Original Word: רָחֵל
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: rachel
Pronunciation: rah-KHALE
Phonetic Spelling: (raw-kale')
KJV: ewe, sheep
NASB: ewes, sheep
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to journey]

1. a ewe (the females being the predominant element of a flock) (as a good traveller)

ewe, sheep

From an unused root meaning to journey; a ewe (the females being the predominant element of a flock) (as a good traveller) -- ewe, sheep.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
ewe
NASB Translation
ewes (3), sheep (1).

I. רָחֵל noun feminine^{Isaiah 53:7} ewe; — absolute ׳ר Isaiah 53:7 (in simile, "" שֶׂה); plural רְחֵלִים Genesis 32:15 (E; + עִזִּים, אֵילִים), Songs 6:6 (in simile); suffix רְחֵלֶיךָ וְעִזֶּיךָ Genesis 31:38 (E).

Literal Agricultural Significance

The term denotes a full-grown female sheep, the foundation of any Near Eastern flock. Ewes provided milk, wool, and the capacity to reproduce; therefore their number measured a man’s wealth (Genesis 32:14). A healthy flock of ewes meant both immediate provision and future increase, explaining why Jacob could testify, “your ewes and female goats have not miscarried” (Genesis 31:38). Their fertility and wellbeing demonstrated his faithful stewardship under Laban and became a tangible sign of God’s favor.

Narrative Use in Genesis

In the patriarchal narratives the word appears twice. In Genesis 31:38 Jacob’s integrity is highlighted; he neither consumed Laban’s rams nor lost a single ewe to miscarriage. Two verses later (Genesis 32:14) Jacob selects “two hundred ewes, and twenty rams” as part of the generous gift sent to appease Esau. The detail underscores both the size of Jacob’s holdings and the high value placed on the female sheep: they far outnumber the rams because future multiplication depended on them. The careful cataloguing of livestock reveals a culture where covenant blessing was tangibly measured in thriving, reproducing flocks (compare Genesis 30:43).

Poetic Depiction of Beauty in Song of Songs

Song of Songs 6:6 invokes the same word to craft a graceful simile: “Your teeth are like a flock of ewes coming up from the washing; each has its twin, and none is missing”. Here the gentle, clean, perfectly paired ewes mirror the bride’s spotless teeth. The comparison highlights purity, order, and completeness—traits prized in marital love and, by extension, in Israel’s relationship with her covenant-keeping God. The ewe, known for her docility and whiteness after washing, becomes a fitting emblem of unblemished beauty.

Prophetic Foreshadowing in Isaiah 53

Isaiah 53:7 employs the term in the climactic Servant Song: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth”. The feminine noun quietly intensifies the image of vulnerability: the Servant is not merely any sheep but a defenseless ewe, willingly silent. The New Testament identifies this prophecy with Jesus Christ (Acts 8:32-35; 1 Peter 2:23-24). His voluntary submission fulfills the picture of the silent ewe, transforming pastoral imagery into redemptive reality.

Sacrificial and Theological Implications

While Levitical law often specified male lambs, several offerings allowed or required females (for example, Leviticus 4:32; Numbers 6:14). The presence of the ewe in sacrificial regulation points to the necessity that sin be borne by a blameless, gentle substitute, regardless of gender. Isaiah’s use of the ewe motif, therefore, reaches back to the sacrificial system and forward to the cross, where the spotless “Lamb of God” bowed to slaughter (John 1:29) and shed blood “without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:19). The ewe thus bridges pastoral life, Temple worship, and Calvary.

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

1. Stewardship and Integrity: Jacob’s care for Laban’s ewes challenges believers to honor God in vocational responsibilities, trusting Him to vindicate faithful service.
2. Marital Purity: The Song of Songs imagery invites couples to pursue cleanliness, wholeness, and mutual admiration, mirroring Christ’s sanctifying love for His bride (Ephesians 5:25-27).
3. Christ-Centred Suffering: Isaiah’s silent ewe encourages suffering saints to entrust themselves to God’s justice, following the Savior who “opened not His mouth.”
4. Evangelistic Emphasis: Because the ewe points to the atoning Lamb, the image serves as a bridge for proclaiming the gospel—from the flock pens of Genesis to the throne of Revelation, where the Lamb is worshiped forever (Revelation 5:12-13).

In every occurrence the ewe embodies fruitfulness, beauty, submission, and substitution—qualities culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

הָֽרְחֵלִ֔ים הרחלים וּכְרָחֵ֕ל וכרחל רְחֵלִ֥ים רְחֵלֶ֥יךָ רחליך רחלים hā·rə·ḥê·lîm harecheLim hārəḥêlîm rə·ḥê·le·ḵā rə·ḥê·lîm recheLeicha recheLim rəḥêleḵā rəḥêlîm ū·ḵə·rā·ḥêl ucheraChel ūḵərāḥêlInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts