Brief Overview of Ῥαχήλ (Strong’s G4478: Rhachēl)

Strong’s G4478: A proper noun of Hebrew origin (רָחֵל, meaning “ewe” or “female sheep”), referring to Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. In the New Testament, she symbolically represents the mothers of Israel mourning for their children during Herod’s massacre.

U- Unveiling the Word

Ῥαχήλ carries deep significance in both Old and New Testament contexts. While primarily known as Jacob’s beloved wife in Genesis, her name takes on profound prophetic and symbolic meaning in the New Testament. Matthew’s gospel employs her image as the archetypal mourning mother of Israel, connecting ancient prophecy to the tragic events surrounding Jesus’s birth. Early church fathers saw in Rachel’s weeping a prefiguring of the church’s suffering and the cost of God’s redemptive plan. Today, her story continues to resonate as a powerful symbol of maternal love, suffering, and hope in God’s larger redemptive narrative.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: Ῥαχήλ, Rhachēl, /hrakh-ale/
• Detailed pronunciation: hrah-KHALE (with guttural ‘kh’ sound)
• Part of Speech: Proper Noun (feminine)

Etymology:

• Hebrew origin: רָחֵל (rachel)
• Root meaning: “ewe” (female sheep)
• Transliterated into Greek with rough breathing mark (Ῥ) representing Hebrew ר (resh)

D – Defining Meanings

• The proper name of Jacob’s beloved wife
• A symbolic mother figure representing Israel
• A prophetic voice of maternal mourning

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

Translation Options:

• “Rachel” – standard English transliteration
• “Rachēl” – closer to Greek pronunciation
• “Raḥel” – closer to Hebrew pronunciation

E – Exploring Similar Words

• κλαίω (klaiō) /kly-oh/ – verb meaning “to weep,” associated with Rachel’s mourning
  See G2799
• θρῆνος (thrēnos) /thray-nos/ – noun meaning “lamentation,” describing Rachel’s weeping
  See G2355

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)

As a proper noun of Hebrew origin, Ῥαχήλ remains unchanged regardless of its grammatical function in Greek sentences.

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG identifies Ῥαχήλ as Jacob’s wife and connects her to Matthew’s quotation from Jeremiah. Thayer’s emphasizes her symbolic role in prophetic literature. LSJ notes the name’s Hebrew origin and meaning. Vine’s highlights the prophetic significance of Rachel’s weeping. Strong’s connects her name to the pastoral imagery of sheep. Moulton and Milligan note the name’s continued use in early Christian literature and its symbolic importance.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, [Ῥαχήλ] Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.” Matthew 2:18

Additional References:
None in the New Testament

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Ῥαχήλ embodies both profound love and deep sorrow in Scripture’s narrative. Her story, particularly as referenced in Matthew’s gospel, connects the ancient prophecies to their fulfillment in Christ’s coming. Through her symbolic weeping, we see God’s awareness of human suffering and His ultimate plan for redemption through Jesus. Her story proclaims that even in the darkest moments of history, God is working out His purposes for salvation.

D – Did You Know?

1. Rachel’s tomb was a well-known landmark in ancient Israel, mentioned as being near Bethlehem, where Herod’s massacre took place.
2. The imagery of Rachel weeping was particularly poignant as she had died giving birth to Benjamin near Bethlehem.
3. Early Christian art often depicted Rachel as a symbol of the church mourning for its martyrs.

Strong’s G4478: A proper noun of Hebrew origin (רָחֵל, meaning “ewe” or “female sheep”), referring to Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. In the New Testament, she symbolically represents the mothers of Israel mourning for their children during Herod’s massacre.

Part of speech: Proper Noun (feminine)

Tags: Rachel, Jacob’s wife, mother of Joseph, mother of Benjamin, weeping, mourning, prophecy, Bethlehem, maternal love, suffering, hope, redemption​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​