Hebrew word · H7351

רָהִיט

rachitenu

rafter

It occurs only here, so the meaning is uncertain. It is usually taken as 'rafters', 'boards' or 'ceiling panels'. The related noun rahaṭ means 'watering trough' or 'channel' (Genesis 30:38, 41; Exodus 2:16) and 'tresses, locks of hair' (Song 7:5).

Appears once in the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

rafters, boards

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Song of Songs 1:17

Range of meaning

It occurs only here, so the meaning is uncertain. It is usually taken as 'rafters', 'boards' or 'ceiling panels'. The related noun rahaṭ means 'watering trough' or 'channel' (Genesis 30:38, 41; Exodus 2:16) and 'tresses, locks of hair' (Song 7:5). The shared idea may be something long and running, such as runners or laths.

Against the English

English versions agree on 'rafters'. Ancient translators thought of panelled or coffered ceilings instead (see textual notes). 'Rafters' is a sound guess but only a guess.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Greek Septuagint has phatnōmata, 'coffered ceiling panels'. The Latin Vulgate has laquearia, 'panelled ceilings'. Medieval Jewish commentators linked it to runners or gutters. HALOT gives 'rafters' or 'panelling' with a question mark.

Where it appears

Song of Songs · 1

  1. Song of Songs 1:17 רַהִיטֵ֖נוּ rafters our

    The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are fragrant firs.

    Here: 'Our rafters' or 'our ceiling panels'. The word occurs only here, so its exact meaning is a guess. It refers to the finer woodwork of a roof or ceiling, secondary to the main beams. The two together make up the whole roof.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.