רֶ֥כֶב

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 רֶ֥כֶב

   RE-khev

   a chariot or rider of
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 רֶ֥כֶב חֲמ֖וֹר

   RE-khev kha-MOR

   a chariot or rider of a donkey
3. clause🔊 וְרָ֣אָה רֶ֗כֶב צֶ֚מֶד פָּֽרָשִׁ֔ים רֶ֥כֶב חֲמ֖וֹר רֶ֣כֶב גָּמָ֑ל

   ve-ra-A RE-khev TSE-med pa-ra-SHIM RE-khev kha-MOR RE-khev ga-MAL

   and he sees a chariot or cavalry a pair of horsemen a chariot or rider of a donkey a chariot or rider of a camel
4. sentence🔊 וְרָ֣אָה רֶ֗כֶב צֶ֚מֶד פָּֽרָשִׁ֔ים רֶ֥כֶב חֲמ֖וֹר רֶ֣כֶב גָּמָ֑ל וְהִקְשִׁ֥יב קֶ֖שֶׁב רַב־קָֽשֶׁב׃

   ve-ra-A RE-khev TSE-med pa-ra-SHIM RE-khev kha-MOR RE-khev ga-MAL ve-hik-SHIV KE-shev rav-ka-SHEV

   and he sees a chariot or cavalry a pair of horsemen a chariot or rider of a donkey a chariot or rider of a camel and he listened attention much attention

Exegesis

The verse begins with the vav-consecutive verb vərā’āh {וְרָאָה | vərā’āh} ‘and he saw’, leading into a cumulative series of nominal constructs introduced by the noun reḵêḇ {רֶכֶב | reḵêḇ}. Although reḵêḇ often means ‘chariot’, the paired use with donkeys and camels supports understanding as mounted units.

The constructs reḵêḇ tsemeḏ pā-ra-šîm {רֶכֶב צֶמֶד פָּרָשִׁים | reḵêḇ tsemeḏ pā-ra-šîm}, reḵêḇ ḥă-môr {רֶכֶב חֲמֹר | reḵêḇ ḥă-môr}, and reḵêḇ gā-māl {רֶכֶב גָּמָל | reḵêḇ gā-māl} enumerate ‘a pair of horsemen’, ‘donkey unit’, and ‘camel unit’, creating paratactic buildup. While many translations render these as vehicles, context and animal capacity favor ‘riders’.

Root and etymology

ר־כ־ב🔊 r-k-b

“to ride, mount”