Lexical Summary rechem: womb, birth, maiden Original Word: רֶחֶם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance matrix, womb From racham; the womb (compare racham) -- matrix, womb. see HEBREW racham see HEBREW racham NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition womb NASB Translation birth (3), born* (1), maiden (1), maidens (1), mother (1), womb (22), wombs (1). Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Thematic Coreרֶחֶם (rechem) denotes the physical womb and, by extension, the tender mercy that springs from it. The term appears about twenty-six times, almost always emphasizing either (1) the mysterious sanctuary in which God fashions life or (2) the life-affirming claim that the Lord lays upon what “opens the womb.” The concrete and the metaphorical remain inseparable: because the womb shelters the helpless, rechem becomes a window into the heart of God, whose compassion protects and nurtures His people. Literary Distribution • Torah: Concentrated in legislation on the firstborn (Exodus 13:2, 12, 15; 34:19; Numbers 3:12; 8:16; 18:15). The Womb as Sanctuary of Life From the start, Scripture regards the womb as a holy place where the Creator acts directly. • Psalm 22:10: “From my mother’s womb You have been my God.” Such texts present life in utero as God’s personal craftsmanship. Consequently, to harm life in the womb is to oppose the Creator’s handiwork—an ethic that undergirds biblical opposition to violence against the innocent (compare Exodus 21:22-25). “Opening the Womb” and the Firstborn Eight occurrences join rechem with פֶּטֶר (peter, “one who opens”), establishing the principle that the first issue of every womb belongs to the LORD. • Exodus 13:2: “Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me.” Historically this ordinance proclaimed (1) God’s deliverance in the plague of the firstborn, (2) His ownership of all life, and (3) a foreshadowing of the true Firstborn, Jesus Christ, later identified in Luke 2:23 as fulfilling “every firstborn male shall be called holy to the Lord” (citing Exodus 13:2). Rechem and Prophetic Calling Several prophets trace their vocation to God’s action in the womb, affirming both divine sovereignty and human dignity. • Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart.” These texts assure believers that God’s purposes precede birth, encouraging surrender to His call and supporting ministries that defend the unborn and nurture children toward their God-given destinies. Metaphorical Extension to Compassion Though other forms of the root more frequently express “mercy,” the very choice of rechem for womb implies that compassion is womb-like: warm, protective, self-giving. When Scripture describes God’s mercy, it often links back to this visceral image (for example, Isaiah 49:15 uses the related verb). Human compassion, therefore, is not merely emotional sympathy but a commitment to shelter life as the womb does—an ethic foundational for pastoral care, adoption, foster ministry, and pro-life advocacy. Christological Fulfillment Luke deliberately cites Exodus 13 to show that Jesus, the true Firstborn, embodies all that rechem signifies. His incarnation begins in Mary’s womb (Luke 1:31), and His redemptive mission secures the release of every “firstborn” who trusts in Him (Hebrews 12:23). Thus, the consecration of the womb’s first issue finds ultimate expression in the consecrated body of Christ. Practical Ministry Implications 1. Sanctity of Life: Every stage of human development is under divine claim; Christian ethics must protect life from conception to natural death. See Also • Beten (בֶּטֶן 990): another word for “womb.” Forms and Transliterations בָּרֶ֥חֶם ברחם וְרַחְמָ֖הֿ ורחמה מֵ֭רֶחֶם מֵרֶ֖חֶם מֵרֶ֣חֶם מֵרֶ֥חֶם מֵרָ֑חֶם מרחם רֶ֖חֶם רֶ֙חֶם֙ רֶ֜חֶם רֶ֠חֶם רֶ֣חֶם רֶ֨חֶם ׀ רַחְמָ֑הּ רַחְמָֽהּ׃ רחם רחמה רחמה׃ bā·re·ḥem baRechem bāreḥem mê·rā·ḥem mê·re·ḥem meRachem mêrāḥem meRechem mêreḥem rachMah raḥ·māh raḥmāh re·ḥem Rechem reḥem verachMah wə·raḥ·māh wəraḥmāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 20:18 HEB: בְּעַ֥ד כָּל־ רֶ֖חֶם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ NAS: all the wombs of the household KJV: closed up all the wombs of the house INT: about all the wombs of the household of Abimelech Genesis 29:31 Genesis 30:22 Exodus 13:2 Exodus 13:12 Exodus 13:15 Exodus 34:19 Numbers 3:12 Numbers 8:16 Numbers 12:12 Numbers 18:15 1 Samuel 1:5 1 Samuel 1:6 Job 3:11 Job 10:18 Job 24:20 Job 31:15 Job 38:8 Psalm 22:10 Psalm 58:3 Psalm 110:3 Jeremiah 1:5 Jeremiah 20:17 Jeremiah 20:17 Jeremiah 20:18 26 Occurrences |
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