גֵּוָה
the back, i.e. (by extensive) the person
Definition
The Hebrew noun גֵּוָה (gêvâh) primarily means 'the back' of a person or animal. By extension, it can refer to the entire 'body' or 'person' as a whole, a common Semitic idiom where a part represents the whole. Its single biblical occurrence in Job 20:25 uses it in the sense of a person's physical body, specifically describing a terrifying moment when a weapon is drawn and comes out 'through his back' (or 'through his body'), emphasizing a fatal, penetrating wound. This usage highlights the word's concrete, physical focus on the torso or rear part of a human form.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in Job 20:25. In this context, Zophar is describing the fate of the wicked, stating that when one tries to flee from an iron weapon, 'a bow of bronze will pierce him through; it is drawn and comes out of his back (גֵּוָה).' The usage is graphic and literal, focusing on the physical location of a mortal wound to the body. Its solitary appearance in the poetic discourse of Job suggests it was a known but perhaps less common synonym for the body or back.
Etymology
גֵּוָה (gêvâh) is the feminine form of the masculine noun גֵּו (gêv, H1460), which also means 'back' or 'body.' Both words derive from a root (גוה) conveying the sense of being arched, bent, or high, conceptually linked to the spine or the raised curve of the back. It is cognate with similar words in other Semitic languages (like Aramaic) for 'midst' or 'inside,' showing a development from a specific body part to a more general term for the physical self.
Semantic Range
While גֵּוָה itself is not a theologically loaded term, its sole use in Job 20:25 contributes to the book's profound exploration of suffering, justice, and the physical reality of human mortality. Understanding that it specifies the 'back' or 'body' enriches the reading of Zophar's speech, grounding his theological argument about the fate of the wicked in a visceral, physical image of vulnerability and judgment. It reminds the reader that biblical concepts of punishment and consequence are sometimes described in starkly corporeal terms.
In ancient Near Eastern thought, the back was often associated with strength, burden-bearing, and also vulnerability (turning one's back could imply flight or defeat). A wound to the back, as described in Job 20:25, could be seen as particularly dishonorable or indicative of being overtaken while fleeing, contrasting with a frontal wound received in battle. The use of a body part to represent the whole person (a figure of speech called synecdoche) was a common linguistic feature, making גֵּוָה's extended meaning of 'person' culturally intuitive.
גֵּו (gêv, H1460) — The masculine form of the same word, identical in core meaning ('back,' 'body'). בָּשָׂר (bāsār, H1320) — 'Flesh,' often meaning the physical body or humankind in its mortal, weak state. גּוּף (gûph, H1472) — 'Body,' a more general term for the physical form or corpse.
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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