Strong's H7291 · Hebrew
רָדַף
râdaph · /raw-daf'/
Definition
to run after (usually with hostile intent; figuratively (of time) gone by)
KJV: chase, put to flight, follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute(-ion, -or), pursue(-r).
Root / derivation: a primitive root;
KJV usage breakdown
How the Authorized (KJV) translators rendered רָדַף across 135 verses.
Every occurrence (KJV)
135 verses use this word, grouped by book — the translated form is highlighted.
Genesis5 verses
And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. armed: or, led forth trained: or, instructed
Genesis 14:15And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
Genesis 31:23And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
Genesis 35:5And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
Genesis 44:4And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
Exodus5 verses
And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.
Exodus 14:8And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
Exodus 14:9But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
Exodus 14:23And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
Exodus 15:9The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. destroy: or, repossess
Leviticus5 verses
And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
Leviticus 26:8And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
Leviticus 26:17And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.
Leviticus 26:36And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth. shaken: Heb. driven
Leviticus 26:37And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.
Deuteronomy8 verses
And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.
Deuteronomy 11:4And what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and how the LORD hath destroyed them unto this day;
Deuteronomy 16:20That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. That which: Heb. Justice, justice
Deuteronomy 19:6Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past. slay: Heb. smite him in life in: Heb. from yesterday the third day
Deuteronomy 28:22The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish. sword: or, drought
Deuteronomy 28:45Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:
Deuteronomy 30:7And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
Deuteronomy 32:30How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?
Joshua15 verses
And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.
Joshua 2:7And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
Joshua 2:16And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.
Joshua 2:22And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.
Joshua 7:5And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. in: or, in Morad
Joshua 8:16And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.
Joshua 8:17And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
Joshua 8:20And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers. power: Heb. hand
Joshua 8:24And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.
Joshua 10:10And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
Joshua 10:19And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand. smite: Heb. cut off the tail
Joshua 11:8And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining. great Zidon: or, Zidonrabbah Misrephothmaim: or, Salt pits: Heb. Burnings of waters
Joshua 20:5And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
Joshua 23:10One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
Joshua 24:6And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea.
Judges11 verses
But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.
Judges 3:28And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.
Judges 4:16But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left. a man: Heb. unto one
Judges 4:22And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.
Judges 7:23And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.
Judges 7:25And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.
Judges 8:4And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.
Judges 8:5And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
Judges 8:12And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host. discomfited: Heb. terrified
Judges 9:40And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.
Judges 20:43Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising. with ease: or, from Menuchah, etc over: Heb. unto over against
1 Samuel10 verses
And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.
1 Samuel 17:52And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.
1 Samuel 23:25Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. into: or, from the rock
1 Samuel 23:28Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth. Selahammahlekoth: that is, The rock of divisions
1 Samuel 24:14After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
1 Samuel 25:29Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling. as out: Heb. in the midst of the bought of a sling
1 Samuel 26:18And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?
1 Samuel 26:20Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.
1 Samuel 30:8And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.
1 Samuel 30:10But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.
2 Samuel11 verses
And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. from: Heb. from after Abner
2 Samuel 2:24Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
2 Samuel 2:28So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.
2 Samuel 17:1Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:
2 Samuel 18:16And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
2 Samuel 20:6And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us. escape: Heb. deliver himself from our eyes
2 Samuel 20:7And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
2 Samuel 20:10But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri. struck: Heb. doubled not his stroke
2 Samuel 20:13When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
2 Samuel 22:38I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.
2 Samuel 24:13So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.
2 Kings3 verses
So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? Is: Heb. Is there peace?
2 Kings 9:27But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.
2 Kings 25:5And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him.
2 Chronicles2 verses
And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof.
2 Chronicles 14:13And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil. destroyed: Heb. broken
Job4 verses
Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
Job 19:22Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
Job 19:28But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me? seeing: or, and what root of matter is found in me?
Job 30:15Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud. my soul: Heb. my principal one
Psalms20 verses
Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: words: or, business
Psalms 7:5Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.
Psalms 18:37I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
Psalms 23:6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. for ever: Heb. to length of days
Psalms 31:15My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
Psalms 34:14Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
Psalms 35:3Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
Psalms 35:6Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them. dark: Heb. darkness and slipperiness
Psalms 38:20They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.
Psalms 69:26For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded. those: Heb. thy wounded
Psalms 71:11Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.
Psalms 83:15So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.
Psalms 109:16Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.
Psalms 119:84How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?
Psalms 119:86All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me. faithful: Heb. faithfulness
Psalms 119:150They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.
Psalms 119:157Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.
Psalms 119:161SCHIN. Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
Psalms 142:6Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
Psalms 143:3For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.
Proverbs8 verses
As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.
Proverbs 12:11He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.
Proverbs 13:21Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.
Proverbs 15:9The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
Proverbs 19:7All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.
Proverbs 21:21He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
Proverbs 28:1The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
Proverbs 28:19He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.
Isaiah6 verses
Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
Isaiah 5:11Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! inflame: of, pursue
Isaiah 17:13The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. a rolling: or, thistledown
Isaiah 30:16But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.
Isaiah 41:3He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet. safely: Heb. in peace
Isaiah 51:1Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
Jeremiah6 verses
O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.
Jeremiah 17:18Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction. destroy: Heb. break them with a double breach
Jeremiah 20:11But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.
Jeremiah 29:18And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them: to be a curse: Heb. for a curse
Jeremiah 39:5But the Chaldeans' army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him. gave: Heb. spake with him judgments
Jeremiah 52:8But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.
Lamentations6 verses
Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits. because of great: Heb. for the greatness of servitude
Lamentations 1:6And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
Lamentations 3:43Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
Lamentations 3:66Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.
Lamentations 4:19Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
Lamentations 5:5Our necks are under persecution: we labour, and have no rest. Our: Heb. On our necks are we persecuted
Hosea4 verses
And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.
Hosea 6:3Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
Hosea 8:3Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
Hosea 12:1Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.
Topics that use this word
Frequently asked questions
What does Strong's H7291 (râdaph) mean?
to run after (usually with hostile intent; figuratively (of time) gone by)
How many times does H7291 appear in the Bible?
Strong's H7291 (רָדַף) appears in 135 verses of the King James Version, most often translated “pursued.”
How is râdaph translated in the KJV?
In the KJV, Strong's H7291 is rendered as “pursued” (35×), “pursue” (28×), “persecute” (15×), “follow” (10×), among other words.
Where does the Hebrew word רָדַף come from?
a primitive root;