🔼The name Rakkath: Summary
- Meaning
- Thin, Green, Shore
- Etymology
- From the verb רקק (raqaq), to be thin, weak or green.
🔼The name Rakkath in the Bible
The name Rakkath occurs one time in the Bible. It's the name of one of nineteen fortified cities in the territory of Naphtali (Joshua 19:35). Rabbinical writings in the Talmud attest that this town was situated on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, where later Tiberias was built.
🔼Etymology of the name Rakkath
The name Rakkath is probably an older version of a noun רקה, which in turn was derived from either of the roots רקק:
רקק
The verb רקק (raqaq I) means to be thin or weak. Adjective רק (raq) means thin. Adverb רק (raq) means only or solely. Noun רקיק (raqiq) denotes a thin cake or wafer of unleavened bread. Noun רקה (raqqa) denotes the part of the head called temple.
Identical verb רקק (raqaq II) means to spit and noun רק (roq) means spittle.
Root ירק (yaraq I) denotes a color ranging from green or pale to ashen or dusky-white or even silver. Note that in nature, small and thin things are often green (leaves, grasses), whereas bigger things are usually not (fruits, tree trunks). Noun ירק (yereq) means green or green things. Noun ירק (yaraq) means herbs or herbage. Noun ירוק (yaroq) also means green thing. Noun ירקון (yeraqon) means either mildew or paleness. Adjective ירקרק (yeraqrag) means greenish or pale-green.
Identical verb ירק (yaraq II) means to spit.
🔼Rakkath meaning
In Hebrew the name Rakkath may mean Thin or Only or it may have to do with Spit. Alfred Jones (Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names) says that our name is really Chaldean (from the same root רקק, raqaq, meaning to be thin or green) and means Shore. NOBSE Study Bible Name List agrees with Jones and reads Bank, Shore. BDB Theological Dictionary does not translate our name.