Original Word: רֹךְ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: rok
Pronunciation: roke
Phonetic Spelling: (roke)
KJV: tenderness
NASB: refinement
Word Origin: [from H7401 (רָכַך - tender)]

1. softness (figuratively)

tenderness

From rakak; softness (figuratively) -- tenderness.

see HEBREW rakak

Word Origin
from rakak
Definition
tenderness, delicacy
NASB Translation
refinement (1).

רֹךְ noun [masculine] tenderness, delicacy; — of delicately-nurtured woman, מֵהִתְעַנֵּג וּמֵרֹךְ Deuteronomy 28:56.

Meaning and Scope

Rōkʼ denotes “tenderness” or “softness,” a noun drawn from the adjective rākh (“soft, delicate”). It appears once in the Hebrew canon, within the catalogue of covenant curses in Deuteronomy 28.

Usage in Scripture

Deuteronomy 28:56: “The most gentle and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground because of her delicateness and tenderness, will begrudge the husband she embraces and her own son or daughter …”

Here rōkʼ accentuates the woman’s extreme refinement. Her “tenderness” is so pronounced that she customarily avoids any harsh contact with the earth, contrasting sharply with the brutal behavior she will exhibit under siege. The term underscores the depth of Israel’s coming humiliation: covenant disobedience would invert even the softest, most compassionate dispositions, revealing the severity of divine judgment.

Literary Context

Deuteronomy 28 frames Israel’s life in the land around blessings for obedience (verses 1–14) and curses for rebellion (verses 15–68). The single use of rōkʼ stands near the climax of the curse section, coupled with rākh in verse 54 for the “most refined man.” Together they portray a society once characterized by civility descending into inhumanity. Moses employs hyperbolic tenderness to heighten the horror of cannibalistic desperation (verses 53–57), signalling total covenant reversal (compare Leviticus 26:27–29).

Theological Significance

1. Covenant Justice

Rōkʼ testifies that external gentility cannot withstand the moral decay brought by sin. When Israel rejects God, even the softest heart is engulfed by self-preservation.

2. Reversal of Created Order

Scripture often links tenderness with maternal care (Isaiah 49:15). Deuteronomy 28:56 inverts this ideal: the mother becomes hostile toward her own children. The curse dismantles natural affection, illustrating Romans 1:31’s portrait of those “without natural affection.”

3. Heart Softness versus Hardness

The noun’s rarity highlights the biblical tension between softness and hardness of heart. Obedience cultivates compassion (Deuteronomy 15:7-11), whereas rebellion produces hardness (Psalm 95:8). The singular occurrence serves as a vivid caution that spiritual hardness leads to moral collapse.

Canonical Resonance

While rōkʼ is unique, its thematic counterparts span Scripture:

• Exodus 34:6; Hosea 11:8 – God’s compassionate nature.
• Isaiah 57:15 – contrite and lowly spirit.
• Galatians 5:22-23; Colossians 3:12 – New-covenant fruit of gentleness.

The contrast between divine tenderness and human cruelty points toward the need for regenerated hearts (Jeremiah 31:33).

Historical Background

Israelite siege warfare (cf. 2 Kings 6:24-29) provides the historical plausibility for Moses’ prophecy. Rōkʼ captures the socioeconomic stratification of ancient Israel where noble women exhibited refined lifestyles (Amos 4:1). During siege, such refinement offered no immunity; social barriers collapsed under starvation.

Ministry Applications

1. Warning Against Complacency

Comfort and refinement are fleeting without covenant faithfulness. Congregations must examine whether prosperity has dulled spiritual vigilance (1 Corinthians 10:12).

2. Cultivating True Tenderness

Pastoral care should aim for Spirit-wrought gentleness that endures under trial (Ephesians 4:32), not the fragile softness dismantled by hardship.

3. Preaching the Gospel Remedy

The lone appearance of rōkʼ becomes a launching point to proclaim Christ, who embodies perfect compassion (Matthew 11:29) and reforms hard hearts (Ezekiel 36:26).

Homiletical Themes

• “From Tenderness to Cruelty: The Cost of Covenant Disobedience”
• “Soft Hearts in a Hard World: Maintaining Gentleness under Trial”
• “Siege and Salvation: How Deuteronomy 28 Foreshadows the Need for a New Covenant”

Conclusion

Rōkʼ is a minor term carrying major weight. Its solitary placement magnifies the tragic transformation sin can effect in even the gentlest soul, while simultaneously calling God’s people to the enduring tenderness shaped by obedience and sustained by grace.

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