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Bible Lexicons
Old Testament Hebrew Lexical Dictionary Hebrew Lexicon
Strong's #7363 - רָחַף
- Brown-Driver-Briggs
- Strong
- (Qal) to grow soft, relax
- (Piel) to hover
- Book
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2763) phr (רההפ RHhP) AC: Flutter CO: ? AB: ?: The stirrings and shakings of a bird in the nest. [from: ph- a bird covering the nest]
V) phr (רההפ RHhP) - Flutter: KJV (3): (vf: Paal, Piel) shake, move, flutter - Strongs: H7363 (רָחַף)
Jeff Benner, Ancient Hebrew Research Center Used by permission of the author.
be soft); — Qal Perfect 3 plural רָֽחֲפוּ Jeremiah 23:9 (bones of one appalled).
II. רָחַף verb Pi`el hover (Late Hebrew id., compare Grünbaum ZMG xxxix (1885), 607; Syriac Pa`el 
move Gently, also cherish, and brood, compare Thes s. see; connection with I. ׳ר dubious); —
Pi`el Imperfect 3 masculine singular יְרַחֵףעַל Deuteronomy 32:11 (poem) of vulture hovering over young; Participle מְרַחֶפֶת עַלמְּֿנֵי הַמָּ֑יִם׳רוּחַ א Genesis 1:2 (P); hovering over face of waters, or perhaps (see Syriac) brooding (and fertilizing), so Jer Quaest. in Gen. ed. Lag. 4 (reading ' marahaefeth), compare Di Gunk.
רָחַף [“pr. to be soft”], to be moved, affected (cogn. to רָחַם), specially
(a) with the feeling of tender love, hence to cherish, see Piel.
(b) with fear, tremor, hence to tremble (spoken of the bones of a person terrified), Jeremiah 23:9.
Piel, to brood over young ones, to cherish young (as an eagle), Deuteronomy 32:11 figuratively used of the Spirit of God, who brooded over the shapeless mass of the earth, cherishing and vivifying. Of far more frequent use is the Syr. ܪܚܰܦ, which is used of birds brooding over their young, Ephr. ii. p. 552; of parents who cherish their children, Ephr. ii. p. 419; of Elisha cherishing the body of the dead child, Ephr. i. p. 529; also of a voice descending from heaven. The Arabs use in the same sense the verb رخم I. IV. to brood on eggs (as a hen); to soothe a child (as a mother), Genesis 1:2.
