נְקֵבָה (ne.qe.vah)

The Hebrew noun neqeḇâh simply means "female," serving as the direct counterpart to zāḵār, which denotes a male. It is used broadly across Scripture to identify the sex of human beings and animals alike. In Genesis, it describes Eve as created in the female image alongside Adam, and later specifies that Noah’s ark contained pairs of every living creature, both male and female (Genesis 1:27; 6:19).

The word appears frequently in Leviticus, particularly within the laws concerning sacrifices and ritual purity. Here it distinguishes the specific animal required for offerings, such as a ewe or a young goat, ensuring the text is precise about the gender of the creature presented (Leviticus 4:28; 5:6). It also applies to human females in contexts like the purification rites following childbirth, where the offering differs slightly depending on whether the child is male or female (Leviticus 12:5).

Its etymology links it to the verb naqab, meaning "to pierce" or "puncture." This root suggests that the term originally referred to the physical characteristic of sex, emphasizing biological distinction rather than social role. By grounding the concept in physical reality, the word underscores the created order’s design for both genders without adding abstract commentary.