Easton's Bible Dictionary

Rabshakeh Chief of the princes, the name given to the chief cup-bearer or the vizier of the Assyrian court; one of Sennacherib's messengers to Hezekiah. See the speech he delivered, in the Hebrew language, in the hearing of all the people, as he stood near the wall on the north side of the city (2 Kings 18:17-37). He and the other envoys returned to their master and reported that Hezekiah and his people were obdurate, and would not submit.

Raca Vain, empty, worthless, only found in Mat 5:22. The Jews used it as a word of contempt. It is derived from a root meaning "to spit."

Rachab =Rahab, a name found in the genealogy of our Lord (Mat 1:5).

Rachal Traffic, a town in the tribe of Judah, to which David sent presents from the spoils of his enemies (Sa1 30:29).

Rachel Eve, "the daughter", "the somewhat petulant, peevish, and self-willed though beautiful younger daughter" of Laban, and one of Jacob's wives (Gen 29:6, Gen 29:28). He served Laban fourteen years for her, so deep was Jacob's affection for her. She was the mother of Joseph (Gen 30:22). Afterwards, on Jacob's departure from Mesopotamia, she took with her father's teraphim (Gen 31:34, Gen 31:35). As they journeyed on from Bethel, Rachel died in giving birth to Benjamin (Gen 35:18, Gen 35:19), and was buried "in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave". Her sepulchre is still regarded with great veneration by the Jews. Its traditional site is about half a mile from Jerusalem. This name is used poetically by Jeremiah (Jer 31:15) to denote God's people mourning under their calamities. This passage is also quoted by Matthew as fulfilled in the lamentation at Bethlehem on account of the slaughter of the infants there at the command of Herod (Mat 2:17, Mat 2:18).

Raguel Friend of God, (Num 10:29)= Reuel (q.v.), Exo 2:18, the father-in-law of Moses, and probably identical with Jethro (q.v.).

Rahab (1.) Insolence; pride, a poetical name applied to Egypt in Psa 87:4; Psa 89:10; Isa 51:9, as "the proud one." (2.) (Heb. Rahab ; i.e., "broad," "large"). When the Hebrews were encamped at Shittim, in the "Arabah" or Jordan valley opposite Jericho, ready to cross the river, Joshua, as a final preparation, sent out two spies to "spy the land." After five days they returned, having swum across the river, which at this season, the month Abib, overflowed its banks from the melting of the snow on Lebanon. The spies reported how it had fared with them (Jos 2:1). They had been exposed to danger in Jericho, and had been saved by the fidelity of Rahab the harlot, to whose house they had gone for protection. When the city of Jericho fell (Jos 6:17), Rahab and her whole family were preserved according to the promise of the spies, and were incorporated among the Jewish people. She afterwards became the wife of Salmon, a prince of the tribe of Judah (Rut 4:21; Ch1 2:11; Mat 1:5). "Rahab's being asked to bring out the spies to the soldiers (Jos 2:3) sent for them, is in strict keeping with Eastern manners, which would not permit any man to enter a woman's house without her permission. The fact of her covering the spies with bundles of flax which lay on her house-roof (Jos 2:6) is an 'undesigned coincidence' which strictly corroborates the narrative. It was the time of the barley harvest, and flax and barley are ripe at the same time in the Jordan valley, so that the bundles of flax stalks might have been expected to be drying just then" (Geikie's Hours, etc., ii., 390).

Raham Merciful, one of the descendants of Caleb, the son of Hezron (Ch1 2:44).

Rain There are three Hebrew words used to denote the rains of different seasons, (1.) Yoreh (Hos 6:3), or moreh (Joe 2:23), denoting the former or the early rain. (2.) Melqosh, the "latter rain" (Pro 16:15). (3.) Geshem, the winter rain, "the rains." The heavy winter rain is mentioned in Gen 7:12; Ezr 10:9; Sol 2:11. The "early" or "former" rains commence in autumn in the latter part of October or beginning of November (Deu 11:14; Joe 2:23; compare Jer 3:3), and continue to fall heavily for two months. Then the heavy "winter rains" fall from the middle of December to March. There is no prolonged fair weather in Palestine between October and March. The "latter" or spring rains fall in March and April, and serve to swell the grain then coming to maturity (Deu 11:14; Hos 6:3). After this there is ordinarily no rain, the sky being bright and cloudless till October or November. Rain is referred to symbolically in Deu 32:2; Psa 72:6; Isa 44:3, Isa 44:4; Hos 10:12.

Rainbow Caused by the reflection and refraction of the rays of the sun shining on falling rain. It was appointed as a witness of the divine faithfulness (Gen 9:12). It existed indeed before, but it was then constituted as a sign of the covenant. Others, however (as Delitzsch, Commentary on Pentateuch), think that it "appeared then for the first time in the vault and clouds of heaven." It is argued by those holding this opinion that the atmosphere was differently constituted before the Flood. It is referred to three other times in Scripture (Eze 1:27, Eze 1:28; Rev 4:1; Rev 10:1).