גֵּוָה
𐤂𐤅𐤄
gêvâh
H1465 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The term refers to the back or body viewed from behind, often emphasizing the physical form as a whole, but especially the rear or back side. In some contexts, it signifies the entire person, particularly in poetic or metaphorical usage.
Semantic Range
back, body (especially seen from the back), rear side, person (by metonymy)
Root / Etymology
From the root גב (g-v), meaning 'back' or 'height'; גֵּוָה (gêvâh) is a feminine noun formation, related to גֵּו (gêv), 'back,' used to denote the back or by extension, the whole body.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term גֵּוָה is rare and appears primarily in poetic passages, as in Job 30:18, where it refers to the body, particularly in a context of physical suffering. Unlike the more common בֶּטֶן (beten, 'belly, womb') or גֵּו (gêv, 'back'), גֵּוָה shifts the focus slightly to a broader sense of the body as a physical entity. In post-biblical usage, this word largely disappears, supplanted by more common terms for 'body' (e.g., גוּף, guf). English translations may narrow the sense by rendering it simply as 'body' or 'back,' sometimes missing the nuance of viewpoint—from behind or of the person as a physical being. The term does not carry any specific theological or ritual meaning, nor does it denote personhood or self in abstract terms. Its appearance is limited and does not show significant diachronic semantic shift between pre-exilic and later biblical periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of גֵּו; the back, i.e. (by extensive) the person; body.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גב (g-b) — back, height, exaltation
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1354 | גַב | your convex ridge |
| H1358 | גֹּב | the hollowed pit |
| H1459 | גַּו | in her midst |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1465-01 |
מִ/גֵּ֫וָ֥ה | migevah | HR/Ncfsa |
from the body | from the back | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1465-01 |
Job 20:25 | מִ/גֵּ֫וָ֥ה | migevah | HR/Ncfsa |
from the body | from the back |