גּוּפָה (gu.phah)
gu.phah
body
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun guphah refers to a physical body or corpse. It appears only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 10:8, where it describes the remains of King Saul after his defeat.
This word is distinct from other terms for flesh or body because it emphasizes the whole person in their physical entirety, often with a focus on mortality. In this single occurrence, it highlights the finality of death and the vulnerability of even Israel’s greatest king.
Its rarity makes each usage significant. When translators render it as "body," they capture both the living form and the dead corpse, reflecting how Hebrew often uses one word for both states depending on context.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word guphah appears only once in Scripture, marking the end of King Saul’s life in 1 Chronicles 10:12. It refers to his physical body after battle, stripped of power and dignity. This rare term reminds us that every human form is temporary, regardless of status or strength.
Yet even in death, care was shown. The valiant men rescued Saul’s body and buried it with honor. This act reflects a deep respect for the human form as something worthy of reverence, not neglect. It points to how we treat others—and ourselves—with grace in our weakest moments.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] corpses of1×
- [the] corpse of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- גּוּפֹ֣ת1×
- גּוּפַ֣ת1×
Key Verses
-
I Chronicles 10:12
all the valiant men arose and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
This verse shows guphah used for Saul’s corpse, emphasizing the finality of death and the dignity given to his remains by those who buried him.