» » »

Reference

Navigating the Bible

People » R

	People
	Places
	Plants
	Animals

Raamah

Descendant of Noah. Son of Cush and brother of S'bha, Havilah, Sabhta, Sabhteka and Nimrod. Father of Sheba and Dedan.

Rachel

One of the matriarchs of Israel. Younger daughter of Laban second wife of Jacob and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. On his mother Rebecca's advice, Jacob escaped the wrath of his brother Esau by fleeing to Charan to procure one of the daughters of Laban as a bride (Genesis 27:46-28:5). Jacob fell in love with Rachel when she was watering her sheep at a well: she was 'shapely and beautiful' (Genesis 29:17), and agreed to work seven years for her, but was tricked by Laban into marrying her sister Leah instead. Jacob worked a further seven years for Rachel. While Leah had four sons by Jacob, Rachel was childless and in desperation gave Jacob her maid Bilhah and adopted the two sons she had, Dan and Naphtali. She finally had a son, Joseph . While leaving Laban, Rachel stole and concealed her father's household fetishes (Genesis 31:34).She died after giving birth to Benjamin, whom she named Ben-oni ('My Sorrow's Son'). Rachel was buried in Bethlehem, on the road to Ephrath: Rachel's tomb remains a pilgrimage spot today.

Ram

Son of Chetzron, brother of Caleb, and father of Aminadav.

Rebecca

The second of the biblical matriarchs, Rebecca was the daughter of Bethuel and the granddaughter of Nachor, Abraham's brother. She lived in Padan-aram. Abraham's servant Eliezer met her by a well when sent to look for a bride for Isaac from Abraham's family . She married Isaac and after many years bore him twin sons, Esau and Jacob and played a decisive part in Jacob's obtaining the birthright in preference to Esau. At her death, Rebecca was buried in the family tomb in the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron.

Rephaim

An ancient race of giants, whose land was promised to Abraham (Genesis 15:20) .They lived in Ashteroth Karnaim (Genesis 14:5) and later, to the east of the Jordan in Bashan, and were associated with the Perizites and the Hivites. Part of the lands of the Rephaim was given to the descendants of Lot (Deuteronomy 2:20). Og, the giant reputed to be over ten feet (3m) tall, was said to be one of the survivors of the Rephaim (Deuteronomy 3:11), and lived in Rabbah in Ammon (now the capital of Jordan). See also Anakim and Zuzim.

Reu

Descendant of Noah. Son of Peleg and father of Serug.

Reuben

Eldest son of Jacob, by his wife Leah. His name can be translated as 'see, a son' (reu ben). He found mandrakes growing in a field (Genesis 30:14) and gave them to his mother who bartered them with Rachel. He later slept with Jacob's concubine Bilhah, an incident which is said to have brought about Jacob's curse on his deathbed (Genesis 49:4). When the other brothers plotted to kill Joseph, Reuben intervened by having him placed in a pit (Genesis 37:21), thus saving his life; later, he tried to reason with his father to agree to let him take responsibility for Benjamin in Egypt (Genesis 42:37). Ancestor of the tribe of Reuben.

Reuel

1. Son of Esau and Basemath. 2. See under Jethro.

Reumah

Second wife of Nachor. Mother of Tevach, Gacham, Tachash and Ma'akhah.

Riphath

One of the sons of Gomer; possibly Parkvi, in Iran, or Hadiyv, which is identified with Adiebena, a district in Assyria between the Lycus and Caprus rivers. Rabbinical sources suggest that the Etruscans, who later settled in Italy, Venice and France, were descended from Riphath.

Rosh

Grandson of Jacob and son of Benjamin. Brother of Bela, Bekher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Echi, Muppim, Chuppim and Ard.

Notice: This computer program is protected by copyright law and international treaties. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this program, or any portion of it, may result in severe civil and criminal penalties, and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent possible under the law.