Raqia means “firmament” — full meaning, definition, and every linked Bible usage across the indexed canon.
Strong's H7549 רָקִיַע (raqiya`) is a Hebrew Strong's word-study entry. A spread-out, beaten-out surface or vault: the firmament/heaven God made in Genesis 1 to divide the waters below from the waters above. 'Expanse' is useful only if it means an extended surface or heavenly vault, not empty outer space. It has 15 linked Bible usages across 4 books. Visible English usage signals include firmament. Indexed coverage on this page includes Old Testament.
H7549 is the Hebrew firmament word in Genesis 1. It is related to the verb for beating out, stamping, or spreading out, so the idea is an extended surface or vault. That is why some English Bibles say expanse; but in the biblical passages the word names the firmament/heaven God made to divide the waters below from the waters above, not modern empty outer space.
A spread-out, beaten-out surface or vault: the firmament/heaven God made in Genesis 1 to divide the waters below from the waters above. 'Expanse' is useful only if it means an extended surface or heavenly vault, not empty outer space.
How independent scholarly lexicons define Strong's H7549. Each definition is shown with its source so you can compare and cite the original reference works.
expanse
Usage: 1) extended surface (solid), expanse, firmament 1a) expanse (flat as base, support) 1b) firmament (of vault of heaven supporting waters above) 1b1) considered by Hebrews as solid and supporting 'waters' above
The English word each shown verse actually uses to render raqiya`, taken from the interlinear word alignment (the same word underlined in the excerpts below). Where a rendering is used more than once, the count is shown.
Indexed coverage includes Old Testament. Each section below keeps corpus counts and sample passages visible so readers can compare the word across contexts instead of reading one flat concordance list.
Indexed usage grouped by testament and extended corpus so readers can compare this word across the Bible, Septuagint, deuterocanonical books, and 1 Enoch where present.
15 indexed usages in Old Testament.
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
First 15 linked usage excerpts for Strong's H7549.
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.
And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.
And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.
And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Every indexed verse link for Strong's H7549, grouped by book.
Strong's H7549 points to raqia, the firmament in Genesis 1. The word belongs to the Hebrew root family of beating out or spreading out, so expanse can explain its spread-out shape. But in context it is the firmament or heaven that divides the waters below from the waters above, not modern empty outer space.
Raqia (Strong's H7549) is a Hebrew word most simply glossed "firmament". A spread-out, beaten-out surface or vault: the firmament/heaven God made in Genesis 1 to divide the waters below from the waters above. 'Expanse' is useful only if it means an extended surface or heavenly vault, not empty outer space.
This page currently indexes 15 linked usages for Strong's H7549 across 4 books.
Use the linked verse references on this page to study Strong's H7549 in context. The indexed coverage includes Old Testament.
The visible usage excerpts most often surface English words such as firmament. These are scanning signals from the displayed verses, not replacements for the original-language definition.