Lexical Summary rahah: To see, perceive, consider Original Word: רָהָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be afraid A primitive root; to fear -- be afraid. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originanother reading for yarah, q.v. Brown-Driver-Briggs [יָרַהּ] verb only Qal Imperfect3masculine plural תִּרְהוּ Isaiah 44:8 (van d. H Baer, but probably ִתּרְהוּ si vera lectio, so Thes); ? be stupefied (compare Arabic [רָהָה] verb dubious, apparently fear; — Qal Imperfect2masculine plural אַלתִּֿפְתֲדוּ וְאַלתִּֿרְהוּ Isaiah 44:8; Thes ִתּרְהוּ, but no √ ירהּ; Ew Brd BuhlLex 13 ִתּרְאוּ; (יָרֵאׅ; > Lag Gr CheHpt תִּרְהֲבוּ (in Syriac sense). I. רהט (√ of following, probably collect, gather, compare Arabic Topical Lexicon Occurrence and Immediate Context The verb רָהָה appears a single time in the Hebrew Old Testament, in Isaiah 44:8. There the Lord addresses Israel during the “Book of Consolation” (Isaiah 40–48), exhorting the exiles not to tremble before the surrounding nations or their idols: “Do not tremble or be afraid. Have I not proclaimed this to you and declared it long ago? You are My witnesses! Is there any God but Me? There is no other Rock; I know not one.” (Isaiah 44:8). The rarity of the verb heightens its rhetorical force; Israel is summoned to an unshakeable calm grounded in God’s exclusive deity. Setting within Isaiah 40–48 1. Polemic against idolatry: Repeated contrasts are drawn between lifeless idols and the living Creator (Isaiah 44:9–20). The command not to “tremble” underscores the futility of fearing impotent gods. Contrast with Other Biblical Expressions of Fear • רָהָה stresses acute inner trembling, while more common verbs such as יָרֵא often denote reverential awe. Historical Significance During the Babylonian exile, Israel lived amid a proliferation of deities. Political power seemed to rest with idol-worshiping empires, and national identity appeared fragile. Isaiah’s oracle, with its singular use of רָהָה, confronts this crisis of confidence. The prophet announces Cyrus’s future decree of release (Isaiah 44:28), but grounds assurance not in political developments, rather in the immutable character of the Lord. Israel must relinquish the fear that Babylon’s might or its gods can thwart divine purposes. Theological Themes 1. Divine exclusivity: “Is there any God but Me?” The verb occurs in a question that expects a negative answer, leaving no space for syncretism. Practical Ministry Implications • Encouragement for embattled believers: Modern Christians facing cultural marginalization can draw from Isaiah 44:8 to resist anxiety, remembering that idols—whether materialism, power, or self—cannot rival the Lord. Canonical and Christological Trajectory The release from exile anticipated in Isaiah 44 foreshadows the greater liberation accomplished by Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, the same logic operates: “Do not be afraid” is grounded in Christ’s resurrection authority (Matthew 28:10; Revelation 1:17–18). The single Old Testament use of רָהָה prefigures the Gospel’s call to fearless discipleship rooted in the victory of the One true God now revealed in His Son. Homiletical and Devotional Use • Sermons on overcoming fear can contrast forbidden trembling with commanded reverence, drawing parallels between Babylonian idols and modern anxieties. Related Passages for Study Deuteronomy 31:6 – Courage rooted in God’s presence. Psalm 46:1–3 – Refuge amidst upheaval. Isaiah 41:10 – Divine assurance against fear. John 14:27 – Christ’s peace contrasted with worldly fear. Hebrews 13:6 – Boldness springing from the Lord’s constancy. Summary רָהָה, though occurring only once, delivers a potent directive: God’s people must refuse paralyzing fear because the Lord alone is God, the Rock, and the guarantor of their future. Rooted in prophetic proclamation and culminating in New Covenant fulfillment, the command not to tremble becomes a lifelong calling to rest in divine sovereignty and to bear unflinching witness to the One true God. Forms and Transliterations תִּרְה֔וּ תרהו tir·hū tirHu tirhūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 44:8 HEB: תִּפְחֲדוּ֙ וְאַל־ תִּרְה֔וּ הֲלֹ֥א מֵאָ֛ז KJV: Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told INT: tremble nay be afraid not time |
    |
, Thes and others), but Frey fatuus et stolidus fuit; < Ew and others who read ִתּרְאוּ from ירא ("" פחד). 
1, VIII. be collected, congregated, compare NöZA xii. 186; ᵑ7 רָטַיָּא = רְהָטִים, 
is apparently conduit, also reservoir (?); Assyrian râ‰u, vessel for water, provisions, etc.).