Hollow
Jacob's Hollow — A Transformative Wound
The most dramatic biblical use of "hollow" occurs in the story of Jacob wrestling with a mysterious figure at the ford of Jabbok. During the struggle, Jacob's opponent touched "the hollow of his thigh" and dislocated it (Genesis 32:25). This "hollow" refers to the hip socket, the area over the sciatic nerve. The injury left Jacob with a permanent limp, a physical reminder of his encounter with God. Because of this event, the Israelites traditionally did not eat the sinew of the hip socket (Genesis 32:32), establishing a lasting dietary custom rooted in this pivotal moment.
The Hollow of God's Hand
In one of Scripture's most majestic images, the prophet Isaiah asks: "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand?" (Isaiah 40:12). The word here conveys the cupped palm, and the image is staggering — all the oceans of the world fit within God's handful. This rhetorical question emphasizes God's incomparable greatness and sovereignty over creation. What seems boundless to humanity is merely a palmful to the Creator.
Hollow Structures in the Tabernacle and Temple
The construction of the tabernacle's bronze altar employed hollow design. Exodus 27:8 specifies that the altar was to be made "hollow, with boards," a detail repeated in Exodus 38:7. Similarly, Jeremiah 52:21 describes the hollow bronze pillars of Solomon's temple. These hollow constructions served practical purposes — reducing weight while maintaining structural integrity — but they also reflected the skilled craftsmanship God commanded for His sacred spaces.
Hollow Places in the Landscape
Several biblical passages use "hollow" to describe natural depressions and cavities in the terrain. In Judges 15:19, after Samson's great victory over the Philistines with a jawbone, God "split open the hollow place that is in Lehi," and water flowed out to revive the exhausted hero. This miraculous provision from a hollow in the rock demonstrated God's care for His servant even in a moment of desperate thirst.
Hollow Streaks and Signs of Impurity
In the Levitical laws concerning skin diseases and house contamination, Leviticus 14:37 mentions "hollow streaks" (or depressions) in the walls of a house as signs of potential impurity. These sunken, discolored patches required priestly inspection and could lead to the quarantining or even demolition of the structure. The hollow appearance indicated something deeper at work beneath the surface — a principle that resonated with Israel's broader understanding of outward signs reflecting inward realities.
Biblical Context
The concept of 'hollow' appears across multiple Old Testament books. In Genesis 32:25 and 32:32, it describes Jacob's hip socket during his wrestling with God. In Exodus 27:8 and 38:7, it refers to the hollow construction of the tabernacle altar. Isaiah 40:12 uses it to describe God measuring waters in the hollow of His hand. Judges 15:19 mentions a hollow place at Lehi where God provided water for Samson. Leviticus 14:37 references hollow depressions in house walls as signs of contamination.
Theological Significance
The hollow of Jacob's thigh represents the cost of encountering God — transformation that leaves a permanent mark. The hollow of God's hand in Isaiah 40 powerfully communicates divine sovereignty, reminding believers that the entire created order is small in comparison to the Creator. Together, these images teach that God is both intimately involved in human lives (touching Jacob's body) and infinitely transcendent (holding the seas in His palm).
Historical Background
The hip socket dislocation described in Genesis 32 corresponds to what modern medicine identifies as a posterior hip dislocation affecting the sciatic nerve. The hollow construction technique mentioned for the tabernacle altar was common in ancient metalwork, where thin bronze sheets were shaped over a wooden frame. Archaeological finds from the ancient Near East confirm that hollow-cast bronze objects were widely produced in the second millennium BC, consistent with the period of the Exodus.