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עוֹר

𐤏𐤅𐤓

ʻôwr

H5785 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

The outer covering or skin of a living being, particularly humans or animals. In some contexts, refers specifically to the hide of an animal after removal, often as prepared for use (e.g., as leather or tanned skin). The word can denote both the living skin and the prepared hide, depending on context.

Semantic Range

skin (of people), skin/hide (of animals, both living and after removal), animal hide as a material/garment, leather (general), outer covering

Root / Etymology

עוֹר is derived from the root עוּר, though the precise relationship between this nominal form and the verbal root is debated. The verb עוּר typically means 'to rouse, stir up, awaken,' but this may not be etymologically connected to עוֹר as 'skin.' Some scholars classify עוֹר as a primary noun with the basic sense of 'skin' or 'hide.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, עוֹר is widely used to refer to the skin that covers humans (e.g., Genesis 3:21, where garments are made 'of skins'), as well as the hide of animals, often in sacrificial or ritual contexts. When modified by contextual clues, it can refer specifically to prepared leather, emphasizing its post-removal or manufactured state. As a concrete, corporeal term, עוֹר anchors the physicality of beings and is never used metaphorically for clothing or identity — its meaning remains literal. Its use in the creation narrative (Genesis 3:21) has also entered later Jewish interpretive traditions, but in its biblical use it firmly denotes the tangible material of skin or hide. In post-biblical literature, distinctions may arise between עוֹר (raw skin/hide) and related manufactured terms for tanned or processed leather. Standard English translations as 'skin' or 'hide' generally capture its meaning, though some nuances (e.g., whether the skin is still on a living being or has been made into material) require contextual interpretation. Later English words like 'leather' represent further stages of processing not always implied by עוֹר itself.

Translation Consistency

primary "skin" 50 occurrences

Most natural and frequent rendering across occurrences; covers both the living outer covering and animal hide as a material. ‘Skin’ is broader and more everyday than ‘hide’ or ‘leather,’ so it best preserves typical sense and yields natural English when inflected consistently.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from עוּר; skin (as naked); by implication, hide, leather; hide, leather, skin.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

עור (Ir) — to be awake, aroused, stirred

Root עור to be bare, exposed (if related), to rouse (if related), (or 'skin/hide' as a nominal root)
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3264 יָעוֹר
H4589 מָעוֹר their exposed genitals
H5784 עוּר stripped chaff
H5786 עָוַר blind one
H5787 עִוֵּר the blind one

Word Forms

20 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H5785-07 ע֖וֹר or HNcmsa of skin skin skin 28
H5785-04 הָ/ע֑וֹר haor HTd/Ncmsa the skin the skin the skin 14
H5785-01 בָּ/ע֑וֹר baor HRd/Ncmsa in the skin in the skin in the skin 12
H5785-13 עֹרֹ֥ת orot HNcmpc skins skins of skins of 7
H5785-20 וְ/עֹרֹ֨ת veorot HC/Ncmpc and skins and skins of and skins of 6
H5785-12 עֹר֣/וֹ oro HNcmsc/Sp3ms his skin his skin his skin 5
H5785-16 בְ/עוֹר veor HR/Ncmsc on the skin skin of in the skin of 5
H5785-02 בְּ/ע֣וֹר beor HR/Ncmsc in the skin in skin in skin 4
H5785-11 עוֹרִ֥/י ori HNcmsc/Sp1cs my skin my skin my skin 3
H5785-15 בָ/עוֹר֙ vaor HRd/Ncmsa in the leather skin in the skin 3

Occurrences in Scripture

99 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H5785-07 Genesis 3:21 ע֖וֹר or HNcmsa of skin skin skin
H5785-13 Genesis 27:16 עֹרֹת֙ orot HNcmpc skins skins of skins of
H5785-05 Exodus 22:26 לְ/עֹר֑/וֹ leoro HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms for his skin to his skin to his skin
H5785-20 Exodus 25:5 וְ/עֹרֹ֨ת veorot HC/Ncmpc and rams' skins and skins of and skins of
H5785-20 Exodus 25:5 וְ/עֹרֹ֥ת veorot-2 HC/Ncmpc and badgers' skins and skins of and skins of
H5785-13 Exodus 26:14 עֹרֹ֥ת orot HNcmpc skins skins of skins of
H5785-13 Exodus 26:14 עֹרֹ֥ת orot-2 HNcmpc of skins skins of skins of
H5785-12 Exodus 29:14 עֹר֣/וֹ oro HNcmsc/Sp3ms hide his skin his skin
H5785-07 Exodus 34:29 ע֥וֹר or HNcmsc skin skin skin
H5785-07 Exodus 34:30 ע֣וֹר or HNcmsc skin skin skin
H5785-07 Exodus 34:35 ע֖וֹר or HNcmsc skin of skin skin
H5785-20 Exodus 35:7 וְ/עֹרֹ֨ת veorot HC/Ncmpc and rams' skins and skins of and skins of
H5785-20 Exodus 35:7 וְ/עֹרֹ֥ת veorot-2 HC/Ncmpc and porpoise skins and skins of and skins of
H5785-20 Exodus 35:23 וְ/עֹרֹ֨ת veorot HC/Ncmpc and skins and skins of and skins of
H5785-20 Exodus 35:23 וְ/עֹרֹ֥ת veorot-2 HC/Ncmpc and skins and skins of and skins of
H5785-13 Exodus 36:19 עֹרֹ֥ת orot HNcmpc skins skins of skins of
H5785-13 Exodus 36:19 עֹרֹ֥ת orot-2 HNcmpc skins skins of skins of
H5785-13 Exodus 39:34 עוֹרֹ֤ת orot HNcmpc of skins skins of skins of
H5785-13 Exodus 39:34 עֹרֹ֣ת orot-2 HNcmpc of skins skins of skins of
H5785-07 Leviticus 4:11 ע֤וֹר or HNcmsc skin skin skin
H5785-07 Leviticus 7:8 ע֤וֹר or HNcmsc the skin skin skin
H5785-12 Leviticus 8:17 עֹר/וֹ֙ oro HNcmsc/Sp3ms hide his skin his skin
H5785-04 Leviticus 9:11 הָ/ע֑וֹר haor HTd/Ncmsa skin the skin the skin
H5785-07 Leviticus 11:32 עוֹר֙ or HNcmsa skin skin skin
H5785-16 Leviticus 13:2 בְ/עוֹר veor HR/Ncmsc on the skin skin of in the skin of
H5785-16 Leviticus 13:2 בְ/עוֹר veor-2 HR/Ncmsc on the skin skin of in the skin of
H5785-02 Leviticus 13:3 בְּ/עֽוֹר beor HR/Ncmsc in the skin in skin in skin
H5785-06 Leviticus 13:3 מֵ/ע֣וֹר meor HR/Ncmsc than the skin skin of than the skin
H5785-02 Leviticus 13:4 בְּ/ע֣וֹר beor HR/Ncmsc on the skin in skin in skin
H5785-04 Leviticus 13:4 הָ/ע֔וֹר haor HTd/Ncmsa the skin the skin the skin
H5785-01 Leviticus 13:5 בָּ/ע֑וֹר baor HRd/Ncmsa in the skin in the skin in the skin
H5785-01 Leviticus 13:6 בָּ/ע֑וֹר baor HRd/Ncmsa in the skin in the skin in the skin
H5785-01 Leviticus 13:7 בָּ/ע֔וֹר baor HRd/Ncmsa in the skin in the skin in the skin
H5785-01 Leviticus 13:8 בָּ/ע֑וֹר baor HRd/Ncmsa on the skin in the skin in the skin
H5785-01 Leviticus 13:10 בָּ/ע֔וֹר baor HRd/Ncmsa in the skin in the skin in the skin
H5785-02 Leviticus 13:11 בְּ/ע֣וֹר beor HR/Ncmsc in the skin in skin in skin
H5785-01 Leviticus 13:12 בָּ/ע֔וֹר baor HRd/Ncmsa in the skin in the skin in the skin
H5785-07 Leviticus 13:12 ע֣וֹר or HNcmsc skin skin skin
H5785-19 Leviticus 13:18 בְ/עֹר֖/וֹ veoro HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms on its skin his skin on his skin
H5785-04 Leviticus 13:20 הָ/ע֔וֹר haor HTd/Ncmsa the skin the skin the skin
H5785-04 Leviticus 13:21 הָ/ע֖וֹר haor HTd/Ncmsa the skin the skin the skin
H5785-01 Leviticus 13:22 בָּ/ע֑וֹר baor HRd/Ncmsa in the skin in the skin in the skin
H5785-19 Leviticus 13:24 בְ/עֹר֖/וֹ veoro HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms on its skin his skin in his skin
H5785-04 Leviticus 13:25 הָ/ע֔וֹר haor HTd/Ncmsa the skin the skin the skin
H5785-04 Leviticus 13:26 הָ/ע֖וֹר haor HTd/Ncmsa the skin the skin the skin
H5785-01 Leviticus 13:27 בָּ/ע֔וֹר baor HRd/Ncmsa in the skin in the skin in the skin
H5785-15 Leviticus 13:28 בָ/עוֹר֙ vaor HRd/Ncmsa in the skin skin in the skin
H5785-04 Leviticus 13:30 הָ/ע֔וֹר haor HTd/Ncmsa the skin the skin the skin
H5785-04 Leviticus 13:31 הָ/ע֔וֹר haor HTd/Ncmsa the skin the skin the skin
H5785-04 Leviticus 13:32 הָ/עֽוֹר haor HTd/Ncmsa the skin the skin the skin
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