Original Word: רַהַט
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: rahat
Pronunciation: rah'-hat
Phonetic Spelling: (rah'-hat)
KJV: gallery, gutter, trough
Word Origin: [from an unused root apparently meaning to hollow out]

1. a channel or watering-box
2. by resemblance a ringlet of hair (as forming parallel lines)

gallery, gutter, trough

From an unused root apparently meaning to hollow out; a channel or watering-box; by resemblance a ringlet of hair (as forming parallel lines) -- gallery, gutter, trough.

I. [ר֫הַט] noun [masculine] trough (where water is collected ?); — for watering cattle; — plural רְהָטִים Genesis 30:38,41; Exodus 2:16 (all J).

II. רהט (√ of two following; perhaps Aramaic רְהַט = רוּץ run, flow).

II. [רַ֫הַט] noun [masculine] dubious, Thes and most lock of hair (? from flowing down); — plural רְהָטִים Cant 7:6.

Physical Setting and Cultural Background

The term describes a channel or trough hewn or placed beside a well so that animals—or, by metaphor, people—might drink. Such watering installations were indispensable in the semi-arid landscapes of the patriarchs, and they formed natural gathering points where family, covenant, and community life intersected.

Occurrences in the Patriarchal Narrative (Genesis 30:38, 41)

Jacob “set the branches he had peeled in all the watering troughs” (Genesis 30:38) so that the stronger animals conceived while looking at the striped rods. In this vivid scene the trough becomes more than agricultural equipment; it is the stage where human craft meets divine oversight. Jacob’s stratagem appears shrewd, yet the broader context shows that the God who had promised multiplication to Abraham (Genesis 22:17) is the true guarantor of increase. The watering trough thus silently testifies to providence: ordinary means, extraordinary blessing.

Foreshadowing Redemption (Exodus 2:16)

“Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock” (Exodus 2:16). At this trough Moses first emerges as deliverer, rescuing Reuel’s daughters from oppressive shepherds. The scene anticipates his later role in delivering Israel from a far greater bondage. Just as the trough provided refreshment for the flock, Moses will later provide water from the rock (Exodus 17:6), pointing ultimately to the Messiah who offers living water (John 4:14).

Poetic Imagery of Intimacy and Royal Delight (Song of Songs 7:5)

In the Song, the word moves from utilitarian object to sensual metaphor: “Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel; the locks of your hair are like purple; a king is held captive in its tresses” (Song of Songs 7:5). The channel that once carried water now evokes flowing hair that captivates a king. The shift from livestock sustenance to marital delight mirrors Scripture’s larger movement from creation to covenant to consummation, reminding readers that physical love and spiritual covenant are intertwined gifts of God.

Theological Threads

1. Provision: Whether livestock in Paddan-Aram or travelers in Midian, life is sustained by accessible water. The trough underscores the Creator’s concern for daily needs (Psalm 104:27).
2. Protection: Moses’ intervention at the trough foreshadows God’s protective heart for the vulnerable (Psalm 68:5).
3. Partnership: Jacob’s selective breeding shows that human diligence operates under divine sovereignty (Proverbs 16:9).
4. Passion: The Song elevates common imagery into the language of covenant love, hinting at Christ’s devotion to His Bride (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Ministry Implications

• Shepherd-leaders are to ensure that God’s flock has ready access to pure spiritual water—sound doctrine and genuine fellowship (Acts 20:28).
• Ordinary workplaces (like ancient watering sites) can become arenas for God’s redemptive action; believers should labor faithfully, expecting divine appointments (Colossians 3:23-24).
• Marital intimacy, celebrated in the Song, is a sanctified context that reflects the Lord’s covenant faithfulness; pastors should teach its dignity without embarrassment (Hebrews 13:4).

Together, these four occurrences show how a simple trough can trace a line from patriarchal prosperity, through deliverance, all the way to covenant love—each scene flowing into the next like water in a well-worn channel, ultimately directing attention to the One who promises, “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:38).

בָּרְהָטִֽים׃ בָּרֳהָטִ֑ים בָּרֳהָטִ֖ים ברהטים ברהטים׃ הָ֣רְהָטִ֔ים הרהטים bā·rə·hā·ṭîm bā·ro·hā·ṭîm barehaTim bārəhāṭîm bārohāṭîm borohaTim hā·rə·hā·ṭîm harehaTim hārəhāṭîmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts