גֶּלֶד
the (human) skin (as smooth)
Definition
The Hebrew noun גֶּלֶד (geled) refers specifically to human skin. It denotes the outer covering of the body, with a nuance of smoothness or being made bare. The word appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Job 16:15, where Job describes sewing sackcloth over his skin in a vivid metaphor of mourning and affliction. There are no other biblical passages where this word carries a different meaning, as its usage is singular and specific.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only one time in the Old Testament, in the poetic book of Job. In Job 16:15, Job laments, 'I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin (גֶּלֶד),' using the term in a metaphorical context of deep grief and self-abasement. The usage emphasizes the physical, personal nature of his suffering, directly associating his outer skin with the inward experience of mourning.
Etymology
The noun גֶּלֶד (geled) is derived from an unused Hebrew root likely meaning 'to be smooth,' 'to polish,' or 'to make bare.' This etymological connection highlights the perceived quality of human skin as smooth. It is a distinct term for human skin, separate from the more common עוֹר (ʿor, H5785), which can refer to the skin of both humans and animals.
Semantic Range
While a simple anatomical term, its sole appearance in Job 16:15 gives it theological weight in the context of suffering and lament. Understanding this specific Hebrew word enriches the reading of Job's complaint, as it grounds his profound spiritual and emotional turmoil in the stark physical reality of his own body. It underscores the biblical theme of embodied human experience before God.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, sewing rough sackcloth directly onto one's skin was an extreme act of mourning and penitence, symbolizing self-inflicted discomfort and rejection of normal comforts. The use of גֶּלֶד here, with its connotation of smooth skin, creates a stark contrast with the coarse fabric, intensifying the image of Job's self-imposed suffering and degradation.
עוֹר (ʿor, H5785) — The common, general term for 'skin' or 'hide,' applicable to both humans and animals. בָּשָׂר (basar, H1320) — Usually 'flesh' or 'body,' referring to the substance of the body, not specifically its outer surface.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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