Original Word: רְחִיט
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: rchiyt
Pronunciation: rah-HEET
Phonetic Spelling: (rekh-eet')
KJV: rafter
NASB: rafters
Word Origin: [from the same as H7298 (רַהַט - Trough)]

1. a panel (as resembling a trough)

rafter

From the same as rahat; a panel (as resembling a trough) -- rafter.

see HEBREW rahat

Word Origin
from the same as rahat
Definition
perhaps rafters, boards
NASB Translation
rafters (1).

[רָהִיט] noun masculine collective rafters? boards? (as strips running between beams ? so Bu conjecture; compare Syriac boards (?) , Nö in Bu); — suffix רָהִיטֵנוּ Songs 1:17 Qr (Kt רחיטנו; Manuscripts ׳רַח Baer^{p. 46} Kö^{ii. 1, 149}), "" קִרוֺת.

רוֺב see רֹב below רבב. [רוּב] see ריב.

רחיטנו Songs 1:17 Kt, see [רָחִיט] below רהט.

רֵחַיִם see רחה. above

רחל (√ of following; meaning ?; compare Late Hebrew רָחֵל (plural יִ֯ם, וִֺ֯ת), Arabic , , Aramaic רַחְלָא, all ewe; compare perhaps Assyrian la—ru (transposed; see on רֶגֶל)).

Overview

רְחִיט (Strong’s 7351) designates the roof-boards, rafters, or upper paneling of a house. Though attested only once (Song of Songs 1:17), the term evokes a world of architectural, social, and spiritual imagery that enriches biblical theology.

Scriptural Context

Song of Songs 1:17: “The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are cypresses.”

The lovers picture their shared dwelling in terms of its sturdy beams (קֹרוֹת) and fragrant רְחִיטִים. The verse closes the opening stanza in which bride and bridegroom rejoice in mutual affection. The cedar and cypress elements recall Solomon’s palace and temple construction (1 Kings 5:6–10; 2 Chronicles 2:3–8), suggesting that their union enjoys the dignity, permanence, and holiness associated with those sacred buildings.

Architectural Background

1. Materials. Cedar and cypress were prized across the Levant for durability, resistance to insects, and pleasant aroma. Transported from Lebanon, they became symbols of wealth and beauty (Isaiah 60:13).
2. Placement. Rafters ran atop the beams, binding the structure together and distributing weight. Their visibility from within a house meant they contributed to both function and aesthetic.
3. Symbolic Fragrance. The scented wood infused the home’s interior, an image suggestive of love’s permeating influence.

Literary and Theological Significance

• Security and Stability. A roof’s rafters protect inhabitants from the elements; likewise, covenant love provides shelter (cf. Ruth 3:9).
• Beauty and Fragrance. Cedar and cypress mirror the attractiveness of the beloved (Song 4:11). In typological readings, they hint at the excellence of Christ who “gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering” (Ephesians 5:2).
• Temple Allusions. Solomon’s temple featured cedar paneling overlaid with gold (1 Kings 6:15–18). By echoing that imagery, the Song elevates marital intimacy to a sphere compatible with worship.

Intertextual Connections

• House imagery in wisdom literature: Proverbs 24:3–4; Psalm 127:1.
• Cedar as royal and divine symbol: Ezekiel 17:22–24; 31:3–11.
• Bridal fellowship as sanctuary: John 14:2 (“In My Father’s house are many rooms”).

Historical Reception

Early Jewish exegesis linked the cedar-lined dwelling to the restored Jerusalem, while patristic writers saw the rafters as the cross-beams of redemption, supporting the household of faith. Medieval commentators applied the verse to the ordering of Christian marriage—a miniature “domestic church” framed by righteousness.

Ministry Application

• Marriage Counseling. Song 1:17 encourages couples to build relationships with materials of proven worth—commitment, purity, and sacrificial love—so that their “house” testifies to the Lord’s craftsmanship.
• Worship and Architecture. Churches aspiring to embody beauty and solidity may draw from the cedar-rafter motif when designing spaces that point worshipers heavenward.
• Discipleship. Just as rafters tie a roof together, spiritual disciplines (prayer, Scripture, fellowship) knit believers into a cohesive, sheltering community (Acts 2:42).

Reflection

Though רְחִיט appears but once, its single occurrence summons readers to consider what upholds their lives and relationships. When the framework is fashioned from what is incorruptible—Christ’s love and Word—believers can echo the bride’s confidence: “The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are cypresses.”

רַהִיטֵ֖נוּ רהיטנו ra·hî·ṭê·nū rahiTenu rahîṭênūInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts