Lexical Summary raveh: Satisfied, saturated, refreshed Original Word: רֶוֶה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance drunkenness, watered From ravah; sated (with drink) -- drunkenness, watered. see HEBREW ravah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ravah Definition watered NASB Translation watered (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs רָוֶה adjective watered; — masculine singular ׳ר, of garden גַּן (in simile) Jeremiah 31:12; Isaiah 58:11; feminine singular הָרָוָה Deuteronomy 29:18 (opposed to הַצְּמֵאָה; apparently of herbage, in proverb, expression for everything); perhaps also construct רְוֵה Job 10:15 = sated with afflication (for רְאֵה), see [ רָאֶה]. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Imagery רֶוֶה portrays land or life that has been soaked, saturated, or abundantly supplied with water. In Scripture it functions as a vivid emblem of overflow, refreshment, and covenantal blessing. Rather than describing a mere sprinkling, the term evokes soil that has drunk deeply, a garden perpetually irrigated, or a soul fully satisfied in God. Occurrences in the Old Testament 1. Deuteronomy 29:19 sets רֶוֶה in a covenant-warning formula—“This will bring disaster on the watered and the dry alike.” The contrast heightens the totality of judgment: even the most flourishing fields cannot escape if the heart rebels. Covenantal Significance In Deuteronomy the term is employed within the stipulations of the Mosaic covenant, underscoring that disobedience threatens even those who appear “well-watered.” By contrast, Isaiah and Jeremiah use רֶוֶה to unveil the sure mercies of the everlasting covenant: when God Himself shepherds His people, saturation is guaranteed (compare Ezekiel 34:26). Prophetic Hope and Restoration Both Isaiah and Jeremiah announce that divine guidance and presence will convert scorched territories into verdant gardens. רֶוֶה thus becomes shorthand for the Spirit’s outpoured life (Isaiah 32:15) and the reversal of covenant curses (Leviticus 26:19-20). The imagery echoes Eden (Genesis 2:10-14) and anticipates the river of life in Revelation 22:1-2. Spiritual Theology The movement from warning (Deuteronomy) to promise (Isaiah, Jeremiah) illustrates the biblical rhythm of law and grace. Abundance is not self-generated; it flows from the covenant Lord. רֶוֶה therefore calls believers away from self-reliance and toward utter dependence on divine sustenance (Psalm 23:2; Psalm 36:8). Christological Echoes Jesus stands in Jerusalem and cries, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37). The Living Water of the New Covenant fulfills the רֶוֶה motif, giving “abundance of grace” (Romans 5:17) and turning disciples into “springs of living water” (John 7:38-39). The well-watered garden of Jeremiah 31 finds its fulfillment in the church, indwelt and irrigated by the Holy Spirit. Ministerial Application • Pastoral Care: Encourage congregations to evaluate whether they are “well-watered” by the Word and prayer or relying on the illusion of self-sufficiency exposed in Deuteronomy 29. Intertestamental and New Testament Resonance Jewish tradition linked rivers and gardens with eschatological hope (Sirach 24:30-31). The New Testament picks up the thread: Ephesians 5:26 envisions Christ cleansing the church “by the washing with water,” while Revelation frames the consummation in river-garden terms. רֶוֶה thus bridges Testaments, uniting the account of Scripture around divine abundance. Summary רֶוֶה combines agricultural realism with theological depth. Whether warning stiff-necked wanderers, consoling exiles, or foreshadowing the Spirit’s deluge, it proclaims that true flourishing flows solely from the covenant-keeping God who delights to saturate His people, ultimately through the Living Water, Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations הָרָוָ֖ה הרוה רָוֶ֔ה רוה hā·rā·wāh haraVah hārāwāh rā·weh raVeh rāwehLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 29:19 HEB: לְמַ֛עַן סְפ֥וֹת הָרָוָ֖ה אֶת־ הַצְּמֵאָֽה׃ NAS: to destroy the watered [land] with the dry.' KJV: to add drunkenness to thirst: INT: order to destroy the watered to thirst Isaiah 58:11 Jeremiah 31:12 3 Occurrences |
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