The Hebrew word raḇ (רַב) means great, many, much, abundant, or chief. It is one of the most common adjectives in the Hebrew Bible, appearing over 400 times. As a noun it can mean 'chief,' 'captain,' or 'leader.' It describes abundance of persons, things, time, or qualities — and is used both positively (great kindness) and negatively (many sins).
Raḇ is foundational to the doctrine of God's abundant mercy and lovingkindness. The classic attributes of God proclaimed in Exodus 34:6–7 include rav-chesed — 'abounding in love/mercy.' This phrase (or its echo) appears throughout the Psalms and Prophets as the basis for Israel's appeal to God in times of need (Psalm 5:7; 51:1; 69:16; 86:5). The God of Scripture is not miserly with grace — He is the God of rav mercies. This finds its fullest expression in the New Testament: 'But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ' (Ephesians 2:4–5).