7466. R'uw

Lexical Summary

R'uw: To associate with, to be a friend, to companion.

Original Word: רְעוּ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: R`uw
Pronunciation: reh-oo'
Phonetic Spelling: (reh-oo')
KJV: Reu
Word Origin: [for H7471 (רְעִי - pasture-fed) in the sense of H7453 (רֵַע רֵיַע - neighbor)]

1. friend
2. Reu, a postdiluvian patriarch

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Reu

For r'iy in the sense of rea'; friend; Reu, a postdiluvian patriarch -- Reu.

see HEBREW r'iy

see HEBREW rea'

Brown-Driver-Briggs

רְעוּ proper name, masculine (properly name of a god, Duval^{ZA vi.126} Mez^{Harrân 23,} compare Hom^{A. u. A. ii. 208}); — son of Peleg: Genesis 11:18,19,20,21(P), 1 Chronicles 1:25; Ραγαυ.

Topical Lexicon

Genealogical Context

Reu stands sixth in the post-Flood line from Shem (Shem → Arpachshad → Shelah → Eber → Peleg → Reu → Serug). His name is recorded four times in Genesis 11:18–21 and once in 1 Chronicles 1:25, then affirmed in Luke 3:35 within the genealogy of Jesus Christ.

Biblical Record

Genesis notes only three facts: his birth (Genesis 11:18), his age at the birth of Serug (Genesis 11:20), and his death after 239 years (Genesis 11:21). No exploits or sayings are preserved; yet his repeated mention verifies the historical chain that links Noah to Abraham.

Selected text:
• “When Peleg was 30 years old, he became the father of Reu.” (Genesis 11:18)
• “When Reu was 32 years old, he became the father of Serug.” (Genesis 11:20)

Chronology and Lifespan

• Born 101 years after the Flood (per Masoretic numbers)
• Fathered Serug at 32
• Lived 207 additional years
• Total lifespan: 239 years

His longevity reflects the gradual post-Flood decline in human life span, highlighting both the effects of sin and God’s sustaining grace.

Role in Messianic Line

Luke 3:35 places Reu directly in the legal ancestry of Jesus, underscoring the unbroken transmission of the promise first given to Eve (Genesis 3:15) and later narrowed through Shem and Abraham. Reu’s presence in this list testifies that even uncelebrated individuals serve God’s redemptive purposes.

Historical Setting

Reu lived in the generations immediately following Babel’s dispersion (Genesis 11:1–9). While Scripture does not specify his locale, Mesopotamia remained the family’s sphere until Terah led Abram toward Canaan (Genesis 11:31). The cultural diversification and population shifts of that era correspond with archaeological data for the Early Bronze Age.

Theological Themes

1. Covenant Continuity: Reu illustrates the precision with which God preserves the messianic line.
2. Divine Sovereignty over Ordinary Lives: Though silent in Scripture, Reu’s life was indispensable to God’s plan, affirming that significance is defined by divine purpose, not human acclaim.
3. Mortality and Hope: His shortened years exemplify humanity’s decline, yet his inclusion in Christ’s genealogy anticipates redemption and restored life.

Ministry Applications

• Encouragement to the “unknown”: Faithful obscurity still advances God’s kingdom.
• Family Discipleship: Genealogies motivate parents to view child-raising as participation in God’s long-term work.
• Apologetics: Reu’s consistent placement across Genesis, Chronicles, and Luke supports the reliability and unity of Scripture.

Key References

Genesis 11:18–21; 1 Chronicles 1:25; Luke 3:35

Forms and Transliterations

רְע֔וּ רְע֗וּ רְעֽוּ׃ רעו רעו׃ rə‘ū rə·‘ū reU

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 11:18
HEB: וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־ רְעֽוּ׃
NAS: years, and became the father of Reu;
KJV: years, and begat Reu:
INT: years and became of Reu

Genesis 11:19
HEB: הוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־ רְע֔וּ תֵּ֥שַׁע שָׁנִ֖ים
NAS: the father of Reu, and he had
KJV: he begat Reu two hundred
INT: after became of Reu and nine years

Genesis 11:20
HEB: וַיְחִ֣י רְע֔וּ שְׁתַּ֥יִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים
NAS: Reu lived thirty-two
KJV: And Reu lived two
INT: lived Reu two and thirty

Genesis 11:21
HEB: וַיְחִ֣י רְע֗וּ אַחֲרֵי֙ הוֹלִיד֣וֹ
NAS: and Reu lived two hundred
KJV: And Reu lived after
INT: lived and Reu after became

1 Chronicles 1:25
HEB: עֵ֥בֶר פֶּ֖לֶג רְעֽוּ׃
NAS: Eber, Peleg, Reu,
KJV: Eber, Peleg, Reu,
INT: Eber Peleg Reu

5 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 7466
5 Occurrences

rə·‘ū — 5 Occ.