Brief Overview of Ῥαάβ (Strong’s G4460: Rhaab)

Strong’s G4460: A proper noun identifying Rahab, the woman of Jericho who protected the Israelite spies. Significant in both Old and New Testament narratives as an example of faith and divine grace. Her story demonstrates God’s inclusion of Gentiles and redemptive power.

U- Unveiling the Word

Ῥαάβ represents one of the most remarkable examples of faith and divine grace in Scripture. As a Gentile woman and former prostitute in Jericho, her story demonstrates God’s power to transform lives and include outsiders in His redemptive plan. In New Testament usage, she appears in both the genealogy of Jesus and as an example of faith in action. Early church fathers saw in her story a prefigurement of the church’s inclusion of Gentiles and the power of faith to transform lives. Today, this name continues to testify to God’s grace reaching beyond cultural and social boundaries.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: Ῥαάβ, Rhaab, /raˈab/
• Pronunciation Guide: “rah-AHB” (stress on second syllable)
• Part of Speech: Proper Noun (feminine)

Etymology:

• Hebrew origin: רָחָב (rachav)
• Meaning “broad” or “wide”
• Transliterated into Greek with rough breathing mark

D – Defining Meanings

• Personal name of the woman of Jericho
• Biblical figure exemplifying faith
• Ancestor in Jesus’s genealogy

Translation Options:

• Rahab – Standard English translation
• Raab – Alternative transliteration
• Rachab – Closer to Hebrew pronunciation

E – Exploring Similar Words

• πόρνη (pornē) /ˈporne/ – used to describe her former occupation – See G4204
• ξένος (xenos) /ˈksenos/ – stranger/foreigner – See G3581
• κατάσκοπος (kataskopos) /kaˈtaskopos/ – spy – See G2685

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological Features (Noun):

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular only (as personal name)
• Gender: Feminine
• Indeclinable in Greek

Examples:

• Nominative: Ῥαάβ (Rahab)
• Functions as indeclinable in all cases
• Maintains same form regardless of syntactic role

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes her role in salvation history. Thayer’s notes her significance in faith narratives. LSJ provides limited coverage as a biblical name. Vine’s highlights her place in both genealogy and faith examples. Strong’s connects her to divine grace. LEH traces her Septuagint appearances. Moulton and Milligan note her name’s appearance in early Christian literature.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First Appearance:
“By faith [Ῥαάβ] Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.” Hebrews 11:31

Additional References:
Matthew 1:5, James 2:25

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

Since Ῥαάβ is a biblical name, classical usage examples focus on early Christian and Jewish writings:

N – Noteworthy Summary

Ῥαάβ powerfully demonstrates the transformative nature of faith and God’s inclusive grace. Her story proclaims the good news by showing that God’s redemptive plan includes those society might reject, and that true faith manifests in action. As an ancestor of Jesus and example of faith, she represents hope for all who might feel excluded from God’s family.

D – Did You Know?

1. Rahab is one of only four women named in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus.
2. Early church tradition held that she married Salmon, of the tribe of Judah.
3. Her scarlet cord became a Christian symbol of salvation through Christ’s blood.

Strong’s G4460: The name of a Gentile woman whose faith and actions made her an ancestor of Jesus Christ and an example of living faith. Her story demonstrates God’s grace toward outsiders and the power of faith to transform lives.

Part of speech: Proper Noun (feminine)

Tags: Rahab, Jericho, faith, conversion, Gentile inclusion, genealogy of Jesus, spies, salvation history, transformation, grace, redemption, women in the Bible​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​