Original Word: רֵעַ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: rea`
Pronunciation: reh-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (ray'-ah)
KJV: brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, X (an-)other
NASB: neighbor, friend, another, neighbor's, friends, other, another's
Word Origin: [from H7462 (רָעָה - To shepherd)]

1. an associate (more or less close)

brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbor, another

Or reya2 {ray'-ah}; from ra'ah; an associate (more or less close) -- brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, X (an-)other.

see HEBREW ra'ah

Word Origin
from raah
Definition
friend, companion, fellow
NASB Translation
another (27), another's (5), another* (1), companion (3), fellow (1), friend (30), friend's (1), friends (18), husband (1), kind (1), lover (1), lovers (1), mate (1), neighbor (64), neighbor's (23), neighbors (3), neighbors' (1), opponent (1), opponent's (1), other (6), together* (1).

II. רֵעַ₁₈₇ noun masculine^{Proverbs 17:17} friend, companion, fellow; — ׳ר absolute 2 Samuel 13:3 +, construct 1 Chronicles 27:33; suffix רֵעִי Job 31:9 +, רֵעְַךָ Deuteronomy 5:17 +, רֵעֶ֑ךָ Exodus 2:13 +, also רֵעֶיךָ 2 Samuel 12:11 (singular; Ges^{§ 93ss}), רֵעֵ֫הוּ (Ges^{§ 84} a i) Genesis 11:3 114t., רֵעוֺ Jeremiah 6:21, רֵעָהּ, Jeremiah 3:30; plural רֵעִים Jeremiah 3:1 +, construct רֵעֵי Job 2:11; suffix רֵעָיו Job 32:3, רֵעֵ֫הו (Ges^{§ 91k}) Job 42:10; 1 Samuel 30:26, etc.; —

l. friend, intimate, Genesis 38:12,20(J), 1 Samuel 30:26; 2 Samuel 13:3; 1 Kings 16:11 (ᵐ5 omitted); רִעֲךָ אֲשֶׁר כְּנַפְשְׁךָ Deuteronomy 13:7, מֶתֶק רֵעֵהוּ Proverbs 27:9 (text dubious see Toy); Micah 7:5 ("" אַלוּף), Jeremiah 9:3 ("" אָח), Jeremiah 19:9; Lamentations 1:2 ( + אֹהֲבֶיהָ), Psalm 35:14 ("" אָח) + 3 t. Psalms; especially Job 2:11; Job 6:14 8t. Job; Proverbs 17:17; Proverbs 18:24 8t. Proverbs ( Proverbs 12:26 see מֵרֵעַ below), Songs 5:1 ("" דּוֺדִים); associates Zechariah 3:8; technical term הַמֶּלֶךְ ׳ר 1 Chronicles 27:33 (see רֵעֶה), compare 2 Samuel 16:17 (twice in verse); of lover Songs 5:16 ("" דּוֺדִי), husband Jeremiah 3:20, paramours Hosea 3:1; Jeremiah 3:1; metaphor רֵעַ לִבְנוֺת יַעֲנָה Job 30:29 ("" אָח לְתַנִּים).

2 in weaker sense, fellow, fellow-citizen, even another person,, with whom one stands in reciprocal relations, Exodus 2:13; Exodus 20:16,17 (3 t. in verse) (Gi Exodus 20:13; Exodus 20:14; Exodus 20:14; Exodus 20:14) = Deuteronomy 5:17,18 (3 t. in verse), Exodus 21:14; Exodus 22:7; Exodus 22:8; Exodus 22:10; Exodus 22:25 (all E), Leviticus 19:13,16,18; Leviticus 20:10 (all H), Deuteronomy 4:42; Deuteronomy 15:2 (twice in verse) + 11 t. Deuteronomy; Joshua 20:5 (D), Judges 7:14; Jeremiah 9:7; Jeremiah 22:13; Jeremiah 29:23; Ezekiel 18:6,11,15; Ezekiel 22:11,12; Habakkuk 2:15; Job 16:21; Ruth 4:7; Psalm 15:3; Psalm 28:3; Psalm 101:5; Proverbs 3:28,29; Proverbs 6:1 ("" זָר !) + 18 t. Proverbs; וְרֵעוֺ שָׁכֵן Jeremiah 6:21; 1 Samuel 15:28 hath given (the kingdom) to thy fellow, = another than thou, so 1 Samuel 28:17; 2 Samuel 12:11; so also אִישׁ ֗֗֗ רֵעֵהוּ a (given, certain) man over against his fellow (different from 3) Exodus 21:18,35; Exodus 22:6; Exodus 22:9; Exodus 22:13; Exodus 33:11 (all E), Deuteronomy 19:11; Deuteronomy 22:26; Judges 7:13; 1 Kings 8:31; 1 Kings 20:35; Jeremiah 7:5; 1 Chronicles 6:22; Ruth 3:14; Ecclesiastes 4:4; similarly שָׂעִיר אֶלרֵֿעֵהוּ Isaiah 34:14.

3 in reciprocal phrase אִישׁ ֗֗֗ רֵעֵהו Genesis 11:3 they said one to another (אִישׁ distributive), each the speech of the other Genesis 11:7, absent one from the other Genesis 31:49, compare Genesis 43:33 (all J), Exodus 11:2; Exodus 18:7,16; Exodus 32:27 (all E), Judges 6:29; Judges 7:22; Judges 10:18; 2 Samuel 2:16 (twice in verse) + 4 t. 1Samuel; 2 Kings 3:23; 2 Kings 7:3,9; 2Chronicles 20:23; Isaiah 3:5 ("" אִישׁ בְּאִישׁ), Isaiah 13:8; Isaiah 19:2 ("" אִישׁ בְּאָתִיו) Isaiah 41:6; Jeremiah 5:8 11t. Jeremiah; Ezekiel 33:26; Zechariah 3:10 6t. Zechariah (Zechariah 11:6 read רֹעֵהוּ Sta^{ZAW i (1881), 26}); Malachi 3:16; Jonah 1:7; so of things Genesis 15:10 (J). — I. רֵעַ see רוע. p.929 below

Overview

Strong’s Hebrew 7453 (רֵעַ) designates the person who stands next to me in life—“neighbor,” “friend,” “companion,” or “fellow.” The word embraces every layer of human relationship in the Old Testament, from casual interaction in the marketplace to deep covenantal friendship. Its approximately 186 appearances spread through the Law, Historical Books, Wisdom writings, and Prophets, revealing a consistent divine concern for how people treat those closest to them in daily life.

Distribution

Pentateuch – more than sixty occurrences, heavily concentrated in Exodus and Leviticus.

Historical Books – regular usage, especially in narratives of kings and armies.

Wisdom Literature – over forty references in Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.

Prophets – about thirty instances, predominantly in Jeremiah and Zechariah.

Everyday Neighbor in Communal Life

The first appearance sets the tone: “They said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks’” (Genesis 11:3). Whether erecting a tower, bartering livestock, or exchanging sandals to seal a deal (Ruth 4:7), רֵעַ underscores ordinary cooperation. The community cannot function unless “each man said to his neighbor” (Exodus 11:2), and Israel’s entire economic and civil order depends on mutual trust among “neighbors.”

Legal and Ethical Commands

Half of the Decalogue centers on רֵעַ:

• “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16).
• “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house…or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21).

Property law builds on the same foundation: repayment for accidental loss (Exodus 22:14), safekeeping of pledges (Exodus 22:25-27), quick settlement of debts in the Sabbatical year (Deuteronomy 15:2). Violating a neighbor’s person or goods is not a mere civil offense; it is sin against the covenant LORD who watches over community life.

Covenantal Love

Leviticus 19:18 anchors the positive obligation: “Love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” Because YHWH redeemed Israel, no grudge, vengeance, or cold indifference may linger within the covenant family. Centuries later, Jesus would identify this verse as the second great commandment, binding every believer to the same ethic.

Friendship and Companionship

Reaʿ is equally at home describing intimate friendship. David’s loyal counselor Hushai is “the king’s friend” (2 Samuel 15:37). Job’s three friends (Job 2:11) weep and sit in silence with him for seven days, modeling compassion even before their counsel falters. In Proverbs friendship reaches its zenith:

• “A friend loves at all times” (Proverbs 17:17).
• “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).

Such texts portray genuine friendship as steadfast, self-sacrificing, and founded on truth.

Betrayal and Broken Trust

The same word exposes treachery when trust collapses:

• “It is not an enemy who taunts me…but you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend” (Psalm 55:13).
• “Beware of your neighbor; do not trust even a brother” (Jeremiah 9:4).
• “A son dishonors his father; a daughter rises against her mother…a man’s enemies are the members of his own household” (Micah 7:6).

Such passages reflect the grievous consequences of covenant infidelity—social unraveling and divine judgment.

Wisdom Emphasis on Speech and Conduct

Proverbs repeatedly warns against sins that fracture neighborly relations:

• Rash pledges endanger “your neighbor’s hand” (Proverbs 6:1).
• Do not say, “Come back tomorrow,” when you can help today (Proverbs 3:28).
• “He who mocks the poor shows contempt for his Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 17:5).

Right speech, financial integrity, and empathy safeguard the fabric of community life.

Prophetic Call to Truth and Justice

Zechariah’s post-exilic audience hears a direct charge: “These are the things you must do: Speak the truth to one another, render true and sound judgments in your gates” (Zechariah 8:16). Covenant restoration depends on neighbor-to-neighbor honesty. Conversely, Zechariah 13:7 turns רֵעַ toward a Messianic horizon: “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the man who is My Companion.” The striking of the Shepherd and scattering of the flock prefigure the night Jesus was arrested, when “all His disciples deserted Him and fled.”

Messianic and New Testament Connections

The Septuagint often renders רֵעַ with plēsion, the very term Jesus employs in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:36). By asking, “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among robbers?” Jesus presses Leviticus 19:18 into radical, boundary-crossing service. Paul follows suit: “The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:14). Thus, the Old Testament’s ethical heartbeat continues unchanged in the new covenant.

Ministry Implications

1. Gospel witness demands concrete love for the people God places beside us—family, church, workplace, and community.
2. Truth-telling, financial fairness, and protection of reputations remain non-negotiable expressions of holiness.
3. Biblical friendship flourishes through covenant loyalty; betrayal among believers wounds Christ’s body and tarnishes the gospel.
4. Effective discipleship must model the self-giving friendship exemplified by Jonathan and David, the faithfulness urged by Proverbs, and the sacrificial love commanded by Jesus.
5. Social justice initiatives find their grounding in Scripture’s neighbor laws. While methods vary, the goal is unchanged: that no member of the covenant community suffer exploitation or neglect.

Conclusion

Reaʿ threads through almost every dimension of Old Testament life, binding God’s people together in truth, justice, compassion, and steadfast love. In Christ, the call intensifies rather than diminishes, summoning the church to embody the same neighbor-love that reveals the heart of God to the watching world.

בְ֝רֵעֵ֗הוּ בְּרֵעֵ֑הוּ בְּרֵעֵ֔הוּ בְּרֵעֵ֖הוּ בְּרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּרֵעֵֽהוּ׃ בְּרֵעֶ֑ךָ בְרֵ֔עַ בְרֵֽעֲךָ בְרֵֽעֲךָ֖ בְרֵעֲךָ֖ ברע ברעהו ברעהו׃ ברעך הָ֝רֵ֗עַ הָרֵ֑עַ הרע וְ֝רֵ֗עַ וְרֵע֖וֹ וְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃ וְרֵעֶ֙יךָ֙ וְרֵעַ֗י וְרֵעָ֑י וָרֵ֑עַ ורע ורעהו׃ ורעו ורעי ורעיך כְּרֵֽעַ־ כרע־ לְ֭רֵעֵהוּ לְרֵֽעֲךָ֨ לְרֵעֲךָ֖ לְרֵעֲךָ֥ לְרֵעֵ֑הוּ לְרֵעֵ֔הוּ לְרֵעֵ֖הוּ לְרֵעֵ֣הוּ לְרֵעֵ֥הוּ לְרֵעֵ֨הוּ ׀ לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃ לְרֵעֶ֑יךָ לְרֵעֶ֑ךָ לְרֵעֶֽךָ׃ לרעהו לרעהו׃ לרעיך לרעך לרעך׃ מֵרֵ֥עהוּ מֵרֵעֵ֑הוּ מֵרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ מֵרֵעֵֽהוּ׃ מֵרֵעָ֑הּ מרעה מרעהו מרעהו׃ רֵ֖עַ רֵ֗עַ רֵ֝עֵ֗הוּ רֵ֥עַ רֵ֫עֵ֥הוּ רֵ֭עִים רֵֽיעֲכֶֽם׃ רֵֽעֲךָ֔ רֵֽעֲךָ֖ רֵֽעֲךָ֛ רֵֽעֲךָ֨ רֵֽעֵיהֶ֑ם רֵֽעֵיהֶ֔ם רֵעֲךָ֣ רֵעִ֑ים רֵעִ֔י רֵעִ֔ים רֵעִ֣י רֵעִ֣ים רֵעֵ֑הוּ רֵעֵ֔הוּ רֵעֵ֖הוּ רֵעֵ֗הוּ רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ רֵעֵ֛הוּ רֵעֵ֜הוּ רֵעֵ֣הוּ רֵעֵ֣י רֵעֵ֤הוּ רֵעֵ֥הוּ רֵעֵ֨הוּ ׀ רֵעֵֽהוּ׃ רֵעֵהוּ֮ רֵעֶ֑ךָ רֵעֶ֔יךָ רֵעֶ֔ךָ רֵעֶ֗ךָ רֵעֶ֙יהָ֙ רֵעֶ֥יךָ רֵעֶֽיךָ׃ רֵעֶֽךָ׃ רֵעַ֙יִךְ֙ רֵעָ֑י רֵעָיו֮ ריעכם׃ רע רעהו רעהו׃ רעי רעיה רעיהם רעיו רעיך רעיך׃ רעים רעך רעך׃ ḇə·rê·‘ă·ḵā bə·rê·‘ê·hū ḇə·rê·‘ê·hū bə·rê·‘e·ḵā ḇə·rê·a‘ ḇərê‘ăḵā bərê‘êhū ḇərê‘êhū bərê‘eḵā ḇərêa‘ bereEcha bereEhu hā·rê·a‘ haRea hārêa‘ kə·rê·a‘- kerea kərêa‘- lə·rê·‘ă·ḵā lə·rê·‘ê·hū lə·rê·‘e·ḵā lərê‘ăḵā lərê‘êhū lərê‘eḵā lereaCha lereEcha lereEhu lereEicha mê·rê·‘·hū mê·rê·‘āh mê·rê·‘ê·hū mêrê‘āh mêrê‘êhū mêrê‘hū mereAh mereEhu meRehu rê‘ăḵā rê‘ăḵem rê‘āw rê‘āy rê‘ayiḵ rê‘ê rê‘ehā rê‘êhem rê‘êhū rê‘eḵā rê‘î rê‘îm rê·‘ă·ḵā rê·‘ă·ḵem rê·‘a·yiḵ rê·‘āw rê·‘āy rê·‘ê rê·‘e·hā rê·‘ê·hem rê·‘ê·hū rê·‘e·ḵā rê·‘î rê·‘îm rê·a‘ Rea rêa‘ reaCha reAi reAv reAyich reEcha reEhu reEi reEicha reEiha reeiHem reI ReiaChem reIm vaRea veRea vereaCha vereAi vereEhu vereEicha vereO wā·rê·a‘ wārêa‘ wə·rê·‘ay wə·rê·‘āy wə·rê·‘ê·hū wə·rê·‘e·ḵā wə·rê·‘ōw wə·rê·a‘ wərê‘ay wərê‘āy wərê‘êhū wərê‘eḵā wərê‘ōw wərêa‘Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts