Original Word: רִיב
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: riyb
Pronunciation: reeb
Phonetic Spelling: (reeb)
Definition: To strive, contend, dispute, quarrel, plead
Meaning: to toss, grapple, to wrangle, controversy, to defend

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G3164 (μάχομαι, machomai): To fight, quarrel, dispute

- G1252 (διακρίνω, diakrino): To distinguish, judge, contend

Usage: The Hebrew verb רִיב (rib) primarily means to engage in a dispute or contention. It is used in various contexts, including legal disputes, personal quarrels, and metaphorical contentions. The term can imply both verbal arguments and physical confrontations. In the legal sense, it often refers to pleading a case or bringing a lawsuit. The word is used to describe both human interactions and divine actions, where God contends with His people or nations.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israelite society, disputes were common in both personal and communal settings. The legal system was deeply rooted in the community, with elders often serving as judges. Contending or striving was not only a personal matter but also a communal concern, as it could affect the social fabric. The concept of divine contention is significant in the prophetic literature, where God is depicted as contending with Israel due to their unfaithfulness.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to strive, contend
NASB Translation
argue (2), complain (2), contend (22), contended (9), contends (1), dispute (1), ever strive (1), filed (1), find fault (1), have a quarrel (1), judge (1), plead (9), plead my case (1), plead your case (1), pleaded (2), pleads (1), quarrel (2), quarreled (3), quarrels (1), reprimanded (2), strive (1), vigorously plead (1).

רִיב [Nö^{ZMG xxxvii (1883). 530, 534} Ges^{§ 73b}]

verb strive, contend (compare Arabic () agitate (the mind), disquiet; compare also Syriac cry, shout, Aph`el also quarrel noisily, shouting, clamour (see Nö^l.c.); on Sabean proper name ריב = Arabic see DHM^{ib. 14}); —

Qal Perfect3masculine singular רָב Judges 11:25; 1 Samuel 25:29; 2masculine singular רַבְתָּ Lamentations 3:58, רִיבוֺתָ Job 33:13, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יָרִיב Judges 6:31 +, jussive יָרֵב Hosea 4:4; 1 Samuel 24:16, יָ֫רֶב לוֺ(בּוֺׅ Judges 6:31,32; וַיָּ֫רֶב Genesis 31:36 +; 2 masculine singular תרוב Proverbs 3:30 Kt, תָּרִיב Qr; 3 masculine plural יְרִיבֻן Exodus 21:18, etc.; Imperative masculine singular רִיב Micah 6:1; Proverbs 25:9, רִיבָה Psalm 35:1 +, masculine plural רִיבוּ Isaiah 1:17; Hosea 2:4; Infinitive absolute רוֺב Judges 11:25, רֹב Job 40:2; רִיב Jeremiah 50:34 (Ges^{§ 73d} Kö^{i. 509} Ba^{NB 80}); construct רִיב Isaiah 3:13; Job 9:3 + Judges 21:22 Qr (Kt רוב), רִב Amos 7:4; Proverbs 25:8; Participle רָב Isaiah 19:20 +; — strive:

1 involving bodily struggle Exodus 21:18 (that is, one with another; E); public hostilities, יָרָיוּ רָב לוֺ Deuteronomy 33:7 (with) his hands he strove for it, with עִם of Israel, הֲרוֺב רָב Judges 11:25 ("" נִלְחַם).

2 with words, with ב person Genesis 31:36 (E), Exodus 17:2 a (J) Judges 6:32, so (in figurative) Hosea 2:4 compare Hosea 2:4; often = quarrel, with עִם person, Genesis 26:20; Exodus 17:2b Numbers 20:3 (all J), Nehemiah 13:25; subject God Job 9:3; Job 13:19; Job 23:6; also Job 40:2 (עִם of God; on infinitive absolute see Ges^{§ 113ee}), in General Proverbs 3:30; with אֵת person Judges 8:1; Nehemiah 5:7; Nehemiah 13:11,17, subject ׳י Isaiah 49:25 (compare I. יָרִיב below), Psalm 35:1 ("" לָחַם); אֵת of ׳י Isaiah 45:9 (participle one striving), Numbers 20:13 (P); with עַל of thing Genesis 26:21,22; absolute = find fault Hosea 4:4 ("" הוֺכִיחַ). Especially

3 conduct a (legal) case, suit, usually figurative, ׳י subject; Isaiah 3:13 ("" דִּין), Isaiah 57:16 ("" קָצַף), Psalm 103:9 (נָטַר[אַף]), compare קֹרֵא לָרִב בָּאֵשׁ Amos 7:4; with accusative of person with whom (unfriendly sense), Job 10:2; Isaiah 27:8; with accusative of congnate meaning with verb רִיב in good sense, = take one's part, 1 Samuel 24:15 (Gi; v.1 Samuel 24:16 van d. H. Baer; "" שָׁפַט), Micah 7:9; Jeremiah 50:34 (רִיב יָרִיב אֶתרִֿיבָם, infinitive construct = infinitive absolute, see above), Jeremiah 51:36 ("" נקם), Lamentations 3:58; Proverbs 22:23; Psalm 43:1 (+ מִגּוֺי; "" שָׁפַט), Psalm 119:154 (+ גָּאַל), also Psalm 74:22 (God, his own cause); + מִיַּד person against whom 1 Samuel 25:39 (of vengeance); + אֵת person against whom Proverbs 23:11, so (without accusative of congnate meaning with verb) Isaiah 50:8; Jeremiah 2:9 (twice in verse); compare אֶתֿ הֶהָרִים Micah 6:1 (II. אֵת 1c; ᵐ5 πρός, whence We Now אֶלֿ in the presence of, but on רִיב אֶל see

4); ׳ר = plead, with ל person for whom Judges 6:31 (3 t. in verse); Job 13:8, with accusative of person for whom Isaiah 1:17, of God Isaiah 51:22, compare Deuteronomy 33:8 (obscure, see Dr); of human disputes Proverbs 25:8, אֶתרֵֿעֶ֑ךָ ׳רִיבְךָ ר Proverbs 25:9.

4 = make complaint, with אֶל person unto and against whom Judges 21:22; Jeremiah 2:29; Jeremiah 12:1; Job 33:13.

Hiph`il Participle suffix מריבו 1 Samuel 2:10 Kt (Qr מְרִיבָיו), i.e. (those) displaying contention against him (׳י), compare plural construct ְ ועַמְּךָ כִמְרִיבֵי כֹהֵן Hosea 4:4, obscure; RS^{Proph. 406} מָרוּ בִי thy people have rebelled against me, O priest ! Beck Wü We GASm וְעַמִּי כִּכְמָרָיו הַכֹּהֵן (׳הַכּ as voc., and [by some] joined to Hosea 4:5); Hermann^{SK, 1879, 516 {abbrev}}וְעִמְּךָ מְרִיבִי הַכּ, compare Oort (רִיבִי); Ruben^{Crit, Rem. on the passage} ׳ְ ועַמִּי כָמוֺךָ הַכּ, so Now. — וַיָּרֶכ 1 Samuel 15:5 see ארב

Hiph`il

adversary, chide, complain, contend, debate, ever, lay wait, plead,

Or ruwb {roob}; a primitive root; properly, to toss, i.e. Grapple; mostly figuratively, to wrangle, i.e. Hold a controversy; (by implication) to defend -- adversary, chide, complain, contend, debate, X ever, X lay wait, plead, rebuke, strive, X thoroughly.

אָרִ֔יב אָרִ֖יב אָרִ֥יב אָרִֽיב׃ אריב אריב׃ בְּ֝רִבָ֗ם ברבם הֲ֭רֹב הֲר֥וֹב הרב הרוב וְיָרֵ֣ב וְרִ֘יבָ֤ה וַיְרִיב֥וּן וַיָּ֖רֶב וַיָּ֣רֶב וַיָּ֤רֶב וַיָּ֥רֶב וַיָּרִ֖יבוּ וַיָּרִ֜יבוּ וָאָרִ֕יבָה וָאָרִ֙יבָה֙ וָאָרִ֤יב ואריב ואריבה וירב ויריבו ויריבון וריבה יְרִיבֻ֣ן יָ֣רֶב יָ֤רֶב יָרִ֑יב יָרִ֖יב יָרִ֣יב יָרִ֤יב יָרִ֥יב יָרֵ֖ב ירב יריב יריבן כִּמְרִיבֵ֥י כמריבי לָרִ֖יב לָרִ֗ב לָרִ֣יב לָרִ֥ב לרב לריב מְרִיבָ֗יו מריביו רִ֔יבוּ רִ֖יבוּ רִ֣יב רִ֤יבוּ רִ֥יב רִֽ֭יבְךָ רִיב֑וֹתָ רִיבָ֣ה רַ֧בְתָּ רָ֚ב רָב֖וּ רָב֙ רָב֥וּ רָב֩ רב רבו רבת ריב ריבה ריבו ריבות ריבך תְּרִיב֣וּן תְּרִיבֵ֖הוּ תְּרִיבֵֽנִי׃ תְּרִיבֶ֑נָּה תְּרִיבֽוּן׃ תְּרִיבוּן֙ תָרִ֖יבוּ תָּרִ֣יב תריב תריבהו תריבו תריבון תריבון׃ תריבנה תריבני׃ ’ā·rîḇ ’ārîḇ aRiv bə·ri·ḇām bəriḇām beriVam hă·rō·wḇ hă·rōḇ haro hărōḇ haRov hărōwḇ kim·rî·ḇê kimrîḇê kimriVei lā·riḇ lā·rîḇ lāriḇ lārîḇ laRiv mə·rî·ḇāw mərîḇāw meriVav rā·ḇū rāḇ raḇ·tā raḇtā rāḇū rav Ravta raVu rî·ḇāh rî·ḇə·ḵā rî·ḇō·w·ṯā rî·ḇū rîḇ rîḇāh rîḇəḵā rîḇōwṯā rîḇū riv riVah Rivecha riVota Rivu ṯā·rî·ḇū tā·rîḇ tārîḇ ṯārîḇū taRiv taRivu tə·rî·ḇê·hū tə·rî·ḇê·nî tə·rî·ḇen·nāh tə·rî·ḇūn tərîḇêhū tərîḇênî tərîḇennāh tərîḇūn teriVehu teriVeni teriVennah teriVun vaaRiv vaaRivah vaiYarev vaiyaRivu vayriVun veRiVah veyaRev wā’ārîḇ wā’ārîḇāh wā·’ā·rî·ḇāh wā·’ā·rîḇ way·rî·ḇūn way·yā·reḇ way·yā·rî·ḇū wayrîḇūn wayyāreḇ wayyārîḇū wə·rî·ḇāh wə·yā·rêḇ wərîḇāh wəyārêḇ yā·reḇ yā·rêḇ yā·rîḇ yāreḇ yārêḇ Yarev yārîḇ yaRiv yə·rî·ḇun yərîḇun yeriVunInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts