Brief Overview of Ῥαχάβ (Strong’s G4477: Rhachab)

Strong’s G4477: A proper noun of Hebrew origin (רָחָב, meaning “broad” or “wide”), referring to Rahab, the former prostitute of Jericho who protected Israelite spies. Her inclusion in Jesus’s genealogy and mentions in the New Testament highlight God’s grace and the power of faith to transform lives.

U- Unveiling the Word

Ῥαχάβ carries profound theological significance as a name representing divine redemption and inclusion. In the New Testament, her story transcends her identity as a Canaanite prostitute to exemplify saving faith and divine grace. The early church fathers, including Clement of Rome and Augustine, frequently cited Rahab as an example of faith’s transformative power and God’s willingness to incorporate Gentiles into His redemptive plan. Her presence in Jesus’s genealogy demonstrates God’s grace crossing ethnic, gender, and moral boundaries. Today, her story continues to illustrate how faith and actions work together and how God’s redemptive purpose includes those society might consider outsiders.

N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: Ῥαχάβ, Rhachab, /hrakh-ab/
• Detailed pronunciation: HRAKH-ahb (with guttural ‘kh’ sound)
• Part of Speech: Proper Noun (feminine)

Etymology:

• Hebrew origin: רָחָב (rachab)
• Root meaning: “broad,” “wide,” or “spacious”
• Transliterated into Greek with rough breathing mark (Ῥ) representing Hebrew ר (resh)

D – Defining Meanings

• The proper name of the woman of Jericho who helped the Israelite spies
• By extension, an example of faith and hospitality in action
• A symbol of Gentile inclusion in God’s redemptive plan

For compound words:
This is not a compound word, but a transliteration from Hebrew.

Translation Options:

• “Rahab” – standard English transliteration
• “Rachab” – closer to Greek pronunciation
• “Raḥav” – closer to Hebrew pronunciation

E – Exploring Similar Words

• ῥαάβ (Rhaab) /hrah-ab/ – alternate spelling sometimes found in manuscripts
  See G4460
• πόρνη (pornē) /por-nay/ – word used to describe Rahab’s former profession
  See G4204

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological features as a proper noun:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular only (as a proper name)
• Gender: Feminine
• Indeclinable (remains unchanged in different cases)

Being a proper noun of Hebrew origin, Ῥαχάβ is typically indeclinable in Greek, meaning it maintains the same form regardless of its grammatical function in the sentence.

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG identifies Ῥαχάβ as the woman of Jericho mentioned in Joshua. Thayer’s emphasizes her role in Israel’s history and her mention in Jesus’s genealogy. LSJ notes the transliteration from Hebrew. Vine’s highlights her significance in both Old and New Testaments. Strong’s connects her name’s meaning to the concept of breadth or width. Moulton and Milligan note the name’s occurrence in early Christian literature beyond biblical texts.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“Salmon the father of Boaz by [Ῥαχάβ] Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse,” Matthew 1:5

Additional References:
Hebrews 11:31
James 2:25

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Ῥαχάβ stands as a powerful testament to God’s inclusive grace and the transformative power of faith. Her story proclaims the good news that in King Jesus, there is no outsider beyond God’s reach, no past too broken for His redemption, and no person excluded from His family based on gender, ethnicity, or former way of life. Through her inclusion in Jesus’s genealogy, God demonstrates that His salvation story includes and transforms all who respond in faith.

D – Did You Know?

1. Rahab is one of only four women explicitly named in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus.
2. Jewish tradition holds that she married Joshua, though Scripture records her marriage to Salmon.
3. The scarlet cord she hung from her window became an early Christian symbol of salvation through Christ’s blood.

Strong’s G4477: A proper noun of Hebrew origin (רָחָב, meaning “broad” or “wide”), referring to Rahab, the former prostitute of Jericho who protected Israelite spies. Her inclusion in Jesus’s genealogy and mentions in the New Testament highlight God’s grace and the power of faith to transform lives.

Part of speech: Proper Noun (feminine)

Tags: Rahab, genealogy of Jesus, faith, redemption, Gentile inclusion, woman of faith, Jericho, spies, scarlet cord, salvation, transformation, grace​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​