Original Word: רְחַץ
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: rchats
Pronunciation: rah-khats'
Phonetic Spelling: (rekh-ats')
KJV: trust
NASB: put their trust
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H7364 (רָחַץ - bathe) (probably through the accessory idea of ministering as a servant at the bath)]

1. to attend upon

trust

(Aramaic) corresponding to rachats (probably through the accessory idea of ministering as a servant at the bath); to attend upon -- trust.

see HEBREW rachats

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding rachats
Definition
to trust
NASB Translation
put their trust (1).

[רְחַץ] verb trust (ᵑ7 id., Christian-Palestinian Aramaic Schw^{Idiot, 126} Schulth^{Lex. 193}; Assyrian ra—âƒu; Arabic II. have indulgence, permission); —

Hithpe`el set one's trust upon (עַל of deity) Perfect3masculine plural הִתְרְחִ֫צוּ Daniel 3:28.

Root Concept and Nuance

רְחַץ (Strong’s 7365) conveys the idea of yielding up, exposing, or risking one’s own person. In its single biblical use it describes a voluntary surrender of bodily safety for the sake of covenant faithfulness.

Biblical Occurrence

Daniel 3:28: “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him. They defied the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”

Historical Setting

Nebuchadnezzar’s edict demanded universal worship of a golden image. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused, were cast into the furnace, and were miraculously preserved. The king’s confession highlights their willingness to “risk their lives,” the precise action captured by רְחַץ.

Theological Significance

1. Exclusive Worship: The verb underscores the absolute allegiance God requires; His servants preferred death to idolatry.
2. Faith Under Fire: רְחַץ encapsulates the costliness of trust—faith is proven genuine when it hazards personal security (compare Job 13:15).
3. Divine Vindication: The narrative couples human self-surrender with divine intervention, illustrating that God honors those who honor Him (1 Samuel 2:30).

Canonical Echoes

• Acts 15:26 speaks of men “who risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” mirroring the Daniel precedent.
• Philippians 2:30 commends Epaphroditus “for the work of Christ, risking his life.”
• Revelation 12:11 praises those who “did not love their lives so as to shy away from death.”
• Romans 12:1 calls believers to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice,” the New-Covenant corollary to רְחַץ.

Christological Trajectory

Jesus embodies the ultimate רְחַץ, freely yielding His body to the cross (John 10:18; Galatians 2:20). The furnace episode foreshadows the greater deliverance secured through His self-offering and resurrection.

Ministry Implications

• Perseverance in Persecution: Pastors can appeal to Daniel 3:28 to strengthen congregations facing cultural or governmental pressures.
• Discipleship and Cost: The term challenges believers to count the cost and embrace cross-bearing (Luke 9:23).
• Worship Integrity: Corporate worship must be guarded against compromise; true worshipers will hazard reputation, comfort, and even life rather than bow to idols of the age.

Summary

רְחַץ crystallizes the concept of sacrificial loyalty. Though appearing only once, it echoes through Scripture, calling every generation to hold nothing back in devotion to the God who delivers.

הִתְרְחִ֖צוּ התרחצו hiṯ·rə·ḥi·ṣū hitreChitzu hiṯrəḥiṣūInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts