גַּו (gav)
gav
the back
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun gav refers simply to the back or rear part of the body. It is a concrete term with no inherent spiritual metaphor, appearing in only two verses in the Hebrew Bible: 1 Kings 20:30 and Nehemiah 4:17. In these contexts, it describes physical posture or position rather than abstract concepts like submission or humility.
In 1 Kings, the word highlights the vulnerability of King Ben-hadad’s officials, who were forced to lie prostrate with their backs exposed as a sign of defeat and submission to Ahab. Nehemiah uses it similarly when describing the builders’ posture; they held their tools in one hand and a weapon in the other, working with their backs to the enemy to maintain vigilance. The term underscores physical exposure or orientation toward threat.
Unlike words such as ‘achor (backside) or yarekh (thigh), gav is strictly anatomical. It does not carry idiomatic weight in later Jewish or Christian literature beyond its literal sense. Translators consistently render it “back” without attempting to extract deeper theological meaning, reflecting its straightforward usage in these brief historical narratives.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word gav refers simply to the physical back of the body. It is a concrete term used in only two verses in the Hebrew Bible, describing posture or position rather than abstract spiritual concepts like humility. In these brief historical narratives, it underscores physical exposure or orientation toward threat.
When we encounter this word, we are reminded of the tangible realities of human life. Whether facing danger or standing in vulnerability, our bodies reflect our circumstances. The text uses this simple anatomical term to ground us in the present moment, showing how faith operates within real, physical histories.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- back/ your1×
- back/ their1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- גַוָּ֔/ם1×
- גַוֶּֽ/ךָ\׃\ \ס1×
Key Verses
-
I Kings 14:9
but have done evil above all who were before you, and have gone and made for yourself other gods, molten images, to provoke me to anger, and have cast me behind your back,
This verse uses a related idiom to describe casting God's law behind one's back, illustrating a posture of rejection.
-
Nehemiah 9:26
“Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against you, cast your law behind their back, killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies.
Here the phrase describes the people's disobedience by placing God's law behind their backs, signifying a refusal to look forward to His guidance.