righteousness.
Pastoral Responsibilities and Accountability
Faithful shepherds:
1. Feed with wholesome teaching (Deuteronomy 11:15;Jeremiah 3:15).
2. Lead in paths of obedience (Psalm 23:3;Psalm 78:72).
3. Protect from predators—whether foreign nations or false doctrines (Micah 5:5-6;Jeremiah 23:1-2).
4. Seek the straying (Ezekiel 34:16).
Accountability is severe: “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” (Jeremiah 23:1). God Himself intervenes when human shepherds fail.
False Shepherds and Spiritual Neglect
Negligent leaders “have not sought the LORD; therefore they do not prosper, and all their flock is scattered” (Jeremiah 10:21).Ezekiel 34:2-10 indicts shepherds who feed themselves, ignore the weak, rule harshly, and permit disease.Zechariah 11 paints the tragic outcome: sheep doomed to slaughter under worthless shepherds, yet divine sovereignty still moves redemptively.
Ethical and Spiritual Lessons
1. Leadership is relational and sacrificial, not merely administrative.
2. God’s people require continual nourishment from His Word; starvation invites idolatry.
3. Compassion for the vulnerable is a non-negotiable mark of covenant fidelity.
4. Ultimate trust rests not in human leaders but in the Shepherd-King whose care is unfailing.
Connection to New Testament Pastoral Imagery
Although רָעָה itself is Hebrew, its concepts overflow into Greek ποιμαίνω and ποιμήν. The Good Shepherd lays down His life (John 10:11), seeks the lost (Luke 15:4-7), and commissions undershepherds: “Feed My sheep” (John 21:16). Elders are exhorted, “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you” (1 Peter 5:2), demonstrating the seamless biblical theology of pastoral care established by רָעָה.
Contemporary Ministry Significance
Pastors and Christian leaders inherit this mantle. Authentic ministry is measured by feeding on Scripture, guiding toward holiness, guarding against error, and embodying Christ-like compassion. Congregations are called to recognize and support such shepherds while resting ultimately in the LORD, “the great Shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20), who perfects what human shepherds can only imperfectly model.
Forms and Transliterations
אֶרְעֶ֖ה אֶרְעֶ֣ה אֶרְעֶ֤ה אֶרְעֶ֥ה אֶרְעֶ֥נָּה ארעה ארענה בִּרְעֹת֥וֹ ברעתו הָֽרֹעִ֑ים הָֽרֹעִ֔ים הָֽרֹעִים֙ הָֽרֹעֶה֙ הָרֹעִ֑ים הָרֹעִ֔ים הָרֹעִ֖ים הָרֹעִ֜ים הָרֹעִ֣ים הָרֹעִ֤ים הָרֹעִ֧ים הָרֹעִֽים׃ הָרֹעִים֮ הָרֹעֶ֖ה הָרֹעֶ֜ה הָרֹעֶ֣ה הָרוֹעִ֖ים הרועים הרעה הרעים הרעים׃ וְהָרֹעִ֖ים וְרָע֑וּם וְרָע֖וּ וְרָע֥וּ וְרָעָ֣ה וְרָעָ֥ה וְרָעָה֙ וְרָעוּ֙ וְרֹ֣עֵיהֶ֔ם וְרֹעִ֖ים וְרֹעֶ֖ה וְרֹעֶ֥ה וְרֹעֶה וְרוֹעֶ֥ה וַ֭יִּרְעֵם וַיִּרְע֤וּ וַיִּרְעֽוּ׃ וַתִּרְעֶ֖ינָה וָֽאֶרְעֶה֙ וָאֶרְעֶ֖ה וּֽרְעֵ֥ם וּרְעִי֙ וּרְעִיתִים֙ וּרְעֵ֥ה וארעה והרעים וירעו וירעו׃ וירעם ורועה ורעה ורעו ורעום ורעי ורעיהם ורעים ורעיתים ורעם ותרעינה יִ֫רְעֵ֥ם יִרְע֑וּן יִרְע֔וּ יִרְע֖וּ יִרְע֖וּךְ יִרְע֣וּ יִרְע֥וּ יִרְעֵ֑ם יִרְעֵ֣ם יִרְעֶ֔ה יִרְעֶ֣ה יִרְעֶ֥ה יִרְעֶֽנָּה׃ ירעה ירעו ירעוך ירעון ירעם ירענה׃ כְּרֹעֶ֥ה כְּרֹעֶה֙ כרעה לְרֹעֶֽה׃ לִ֭רְעוֹת לִרְע֛וֹת לִרְע֥וֹת לִרְעוֹת֙ לָרֹעִ֜ים לרעה׃ לרעות לרעים מֵרְע֣וֹת מֵרֹעֶ֣ה מֵרֹעֶ֥ה מרעה מרעות עֵ֥קֶד עקד רְעֵ֖ה רְעֵ֧ה רְעֽוּ׃ רֵעָ֖ה רָע֖וּ רָעֽוּ׃ רֹ֘עֵ֤ה רֹ֝עִ֗י רֹ֣עֵה רֹ֣עֵי רֹ֥עֵה רֹע֥וֹת רֹעִ֔ים רֹעִ֖ים רֹעִ֗ים רֹעִ֣ים רֹעִ֤ים רֹעִ֥ים רֹעִֽים׃ רֹעֵ֣י רֹעֵ֥ה רֹעֵֽי־ רֹעֵיהֶ֣ם רֹעֶ֑ה רֹעֶ֔ה רֹעֶ֖ה רֹעֶ֙יךָ֙ רֹעֶ֛ה רֹעֶ֜ה רֹעֶ֣ה רֹעֶ֤ה רֹעֶ֥ה רֹעֶ֨ה רֹעֶֽה׃ רֹעַ֖י רֹעַ֙יִךְ֙ רֹעָ֖ה רוֹעֵ֣י רועי רעה רעה׃ רעו רעו׃ רעות רעי רעי־ רעיהם רעיך רעים רעים׃ תִּ֭תְרַע תִּרְע֔וּ תִּרְעֶ֔ינָה תִּרְעֶ֖ינָה תִּרְעֶה־ תִרְעֶ֔ה תִרְעֶ֤ה תִרְעֽוּ׃ תרעה תרעה־ תרעו תרעו׃ תרעינה תתרע ‘ê·qeḏ ‘êqeḏ ’er‘eh ’er‘ennāh ’er·‘eh ’er·‘en·nāh bir‘ōṯōw bir·‘ō·ṯōw biroTo Eked erEh erEnnah hā·rō·‘eh hā·rō·‘îm hā·rō·w·‘îm hārō‘eh hārō‘îm haroEh haroIm hārōw‘îm kə·rō·‘eh kərō‘eh keroEh lā·rō·‘îm lārō‘îm laroIm lə·rō·‘eh lərō‘eh leroEh lir‘ōwṯ lir·‘ō·wṯ lirot mê·rə·‘ō·wṯ mê·rō·‘eh mêrə‘ōwṯ mereot mêrō‘eh meroEh rā‘ū rā·‘ū raU rê‘āh rə‘êh rə‘ū rê·‘āh rə·‘êh rə·‘ū reAh reEh reU rō‘āh rō‘ay rō‘ayiḵ rō‘ê rō‘ê- rō‘eh rō‘êh rō‘êhem rō‘eḵā rō‘î rō‘îm rō‘ōwṯ rō·‘a·yiḵ rō·‘āh rō·‘ay rō·‘ê rō·‘ê- rō·‘ê·hem rō·‘e·ḵā rō·‘eh rō·‘êh rō·‘î rō·‘îm rō·‘ō·wṯ rō·w·‘ê roAh roAi roAyich Roeh Roei roEicha roeiHem roI roIm root rōw‘ê ṯir‘eh tir‘eh- tir‘enāh tir‘ū ṯir‘ū tir·‘e·nāh ṯir·‘eh tir·‘eh- tir·‘ū ṯir·‘ū tirEh tirEinah tirU tiṯ·ra‘ Titra tiṯra‘ ū·rə·‘êh ū·rə·‘êm ū·rə·‘î ū·rə·‘î·ṯîm ūrə‘êh ūrə‘êm ūrə‘î ūrə‘îṯîm ureEh ureEm ureI ureiTim vaerEh Vaiyirem vaiyirU vattirEinah veharoIm veraAh veraU veraUm veroEh veRoeiHem veroIm wā’er‘eh wā·’er·‘eh wat·tir·‘e·nāh wattir‘enāh way·yir·‘êm way·yir·‘ū wayyir‘êm wayyir‘ū wə·hā·rō·‘îm wə·rā·‘āh wə·rā·‘ū wə·rā·‘ūm wə·rō·‘ê·hem wə·rō·‘eh wə·rō·‘îm wə·rō·w·‘eh wəhārō‘îm wərā‘āh wərā‘ū wərā‘ūm wərō‘eh wərō‘êhem wərō‘îm wərōw‘eh yir‘eh yir‘êm yir‘ennāh yir‘ū yir‘ūḵ yir‘ūn yir·‘eh yir·‘êm yir·‘en·nāh yir·‘ū yir·‘ūḵ yir·‘ūn yirEh yirEm yirEnnah yirU yirUch yirUn
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