Original Word: רֵכָב
Part of Speech: proper name, masculine; Adjective, of a people
Transliteration: Rekab
Pronunciation: RAY-kab
Phonetic Spelling: (ray-kawb')
KJV: Rechab
NASB: Rechab
Word Origin: [from H7392 (רָכַב - ride)]

1. rider
2. Rekab, the name of two Arabs and of two Israelites

Rechab

From rakab; rider; Rekab, the name of two Arabs and of two Israelites -- Rechab.

see HEBREW rakab

Word Origin
from rakab
Definition
perhaps "band of riders," a Benjamite, also the head of a nomadic family
NASB Translation
Rechab (13).

רֵכָב proper name, masculine (band of riders? compare Arabic camels used in journeying); —

1 Πηχαβ:

a. in ׳יְהוֺנָדָב בֶּןרֿ (Jehu's time, see ׳יְהו) 2 Kings 10:15,13, whose descendants [or, the members of whose society, RS^{K 15}, yet see Nö^{ZMG xi (1886). 171}] were contemporary with Jeremiah, Jeremiah 35:6,8,14,16,19; 1 Chronicles 2:55 הַקִּינִים (see קֵינִי) are said to be descended from „mmath, אֲבִי בֵיתרֵֿכָב. — On the asceticism of different tribes compare Diod^xix.94 (Nabataeans), Palmer^{Desert 432} (Kheibari Jews in Arabia); see also Berthol^{Stellung Israel Zu d, Freemden 80}.

b. (perhaps= a, so Emey^{Entstehung 147}) in ׳מַלְכִּיָּה בֶןרֿ Nehemiah 3:14.

2 in Benjamin, 2 Samuel 4:2 (πηχαβ), 2 Samuel 4:3; 2 Samuel 4:6; 2 Samuel 4:9 (πεκχα; A ᵐ5^L Πηχαβ in all).

[רֵכָבִי]

adjective, of a people of רֵכָב of

1, only plural הָרֵכָבִים as substantive, in ׳בֵּית הָר Jeremiah 35:2; Jeremiah 32:3; Jeremiah 35:18, ׳בְּנֵי בֵיתהָֿר Jeremiah 35:3, Απχαβεί, Παχαβεί, etc.

Overview

Rechab (רֵכָב) appears thirteen times in the Old Testament, designating several different men and the family or “house” descended from one of them. The narratives span from the turbulent succession crisis after Saul’s death to the reforms of Jehu, the genealogies of Judah, the rebuilding under Nehemiah, and Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry. Although the same Hebrew spelling underlies every reference, Scripture presents both negative and positive portraits, inviting reflection on ambition, covenant loyalty, and generational faithfulness.

Rechab Son of Rimmon: Ambition Without Covenant (2 Samuel 4)

Rechab and his brother Baanah, Beerothite captains of raiding bands under Ish-Bosheth, seize an opportunity for personal advancement by assassinating their king. Their action violates the sanctity of the anointed line and misjudges David’s heart. David responds, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, when someone told me, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death… How much more when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his own bed!” (2 Samuel 4:9–11). The episode warns that zeal divorced from covenant fidelity ends in judgment; ambition cannot substitute for obedience.

Rechab the Kenite: Covenant Loyalty Across Generations (2 Kings 10; Jeremiah 35)

A very different legacy begins with “Jehonadab son of Rechab,” the Kenite who partners with Jehu in rooting out Baal worship. Jehu asks, “Is your heart right, as mine is with your heart?” Jehonadab answers, “It is.” Jehu then says, “‘If so, give me your hand.’ So he gave him his hand, and Jehu helped him into the chariot” (2 Kings 10:15). Jehonadab’s wholehearted alignment with Yahweh blossoms into a family rule of life—abstinence from wine, a nomadic lifestyle, and a refusal to build houses—meant to symbolize permanent separation from Canaanite culture and idols.

More than two centuries later Jeremiah summons the Rechabites to the temple and offers them wine. They reply, “We do not drink wine, for our forefather Jehonadab son of Rechab commanded us, ‘Neither you nor your descendants are ever to drink wine’” (Jeremiah 35:6). The prophet contrasts their steadfast obedience to an earthly ancestor with Judah’s neglect of divine commands: “The sons of Rechab have carried out the command of their forefather… but this people has not obeyed Me” (Jeremiah 35:16). Because of their faithfulness, the Lord grants a perpetual promise: “Jehonadab son of Rechab will never lack a man to stand before Me” (Jeremiah 35:19). Thus the Rechabites become living evidence that long-term covenant fidelity is possible even amid national apostasy.

The House of Rechab in Judah’s Records (1 Chronicles 2:55; Nehemiah 3:14)

1 Chronicles locates “the families of scribes who lived at Jabez… the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab” (1 Chronicles 2:55). Their identification as scribes suggests that the Rechabite devotion to Yahweh included a commitment to preserve and transmit His word. During the restoration era, “Malchijah son of Rechab, official of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate” (Nehemiah 3:14), demonstrating that the family remained active in Judah’s public life while retaining its distinctive heritage.

Key Themes

1. Covenant versus Convenience
• Rechab son of Rimmon pursued convenience and fell under judgment.
• Rechab the Kenite embraced covenant and received everlasting blessing.

2. Generational Discipleship

The Rechabites embody the power of a godly legacy. Their disciplined lifestyle, maintained for centuries, shows that intentional instruction can outlive cultural shifts and political upheavals.

3. Holiness and Cultural Separation

By abstaining from settled life and wine, the Rechabites created daily reminders of their identity as a people set apart. Their example challenges believers to discern and resist cultural practices that dull spiritual vigilance.

4. Faithful Remnant

In Jeremiah’s day, when Judah largely ignored prophetic warnings, the Rechabites stood as a remnant whose obedience vindicated the possibility of faithfulness. Their presence reinforced Jeremiah’s message that judgment is deserved not because obedience is impossible but because it is often refused.

Ministry Applications

• Discipleship strategies should emphasize concrete, repeatable practices that reinforce identity in Christ; habits shape heritage.
• Leadership must weigh zeal by covenant standards; acting “for God” is valid only when aligned with God’s revealed will.
• Families and congregations can serve as prophetic witnesses within a drifting culture, demonstrating that long-term obedience is attainable through grace.
• Scribeship and service—preserving Scripture (1 Chronicles 2:55) and repairing city gates (Nehemiah 3:14)—illustrate that devotion to God integrates spiritual, intellectual, and practical labor.

Summary

The name Rechab threads through Scripture as a study in contrasts. One bearer epitomizes treacherous expedience; another founds a lineage renowned for unwavering obedience. The Rechabites’ steadfastness across centuries underscores the enduring reliability of God’s promises and the transforming power of covenant loyalty. Their account calls every generation to choose sustained faithfulness over fleeting advantage, proving that “the word of the LORD endures forever.”

וְרֵכָ֛ב ורכב רֵ֠כָב רֵכָ֔ב רֵכָ֖ב רֵכָ֗ב רֵכָ֛ב רֵכָ֜ב רֵכָ֣ב רֵכָ֣ב ׀ רֵכָ֨ב רֵכָֽב׃ רֵכָב֙ רכב רכב׃ rê·ḵāḇ reChav recho rêḵāḇ vereChav wə·rê·ḵāḇ wərêḵāḇInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts