Hebrew word · Strong's H7355

רָחַם

râcham · raw-kham' · verb · “to have compassion”

In a sentence

Racham means to have compassion, love tenderly — sharing the root with «womb,» picturing the deep, motherly compassion of God for his people.

Racham is tied to rechem (womb) — its compassion has the depth of a mother's love for her child. God says of Israel, «can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion (racham)?»

Even if a mother could, the LORD will not. Lamentations 3 leans on this: «his mercies (rachamim) are new every morning.» It names a tender, durable compassion.

Strong's reference

Definition: to fondle; by implication, to love, especially to compassionate

KJV usage: have compassion (on, upon), love, (find, have, obtain, shew) mercy(-iful, on, upon), (have) pity, Ruhamah, [idiom] surely.

Reference gloss from Strong's Concordance (1890, public domain).

Key verses BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

Isaiah 49:15 ““Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Even if she could forget, I will not forget you!” Lamentations 3:22 “Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail.”

Original BibleDawn word study. Original-language data and the public-domain Strong's (1890) gloss are referenced; see sources.