Far away, distant, remote: rakhoq, adjective and masculine noun (Strong’s 7350); rakhaq, verb (Strong’s 7368); rakheq, adjective (Strong’s 7369); mey-r’khaq, masculine noun (Strong’s 4801).
Root: רָחַק
Sounds like: ra-khoe’k/rakhawk/rakhek/mey-r’khawk
The word FAR is a flexible word. It can be used to indicate time (long ago, far in the past), it can describe geographical distance (a far away place), and it can be used to describe relationships (feeling far apart and distant from one another).
Let’s take a closer look at a few of these.
Long Ago and Far Away
The Hebrew phrase long ago used rakhoq to indicate that something was from far back in time. It is history at a distance:
Isaiah 25:1
YHWH, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; for You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago [etsoht mey-rakhoq עֵצֹ֥ות מֵֽרָחֹ֖וק], with perfect faithfulness.”
2 Kings 19:25a (see also Isaiah 37:26-29)
[YHWH:] ”Have you not heard? Long ago (far in the past): [l-mey-rakhoq לְמֵֽרָחוֹק֙] I did it; from ancient times I planned it…”
Geography: A “Far Away” Nation
Frequently rakhoq indicated geographical distance. “Far away” nations would have a big impact, for better or worse, on the Hebrew people:
Deuteronomy 28:49-50
“YHWH will bring a nation against you from far away [mey-rakhoq מֵרָחוֹק֙], from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down; a nation whose language you will not understand, a nation with a defiant attitude, who will have no respect for the old, nor show favour to the young.”
The Prophets spoke of adversarial nations who would destroy Israel because they had turned their backs on YHWH:
Jeremiah 5:15, 18-19
[YHWH:] “Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from far away [mi-mey-r’khaq מִמֶּרְחָ֛ק], you house of Israel,” declares YHWH…
…“Yet even in those days,” declares YHWH, “I will not make a complete destruction of you. And it shall come about when they say, ‘Why has YHWH our God done all these things to us?’ then you shall say to them, ‘Just as you have abandoned Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’”
Here was God’s message: They were not to serve the gods of the nations. If they wanted to serve Egyptian gods, they should go to Egypt; if they wanted to serve Assyrian gods, they should go to Assyria; if they wanted to serve Babylonian gods, they should go to Babylon. They could not stay in Israel. Israel was meant to be under the dominion of YHWH, but they reached out and sacrificed to the nations, so they would get what they appeared to want. To the nations they would go! By their own actions they sought exile and gave it to themselves.
And so the people were dragged, far away from their homeland, into exile. Not only were they far away from home, they felt far away from and comfort and far away from YHWH:
Lamentations 1:16
“For these things I weep; my eyes run down with water; because far [rakhaq רָחַ֥ק] from me is a comforter, one to restore my soul. My children are desolate because the enemy has prevailed.”
Jeremiah didn’t accuse God of being distant, instead, in his grief, he called it like it was gospel truth. But God was not far from them and He would not leave them there. It would be in exile that the people would understand what they lost. The exiles would remember YHWH from afar and God, in His mercy, would bring them home. This beautiful story of redemption and home-coming was repeated by many of the prophets:
Zechariah 10:8-10, 12
[YHWH:]“I will whistle for them and gather them together, for I have redeemed them; and they will be as numerous as they were before. When I scatter them among the peoples, they will remember Me in distant [u-va-mey-r’khaqqim וּבַמֶּרְחַקִּ֖ים] countries, and they with their children will live and come back.
I will bring them back from the land of Egypt and gather them from Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon until no room can be found for them…
…“And I will strengthen them in YHWH, and in His name they will walk,” declares YHWH.
Jeremiah 30:10-11a
[YHWH:]”And do not fear, Jacob My servant,” declares YHWH, “And do not be dismayed, Israel; for behold, I am going to save you from far [mey-rakhoq מֵֽרָח֔וֹק] away, and your descendants from the land of their captivity. And Jacob will return and be at peace, without anxiety, and no one will make him afraid. For I am with you,’ declares YHWH, ‘to save you”…
Isaiah 43:4-7
[YHWH:] “Since you are precious in My sight, since you are honoured and I love you, I will give other people in your place and other nations in exchange for your life.
Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring My sons from afar [mey-rakhoq מֵרָח֔וֹק] and My daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”
Isaiah 60:1-5a
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of YHWH has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but YHWH will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you.
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Raise your eyes all around and see; they all gather together, they come to you.
Your sons will come from afar [mey-rakhoq מֵרָח֣וֹק], and your daughters will be carried on the hip. Then you will see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and rejoice…”
So the news was good! Exile wouldn’t be forever. They wouldn’t be left far, far away. YHWH would save His people and bring them to the nearness of home.
The Distant Relationship
God’s plan for redemption and reunion was the great hope that people living in exile could cling to. But living in any kind of exile isn’t easy and sometimes, regardless of hope, we wonder where God is. Why is God so far away from our suffering? It’s an age old question that was asked by many in the Bible:
Psalm 10:1
Why do You stand far away [b-rakhoq בְּרָח֑וֹק], YHWH? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?
Psalm 22, attributed to David, was quoted by Yeshua at His execution and He asked the same question:
Psalm 22:1-3, 7-19
My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far [rakhoq רָח֥וֹק] from my help are the words of my groaning. My God, I cry out by day, but You do not answer; and by night, but I have no rest.
Yet You are holy, You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel…
…All who see me deride me; they sneer, they shake their heads, saying, “Turn him over to YHWH; let Him save him; let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”
Yet You are He who brought me forth from the womb; You made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon You from birth; You have been my God from my mother’s womb.
Do not be far [al ti-r’khaq אַל־תִּרְחַ֣ק] from me, for trouble is near; for there is no one to help. Many bulls have surrounded me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. They open their mouths wide at me, as a ravening and roaring lion.
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within me.
My strength is dried up like a piece of pottery, and my tongue clings to my jaws; and You lay me in the dust of death.
For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me; they pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; they divide my garments among them, and they cast lots for my clothing. But You, YHWH, do not be far away [al ti-r’khaq אַל־תִּרְחָ֑ק]; You who are my help, hurry to my assistance.
David, and Yeshua, named the distance they felt from YHWH, but they also prayed to be brought closer. People would abandon them, YHWH would not:
Psalm 38:11, 21-22
[David:] My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague; and my kinsmen stand far away [mey-rakhoq מֵרָחֹ֥ק]…
…Do not abandon me, YHWH; my God, do not be far [al ti-r’khaq אַל־תִּרְחַ֥ק] from me! Hurry to help me, Lord, my salvation!
Psalm 139:1-4
[David:] YHWH, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I get up; You understand my thought from far [mey-rakhoq מֵרָחֽוֹק] away.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, YHWH, You know it all.
We, who follow YHWH, may feel like we’re distanced from Him, but we are not. He is right here with us. He has, however, distanced Himself from the wicked:
Proverbs 15:28-29
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. YHWH is far [rakhoq רָח֣וֹק] from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.
Job, in his great affliction, asked God to distance Himself from him and his suffering:
Job 13:20-24
[Job to YHWH:] Only grant these two things to me, so that I need not hide from You: Withdraw Distant [ha-r’khaq הַרְחַ֑ק] Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me. Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply.
How many are my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin. Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy”?
Job did not understand God’s character. He accused YHWH of being his enemy. He didn’t understand that it was not God’s hand that had brought destruction, but the hand of God’s Opposer… the Accuser, the Adversary. Job wanted God to remove or distant His hand from him, because he thought God’s hand was the cause of his oppression. The Adversary (ha-Satan) was the oppressor, not YHWH.
Asking God to stay away could have been a fatal request, but YHWH understood Job. He understood Job’s confusion in his time of strife, and mercifully YHWH disregarded the request. Instead, He listened and let Job talk it out. And then, with great compassion and love, YHWH responded with kindness and empathy.
Whereas Job feared the hand of God, David, felt comforted by it:
Psalm 138:6-8
[David:] YHWH is exalted, yet He looks after the lowly, but He knows the haughty from afar [mi-mey-r’khaq מִמֶּרְחָ֥ק].
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will reach out with Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.
YHWH will accomplish what concerns me; Your faithfulness, YHWH, is everlasting; do not abandon the works of Your hands.
Comparative: Far or Near, Near and Far
The word far can also be used as a tool of comparison. In fact, the Hebrew phrase for far or near is r’khoqah ow q’rohvah and near and far is q’rohvim w-r’khoqim. These are rhyming tongue twisters and they make a memorable impact. We can find this phrase in the story of Esther… which is a fitting example as earlier this week we celebrated Purim:
Esther 9:20-22
Then Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far [ha-q’rohvim w-ha-r’khoqim הַקְּרֹובִ֖ים וְהָרְחֹוקִֽים], obliging them to celebrate the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same month, annually, because on those days the Jews rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was turned for them from grief into joy, and from mourning into a holiday; that they were to make them days of feasting and rejoicing, and sending portions of food to one another, and gifts to the poor.
This phrase showed up in 1 Kings when the Hebrew people were distributed as captives to their enemies:
1 Kings 8:46-50a (see also 2 Chr 6)
…“When they sin against You (for there is no person who does not sin) and You are angry with them and turn them over to an enemy, so that they take them away captive to the land of the enemy, distant or near [r’khoqah ow q’rohvah רְחֹוקָ֖ה אֹ֥ו קְרֹובָֽה]; if they take it to heart in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and implore Your favour in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong, we have acted wickedly’; if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and pray to You toward their land which You have given to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name; then hear their prayer and their pleading in heaven, Your dwelling place, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You…”
Near and far weren’t always put back to back but were often twinned together in sentences and paragraphs:
Proverbs 27:10
Do not abandon your friend or your father’s friend, and do not go to your brother’s house on the day of your disaster; better is a neighbour who is near [qarohv קָ֝ר֗וֹב] than a brother far away [ra’khoq רָחֽוֹק].
Words attributed to YHWH often used the comparison of near and far:
Jeremiah 23:23-24
[YHWH:] “Am I a God who is near, [mi-qarohv מִקָּרֹ֛ב]” declares YHWH, “And not a God far off [mey-rakhoq מֵרָחֹֽק]?
Can a person hide himself in hiding places so that I do not see him?” declares YHWH. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares YHWH.
Isaiah 33:10, 13
[YHWH:] “Now I will arise,” says YHWH, “Now I will be exalted, now I will be lifted up”…
…“You who are far [r’khoqim רְחוֹקִ֖ים] away, hear what I have done; and you who are near [q’rohvim קְרוֹבִ֖ים], acknowledge My might.”
Isaiah 57:18-21
[YHWH:] “I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners, creating the praise of the lips. Peace, peace to him who is far [la-rakhoq לָרָח֧וֹק] away and to him who is near [w-la-qarohv וְלַקָּר֛וֹב],” says YHWH, “and I will heal him.”
But the wicked are like the tossing sea, for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up refuse and mud. “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
The Word of God is not off in the distance. God’s Word is very near to us… so near that it is meant to live within us:
Deuteronomy 30:11-14
[YHWH:] “For this commandment which I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it far away [r’khoqah רְחֹקָ֖ה]. It is not in heaven, that you could say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us and get it for us, and proclaim it to us, so that we may follow it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you could say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us and get it for us and proclaim it to us, so that we may follow it?’ On the contrary, the word is very near [qarohv קָר֥וֹב] you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may follow it.”
Justice, Righteousness, and Salvation Seem Far Away
We know that God is with us and that His Word resides within us, but things like justice and righteousness and salvation seem pretty far away in this world which seems hell bent on destruction.
Jeremiah 12:1-2
Righteous are You, YHWH, when I plead my case with You; nevertheless I would discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease?
You have planted them, they have also taken root; they grow, they have also produced fruit. You are near [qarohv קָר֤וֹב] to their lips but far [w-rakhoq וְרָח֖וֹק] from their mind.
It was true. Their minds and hearts were far from God and God knew it:
Isaiah 29:13-15
[YHWH:] “…the people approach Me with their words and honour Me with their lips, but their heart is far away [rikhaq רִחַ֣ק] from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of the commandment of men that is taught…”
Isaiah 46:12-13
[YHWH:] “Listen to Me, you stubborn-minded, who are far [ha-r’khoqim הָרְחוֹקִ֖ים] from righteousness. I bring near My righteousness, it is not far [ti-r’khaq תִרְחָ֔ק] off; and My salvation will not delay. And I will grant salvation in Zion, and My glory for Israel.”
God recognized the hypocrisy, and those who were sincere followers of YHWH felt the effects of the rebellious people:
Isaiah 59:9-11, 14-16
^^Therefore justice is far [rakhaq רָחַ֤ק] from us, and righteousness does not reach us; we hope for light, but there is darkness, for brightness, but we walk in gloom. We grope for the wall like people who are blind, we grope like those who have no eyes. We stumble at midday as in the twilight; among those who are healthy we are like the dead.
All of us growl like bears, and moan sadly like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far [rakh’aqah רָחֲקָ֥ה] from us…
^^…Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far [mey-rakhoq מֵרָח֣וֹק] away; for truth has stumbled in the street, and uprightness cannot enter. Truth is lacking, and one who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey.
Now YHWH saw, and it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice. And He saw that there was no one, and was amazed that there was not one to intercede; then His own arm brought salvation to Him, and His righteousness upheld Him.
YHWH took the mantle. If no one could be truly righteous, or promote justice, or provide salvation, YHWH would do it with His own arm. He would bring justice; He would be the Righteous One, and He would provide Salvation.
Sin Removed Far, Far Away
Yeshua would step in, as God’s Anointed Son, to bear the wickedness of humanity and take it to the grave. He would remove the stain of sin upon us and toss it so very very far away:
Psalm 103:10-13
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our guilty deeds. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him.
As far as [ki-r’khoq כִּרְחֹ֣ק] the east is from the west, so far [hi-r’khiq הִֽרְחִ֥יק] has He removed our wrongdoings from us.
Just as a father has compassion on his children, so YHWH has compassion on those who fear Him.
This was why John the Baptizer, upon seeing Yeshua, said “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Paul put it this way:
Colossians 2:13-14
When you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, having canceled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
We are forgiven and therefore we are far removed from our sins and any guilt we place upon ourselves:
Isaiah 43:25 (see also Micah 7:19)
[YHWH:] I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and your sins I will not remember.
We are God’s image bearers, freed from the burden of sin. The guilt we bear has been removed far away from us. We can now live in freedom, like the forgiven children of God that we are. But if we continue to hold our guilt near to us, then what was the sacrifice of Yeshua for?
With our guilt far removed, it’s now time to get as near to YHWH as possible. Our heart should be so near to Yeshua and His teachings that we start to look like Him… and if that happens the world will see His reflection in our presence. Those near to us should see God working in and through us, and those far from us should hear about it. It’s what we were created to be… ambassadors of God’s love, kindness, mercy, and forgiveness, far and wide.
Next week: Sermon- The Third Day (Pt.1)
Hebrew Word Lessons 