7277. rigmah

Lexical Summary

rigmah: Heap, Pile

Original Word: רִגְמָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: rigmah
Pronunciation: rig-MAH
Phonetic Spelling: (rig-maw')
KJV: council
NASB: throng
Word Origin: [feminine of the same as H7276 (רֶגֶם - Regem)]

1. a pile (of stones), i.e. (figuratively) a throng

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

council

Feminine of the same as Regem; a pile (of stones), i.e. (figuratively) a throng -- council.

see HEBREW Regem

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from ragam
Definition
a heap (of stones), crowd (of people)
NASB Translation
throng (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[רִגָמָה] noun feminine heap (of stones, then) crowd (of people; si vera lectio); &; suffixרִגְמָתָם Psalm 68:28, but read probably רִגְשָׁתָם, see [ רִגְשָׁה].

Topical Lexicon

Canonical Occurrence and Immediate Context

Psalm 68:27 stands as the sole biblical appearance of רִגְמָה. The verse reads in the Berean Standard Bible, “There is Benjamin the youngest, ruling them, the princes of Judah in their company, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.” The Psalm celebrates the triumphant ascent of the Ark and, by extension, the triumph of the Lord who dwells “among thousands of thousands” (Psalm 68:17). Within that jubilant setting, רִגְמָה depicts the ordered “company” or “procession” of Judah’s leaders, highlighting a ceremonial gathering of tribal representatives around the Ark.

Imagery of Tribal Procession

The term conveys more than a simple crowd; it pictures an organized, perhaps even festal, file of dignitaries. David singles out four tribes:
• Benjamin (“the youngest”)—the tribe of the first king but now content to serve under David.
• Judah—the royal tribe from which David himself descends.
• Zebulun and Naphtali—northern tribes that balance the southern presence of Judah and Benjamin.

The strategic inclusion of north and south underlines national cohesion. רִגְמָה therefore serves as a literary spotlight on unity in worship: leaders willingly align themselves in a single, God-centered column.

Historical and Redemptive Significance

1. Celebration of God’s Kingship: Psalm 68 likely recalls either the relocation of the Ark to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 15) or a later victory-procession. In either case, the word signals that Israel’s political leaders recognize a higher throne.
2. Prototype of Covenant Solidarity: The tribes had often been fragmented (Judges 5:15-17; 2 Samuel 2-3). Here they appear knit together, anticipating later prophetic assurances that the kingdom would be reunited under one Shepherd (Ezekiel 37:19-24).
3. Foreshadowing New-Covenant Unity: The ordered company of tribes foreshadows the multi-tribal and ultimately multi-ethnic assembly that gathers around the ascended Christ (Revelation 7:9-10). As the Ark once ascended Zion, so the resurrected Lord now leads “captives in His train” (Psalm 68:18; Ephesians 4:8).

Theological Themes

• Divine Initiative in Worship: God “summons” the tribes; the procession is His doing (Psalm 68:24-25).
• Humble Exaltation: “Benjamin the youngest” is mentioned first, illustrating God’s pattern of exalting the lowly (1 Samuel 9:21; Luke 1:52).
• Ordered Leadership: רִגְמָה depicts hierarchy without rivalry—princes march together under God’s banner, prefiguring how spiritual gifts operate in harmony within the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:4-27).

Ministry Applications

1. Cultivating Corporate Unity: Churches can mirror the Psalm’s model by assembling diverse backgrounds into a single God-centered purpose (Philippians 2:2).
2. Honoring Spiritual Authority: As Judah’s princes took their place in the procession, so believers are urged to respect the leaders God has set over them (Hebrews 13:17).
3. Celebratory Worship: The ceremonial tone of רִגְמָה encourages worship that is both reverent and exuberant, combining pageantry with heartfelt praise (Psalm 150:1-6).

Related Biblical Parallels

• 2 Samuel 6:14-15 – David leads a jubilant procession before the Ark.
• 1 Chronicles 15:25-28 – Leaders and Levites form an orderly parade into Jerusalem.
• Isaiah 2:2-3 – Nations stream in ordered movement to the mountain of the Lord.
• Revelation 19:6-8 – A great multitude assembles in festive array at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Summary

Though רִגְמָה appears only once, its placement in Psalm 68:27 richly portrays an ordered, joyful convergence of Israel’s leaders around the presence of God. The word captures the essence of covenant unity, historical remembrance, and prophetic anticipation—all converging in a single, God-exalting procession that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the gathered worship of Christ’s redeemed people.

Forms and Transliterations

רִגְמָתָ֑ם רגמתם riḡ·mā·ṯām rigmaTam riḡmāṯām

Englishman's Concordance

Psalm 68:27
HEB: שָׂרֵ֣י יְ֭הוּדָה רִגְמָתָ֑ם שָׂרֵ֥י זְ֝בֻל֗וּן
NAS: of Judah [in] their throng, The princes
KJV: of Judah [and] their council, the princes
INT: the princes of Judah their throng the princes of Zebulun

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 7277
1 Occurrence

riḡ·mā·ṯām — 1 Occ.