7385. riyq
Lexical Summary
riyq: Empty, vain, worthless

Original Word: רִיק
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: riyq
Pronunciation: reek
Phonetic Spelling: (reek)
KJV: empty, to no purpose, (in) vain (thing), vanity
Word Origin: [from H7324 (רוּק - To empty)]

1. emptiness
2. (figuratively) a worthless thing
3. adverbially, in vain

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
empty, to no purpose, in vain thing, vanity

From ruwq; emptiness; figuratively, a worthless thing; adverbially, in vain -- empty, to no purpose, (in) vain (thing), vanity.

see HEBREW ruwq

Brown-Driver-Briggs
רִיק noun [masculine] emptiness, vanity; — chiefly in adverb phrase לְרִיק Isaiah 46:4; Job 39:16 in vain (of labour without benefit), so ׳לָר Leviticus 26:16,20 (H), Isaiah 65:23; and as adverb accusative רִיק Isaiah 30:7; Psalm 73:13, probably also Psalm 2:1 (most = empty scheme as רֵיק 2) compare Psalm 4:3 (read probably רֵיק); בְּדֵי דִיק Jeremiah 51:58 = Habakkuk 2:13. — Jeremiah 51:34 see רֵיק 1 above

Topical Lexicon
Concept and Scope

The term רִיק captures the idea of emptiness, futility, or worthlessness in human effort, motive, or outcome. Across its twelve occurrences, it exposes the barrenness of labor divorced from divine favor and the hollowness of rebellion against the Lord.

Futility within the Covenant Framework

Leviticus 26:16, 20 sets the theme: disobedience brings a curse in which sowing, labor, and strength are “in vain.” The warning demonstrates that productivity is not merely an agricultural issue but a covenantal one—prosperity flows from obedience; emptiness follows defiance.

Personal Lament over Seeming Vanity

Job 39:16 employs the word to describe the ostrich’s disregard for her offspring, highlighting wasted maternal effort. Similarly, Asaph cries, “Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure” (Psalm 73:13), revealing the anguish of the righteous when immediate circumstances seem to contradict God’s promises. Isaiah echoes this lament: “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength on futility and for nothing” (Isaiah 49:4), yet immediately anchors hope in divine justice—“yet surely my right is with the LORD.”

National and Eschatological Rebellion

Psalm 2:1 portrays global hostility to God’s reign: “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?” The futility motif underscores that opposition to the Messiah will not succeed. Habakkuk 2:13 and Jeremiah 51:58 expand the picture to imperial toil, declaring that people groups exhausting themselves apart from God are “fuel for the fire.” Babylon’s “empty vessel” (Jeremiah 51:34) becomes the emblem of every proud power drained of substance under divine judgment.

Idolatrous Reliance Exposed

Isaiah 30:7 diagnoses political alliances as “vain and empty.” Human schemes that sidestep trust in the covenant Lord collapse into רִיק, teaching that idolatry is not merely false worship but wasted endeavor.

Promise of Reversal for the Faithful

Isaiah 65:23 stands as the antithesis: “They will not labor in vain nor bear children doomed to disaster.” Restoration promises that obedience and blessing will replace futility, prefiguring New Testament assurances that “your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Theological Trajectory

From Eden’s curse of frustrated toil to the consummated Kingdom where labor is fruitful, רִיק traces the storyline of redemption. The term exposes the stark alternative faced by every generation: life of purpose under divine authority or fruitless striving apart from it.

Ministry Implications

• Preaching: Highlight the contrast between empty human striving and Spirit-empowered fruitfulness.
• Counseling: Address feelings of futility with the biblical pattern of lament that moves toward hope (Psalm 73; Isaiah 49).
• Discipleship: Reinforce that obedience aligns ordinary work with eternal significance (Colossians 3:23–24).
• Mission: Warn against self-reliant strategies; dependence on God determines lasting impact.

Summary

רִיק threads through Scripture as a solemn reminder that every plan, pursuit, or power severed from the Lord inevitably collapses into emptiness, while those who walk with Him exchange vanity for enduring fruit.

Forms and Transliterations
וָרִ֖יק וריק לְרִ֖יק לְרִ֣יק לָרִ֔יק לָרִ֖יק לָרִיק֙ לריק רִ֑יק רִ֔יק רִ֛יק רִ֥יק רִ֭יק רִֽיק׃ ריק ריק׃ lā·rîq laRik lārîq lə·rîq leRik lərîq Rik rîq vaRik wā·rîq wārîq
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Leviticus 26:16
HEB: נָ֑פֶשׁ וּזְרַעְתֶּ֤ם לָרִיק֙ זַרְעֲכֶ֔ם וַאֲכָלֻ֖הוּ
NAS: your seed uselessly, for your enemies
KJV: your seed in vain, for your enemies
INT: the soul will sow uselessly your seed will eat

Leviticus 26:20
HEB: וְתַ֥ם לָרִ֖יק כֹּחֲכֶ֑ם וְלֹֽא־
NAS: will be spent uselessly, for your land
KJV: shall be spent in vain: for your land
INT: will be spent uselessly your strength will not

Job 39:16
HEB: לְּלֹא־ לָ֑הּ לְרִ֖יק יְגִיעָ֣הּ בְּלִי־
NAS: as if [they] were not hers; Though her labor be in vain, [she] is unconcerned;
KJV: hers: her labour is in vain without fear;
INT: her young not vain her labor without

Psalm 2:1
HEB: וּ֝לְאֻמִּ֗ים יֶהְגּוּ־ רִֽיק׃
NAS: And the peoples devising a vain thing?
KJV: and the people imagine a vain thing?
INT: and the peoples devising A vain

Psalm 4:2
HEB: לִ֭כְלִמָּה תֶּאֱהָב֣וּן רִ֑יק תְּבַקְשׁ֖וּ כָזָ֣ב
NAS: [How long] will you love what is worthless and aim
KJV: [how long] will ye love vanity, [and] seek
INT: confusion love what and aim deceitful

Psalm 73:13
HEB: אַךְ־ רִ֭יק זִכִּ֣יתִי לְבָבִ֑י
NAS: Surely in vain I have kept my heart
KJV: my heart [in] vain, and washed
INT: Surely vain have kept my heart

Isaiah 30:7
HEB: וּמִצְרַ֕יִם הֶ֥בֶל וָרִ֖יק יַעְזֹ֑רוּ לָכֵן֙
NAS: is vain and empty. Therefore,
KJV: in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried
INT: Egypt is vain and empty help Therefore

Isaiah 49:4
HEB: וַאֲנִ֤י אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ לְרִ֣יק יָגַ֔עְתִּי לְתֹ֥הוּ
NAS: I have toiled in vain, I have spent
KJV: I have laboured in vain, I have spent
INT: I said vain have toiled nothing

Isaiah 65:23
HEB: לֹ֤א יִֽיגְעוּ֙ לָרִ֔יק וְלֹ֥א יֵלְד֖וּ
NAS: They will not labor in vain, Or bear
KJV: They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth
INT: They will not labor vain Or bear

Jeremiah 51:34
HEB: ק) כְּלִ֣י רִ֔יק [בְּלָעָנוּ כ]
KJV: me, he hath made me an empty vessel,
INT: establish vessel an empty cover A monster

Jeremiah 51:58
HEB: עַמִּ֧ים בְּדֵי־ רִ֛יק וּלְאֻמִּ֥ים בְּדֵי־
KJV: shall labour in vain, and the folk
INT: the peoples in vain and the nations able

Habakkuk 2:13
HEB: וּלְאֻמִּ֖ים בְּדֵי־ רִ֥יק יִעָֽפוּ׃
NAS: And nations grow weary for nothing?
KJV: themselves for very vanity?
INT: and nations very empty grow

12 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 7385
12 Occurrences


lā·rîq — 3 Occ.
lə·rîq — 2 Occ.
rîq — 6 Occ.
wā·rîq — 1 Occ.

7384
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