גִּבֵּן
hunch-backed
Definition
The Hebrew noun גִּבֵּן (gibbên) specifically describes a person who is hunchbacked or has a severely curved spine. It denotes a physical deformity characterized by an arched or contracted back. This term appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Leviticus 21:20, within a list of physical imperfections that disqualify a descendant of Aaron from serving as a priest and offering food offerings to God. The word carries no other extended or metaphorical meanings in the biblical text.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in Leviticus 21:20, within the context of priestly purity laws. It is part of a detailed list of physical blemishes—including blindness, lameness, and a slit nose—that render an Aaronite priest ritually unfit for specific sacrificial duties. The usage is purely descriptive and legal, with no narrative or poetic occurrences elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Etymology
גִּבֵּן derives from an unused Hebrew root meaning 'to be arched' or 'contracted.' It is related to the concept of being bent over. The noun form directly describes the physical state resulting from this action. While no direct cognates are widely attested in other Semitic languages for this specific form, the root concept of bending or curving is common in the language family.
Semantic Range
This term is theologically significant as it highlights the concepts of holiness, wholeness, and representation before God in the Old Testament covenant. The physical perfection required for priests (Leviticus 21:17-23) served as an external symbol of the spiritual wholeness and purity required to approach a holy God in worship. It points to the need for a perfect, unblemished high priest, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:26-28). Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of Levitical law by clarifying the symbolic importance of physical condition in the old covenant system.
In ancient Israelite culture, physical deformities were often viewed through a ritual and symbolic lens, not merely a medical one. A hunchback, like other listed imperfections, was seen as a departure from a state of physical 'wholeness' (תָּמִים, tamim) required for those who represented the people before God in the tabernacle or temple. This reflects a cultural understanding where physical condition could carry religious significance regarding fitness for sacred service, differing from modern perspectives that separate ability from spiritual standing.
While no direct synonym for 'hunchbacked' exists, the concept of physical defect is grouped with: מוּם (mûm, H3971) — a general term for a blemish or defect, which is the overarching category in Leviticus 21:17-21 that includes גִּבֵּן.
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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