Quick Definition
to slacken
Strong's Definition
to slacken (in many applications, literal or figurative)
Derivation: a primitive root;
KJV Usage: abate, cease, consume, draw (toward evening), fail, (be) faint, be (wax) feeble, forsake, idle, leave, let alone (go, down), (be) slack, stay, be still, be slothful, (be) weak(-en). See H7495 (רָפָא).
TWOT Reference: 2198
Outline of Biblical Usage
Septuagint (LXX) Greek Equivalents
This Hebrew word is translated by the following Greek words in the Septuagint:
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Hebrew Lexicon
רָפָה (ra.phah) — to slacken. 1) to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sink down 1a2) to sink, drop 1a3) to sink, relax, abate 1a4) to relax, withdraw 1b) (Niphal) idle (participle) 1c) (Piel) to let drop 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to let drop, abandon, relax, refrain, forsake 1d2) to let go 1d3) to refrain, let alone 1d4) to be quiet 1e) (Hithpael) to show oneself slack
UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew
verb · מַרְפֵּא · רְפָאִים · רָפֶה · רִפָּיֹון
Afraid | verb qal
Collocation: יָדַיִם רפה
to be discouraged literally: (one's) hands become weak; hence: = process by which humans lose courage an are unable to perform as they should
2SA 4:1 · 2CH 15:7 · NEH 6:9 · ISA 13:7 · JER 6:24 · JER 50:43 · EZK 7:17 · EZK 21:12 · ZEP 3:16
Afraid | verb pi
Collocation: רפה יָדַיִם
to discourage literally: to make (someone's) hands weak; hence: = causative process by which humans cause other humans to lose courage and unable to perform as they should
Lax | verb qal
to abate, to subside literally: to grow weak; hence: = process by which an emotion is reduced in intensity
Lax | verb pi
Collocation: רפה כְּנָפַיִם
to let down (one's) wings literally: to weaken (one's) wings; hence: = process by which a flying creatures lets down its wings
Non-Engage | verb hif
Collocation: רפה יָד
to stop literally: to loosen (one's) hand; hence: = action by which supernatural beings end an activity
Non-Engage | verb hit
to be slack = state in which humans fail to engage in an activity
Non-Engage | verb hif
to leave, to give up, to let go = action by which humans or deities refrain from an activity
NEH 6:3 · JOB 27:6 · PSA 37:8 · PSA 46:11 · PSA 138:8 · PRO 4:13
Non-Engage | verb hif, verb qal
to leave (someone) alone = action by which humans or deities refrain from an activity affecting another person
EXO 4:26 · DEU 9:14 · JDG 11:37 · 1SA 11:3 · 1SA 15:16 · 2KI 4:27 · JOB 7:19 · SNG 3:4
Insignificant | verb pi | ≈ בּוּז
Collocation: רפה מְזִיחַ
to loosen (someone's) belt > to disgrace (someone) literally: to loosen (someone's) belt; hence: = causative process by which deities cause humans to lose power and status
Lazy | verb nif
to be lazy, to be idle literally: to loosen oneself; hence: = state in which humans are reluctant to work or make an effort
Unfaithful | verb hif
Collocation: רפה יָד
to abandon literally: to loosen (one's) hand; hence: = action by which humans suspend their commitment to other humans
Unfaithful | verb hif | ≈ עזב
to leave alone, to abandon literally: to loosen (one's hand); hence: = action by which deities suspend their commitment to humans, either temporarily or permanently
Little | verb qal
to shrivel literally: to grow weak; = process by which dry substances are reduced in size when burning
Time | verb qal
Collocation: יֹום רפה
to become evening literally: the day weakens; hence: = process by which the day comes to an end and starts making way for the night
UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon
רָפָה vb. sink, relax Qal sink down
sink, drop
sink, relax, abate
relax, withdraw
Niph. idle
Pi. causat.: let wings drop
Hiph. causat. let drop
let go
refrain
Hithp. hast shewn thyself slack
base