riv · dispute, case

What it means

riv (רִיב) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “dispute, case”.

Dispute, quarrel; also a case brought before a judge.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. A fight of words between people.
2. A matter brought before the judge.

From Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906)

Word study

Dispute, quarrel: a quarrel between persons or a case brought before the judge. It is the noun of רִיב (‘contend, plead’, H7378), which goes with it in the idiom ‘plead the case’.

• A quarrel between herdsmen Genesis 13:7
• A dispute before the judge Deuteronomy 25:12 Samuel 15:4Exodus 23:3
• “Plead my cause” Psalms 43:1Psalms 119:154
• YHWH’s dispute with his people Micah 6:2Hosea 12:2
• The cause of the weak Isaiah 1:23Jeremiah 50:34

Historical and cultural background

Absalom would stand beside the road of the gate to draw those who came to the king with a dispute, saying that there was no one to hear them (2 Samuel 15:2-4). Micah presents YHWH in a trial: “Hear, mountains, the dispute of YHWH” (Micah 6:2).

How we translate it

“Dispute” 25 times and “disputes” 3; “cause” 11 and “case” 8 when it is the case of someone who must be defended (“the cause of the widow”, Isaiah 1:23; “contend for my case”, Psalm 43:1); “strife” 7 and “quarrel” 3 when it is a quarrel (Genesis 13:7).

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• dispute ×25
• cause ×11
• case ×8
• strife ×7
• disputes ×3
• quarrel ×3
• causes ×1
• contentions ×1
• quarreling ×1

Where it appears

• Genesis×1
• Exodus×4
• Deuteronomy×5
• Judges×1
• 1 Samuel×2
• 2 Samuel×3
• 2 Chronicles×2
• Job×3
• Psalms×7
• Proverbs×12
• Isaiah×5
• Jeremiah×6
• Lamentations×2
• Ezekiel×1
• Hosea×2
• Micah×3
• Habakkuk×1

• Genesis 13:7

  So there was a quarrel between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites were living then in the land.

• Exodus 17:7

  He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the sons of Israel, and because they tested YHWH, saying, “Is YHWH among us or not?”

• Exodus 23:2

  You shall not follow a majority to do evil, nor testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a majority to pervert justice.

• Exodus 23:3

  Nor shall you favor a poor man in his dispute.

• Exodus 23:6

  You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his dispute.

• Deuteronomy 1:12

  How can I carry by myself your trouble, your burden, and your strife?

• Deuteronomy 17:8

  If a matter for judgment is too difficult for you, between blood and blood, between case and case, and between blow and blow, matters of dispute within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place that YHWH your Elohim chooses.

• Deuteronomy 19:17

  then both the men who have the dispute shall stand before YHWH, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days.

• Deuteronomy 21:5

  And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for YHWH your Elohim has chosen them to minister to him and to bless in the name of YHWH, and by their word every dispute and every blow shall be settled.

• Deuteronomy 25:1

  If there is a dispute between men, and they come near to judgment, and they judge them, they shall declare righteous the righteous and declare wicked the wicked.

• Judges 12:2

  Jephthah said to them, “I and my people were in a great quarrel with the sons of Ammon, and I cried out to you, but you did not save me from their hand.

• 1 Samuel 24:15

  May YHWH be judge and judge between me and you, and may he see and defend my cause and judge me free from your hand.”

• 1 Samuel 25:39

  David heard that Nabal had died, and he said, “Blessed be YHWH, who has defended the cause of my insult at the hand of Nabal, and has held back his servant from evil; and the evil of Nabal YHWH has returned on his own head.” David sent and spoke to Abigail to take her to himself as wife.

• 2 Samuel 15:2

  Absalom would rise early and stand beside the road of the gate; and whenever any man who had a dispute to come to the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”

• 2 Samuel 15:4

  And Absalom would say, “Who would make me judge in the land! Then to me every man who had a dispute or judgment would come, and I would do him justice.”

• 2 Samuel 22:44

  You brought me to safety from the disputes of my people; you kept me as head of nations; a people I did not know serves me.

• 2 Chronicles 19:8

  And also in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and the priests and of the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel, for the judgment of YHWH and for disputes. And they returned to Jerusalem.

• 2 Chronicles 19:10

  In every dispute that comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and rules, you shall warn them, so that they do not incur guilt before YHWH and wrath come on you and on your brothers. Thus you shall do, and you will not incur guilt.

• Job 13:6

  Hear, please, my argument, and to the contentions of my lips pay attention.

• Job 29:16

  A father I was to the needy, and the case I did not know, I searched it out.

• Job 31:35

  Oh that I had one to hear me! Look, my mark; let Shaddai answer me! And the document that the man of my case has written!

• Psalms 18:43

  You brought me to safety from the disputes of the people; you made me head of nations; a people I did not know serves me.

• Psalms 31:20

  You hide them in the hiding place of your face from the conspiracies of man; you keep them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.

• Psalms 35:23

  Wake up and rouse yourself for my right, my Elohim and Adonai, for my case.

• Psalms 43:1

  Judge me, Elohim, and contend for my case against a nation not faithful; from the man of deceit and injustice bring me to safety.

• Psalms 55:9

  Swallow them up, Adonai, divide their tongue, for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

• Psalms 74:22

  Rise up, Elohim; plead your case; remember your reproach from the fool all the day.

• Psalms 119:154

  Plead my cause and redeem me; according to your saying give me life.

• Proverbs 15:18

  A man of wrath stirs up strife, but one who is slow to anger calms a dispute.

• Proverbs 17:1

  Better is a dry morsel and quiet with it than a house full of sacrifices of strife.

• Proverbs 17:14

  Like releasing water is the beginning of strife; so before the dispute breaks out, leave it.

• Proverbs 18:6

  The lips of the senseless enter into a dispute, and his mouth calls for blows.

• Proverbs 18:17

  The first in his dispute seems righteous, but his neighbor comes and examines him.

• Proverbs 20:3

  It is an honor for a man to keep away from a dispute, but every fool breaks out.

• Proverbs 22:23

  for YHWH will plead their case, and will rob the soul of those who rob them.

• Proverbs 23:11

  for their redeemer is strong; he will plead their case against you.

• Proverbs 25:9

  Plead your case with your neighbor, and do not reveal another’s secret;

• Proverbs 26:17

  One who seizes by the ears a dog is he who, passing by, becomes furious over a quarrel not his own.

• Proverbs 26:21

  Charcoal for embers and wood for fire, and a man of quarrels for kindling strife.

• Proverbs 30:33

  For the pressing of milk brings out butter, and the pressing of the nose brings out blood, and the pressing of anger brings out strife.

And 20 more times.