Lexical Summary
raqeb: Decay, rottenness
Original Word:רָקַב
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:raqab
Pronunciation:rah-KEB
Phonetic Spelling:(raw-kab')
KJV: rot
NASB:rot
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to decay (as by worm-eating)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
rot
A primitive root; to decay (as by worm-eating) -- rot.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto rot
NASB Translationrot (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (Late Hebrew
id.; Aramaic in derivatives ); —
Imperfect3masculine singularIsaiah 40:20 (of tree); figurativeProverbs 10:7 (Krochm and othersbe cursed, √ , compare Toy).
Topical Lexicon
Field of Meaning and Biblical Motifרָקַב introduces the imagery of disintegration. Whether applied to timber or to a person’s reputation, it signals the inevitable breakdown that follows separation from divine life. Scripture consistently contrasts this dissolving force with the enduring righteousness of God, thereby turning the term into a literary foil that magnifies the permanence of the Lord’s works and the transience of everything detached from Him.
Occurrences in Canonical Context
•Proverbs 10:7 pictures the “name of the wicked” dissolving, while the memory of the righteous remains a “blessing.” The proverb does more than warn the evildoer; it assures the faithful that God Himself safeguards their legacy.
•Isaiah 40:20 notes the craftsman’s search for “wood that will not rot,” exposing the futility of idolatry—humanity seeks permanence yet must admit that even its most resilient materials eventually succumb to decay.
Physical Decay and Human Ingenuity
In Isaiah the prophet mocks the idol-maker’s attempt to dodge deterioration. Ancient Near Eastern artisans meticulously selected cedar or cypress, treated the grain with oil, and overlaid it with metal, all to lengthen an idol’s lifespan. Yet the very act of guarding against רָקַב highlights the idol’s impotence: what kind of god needs help to keep from crumbling? The verse stands as an apologetic argument for Yahweh’s unrivaled, self-existent nature (Isaiah 40:18-25).
Moral and Spiritual Disintegration
Proverbs moves the word from lumber to legacy. “The name of the wicked will rot” (Proverbs 10:7). The decay is moral, social, and eventually historical. Scripture teaches that sin is never static; it corrodes character (Romans 1:21-32), societies (Micah 6:13-16), and even created order (Genesis 3:17-19;Romans 8:20-22). Conversely, righteousness, rooted in covenant faithfulness, enjoys a longevity that outlives physical death (Psalm 112:6).
Doctrinal Implications
1. Doctrine of Man: Humanity outside of God is subject to corruption (compareGenesis 6:12;Ephesians 4:22). רָקַב becomes an emblem of total depravity’s endgame—utter ruin.
2. Doctrine of God: Only the eternal LORD is “without variation or shadow of change” (James 1:17). His attributes stand in antithesis to decay; thus the word indirectly magnifies divine immutability.
3. Christology: By His resurrection, Jesus Christ “did not see decay” (Acts 13:37 citingPsalm 16:10), proving His messiahship and inaugurating the believer’s hope of imperishability (1 Corinthians 15:42-54). רָקַב sets the backdrop for the victory over corruption accomplished in the empty tomb.
Pastoral and Homiletical Applications
• Legacy Sermons:Proverbs 10:7 urges congregations to steward their reputations for the sake of gospel witness.
• Apologetics:Isaiah 40:20 furnishes a powerful critique of modern “idols” (materialism, ideologies) that likewise require constant maintenance yet promise permanence.
• Funeral Ministry: The contrast between earthly decay and the believer’s future incorruptibility (1 Peter 1:4) offers comfort rooted in Resurrection theology.
• Ethics: Righteous living is presented not merely as moral duty but as participation in that which endures.
Theological Synthesis
רָקַב functions as Scripture’s reminder that everything estranged from God decomposes—objects, reputations, even civilizations. Yet precisely because decay is unavoidable in a fallen world, it becomes a signpost pointing to the One who “alone possesses immortality” (1 Timothy 6:16) and to the gospel that promises believers a share in that undying life.
Forms and Transliterations
יִרְקַ֖ב יִרְקָֽב׃ ירקב ירקב׃ yir·qaḇ yir·qāḇ yirKav yirqaḇ yirqāḇ
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