עוֹר (or)
or
skin
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 78 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun or refers to skin, covering both human flesh and animal hides. In Hebrew thought, this word connects physical exposure with vulnerability, as its root suggests a state of being naked or uncovered. It appears frequently in legal texts regarding ritual purity and in poetic passages describing bodily suffering.
Its usage shifts clearly between people and animals. For humans, it denotes the body itself, as when Moses’ face shines after meeting God (Exodus 34:29-30) or when Job laments that his skin turns black (Job 7:5). For animals, it often means prepared leather, seen in the skins used for the Tabernacle tent (Exodus 26:14) or the hides of sacrificial offerings (Leviticus 4:11).
A striking poetic use appears in Job’s dialogue with Eliphaz. When Job says "skin for skin," he argues that a man will give up his very life to save his body (Job 2:4). This phrase captures the intense value placed on physical survival, contrasting sharply with the spiritual integrity God tests.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word or points to the most intimate layer of our physical existence: skin. It reminds us that we are embodied creatures, vulnerable and exposed. In Genesis, God Himself provides garments of skins for Adam and Eve, an early act of covering their nakedness with mercy. This shows that even in our fragility, we are cared for by a Creator who does not leave us bare.
Throughout Scripture, skin becomes the boundary between the inner self and the outer world. It bears the marks of suffering, as Job describes, but it also reflects glory, as seen when Moses’ face shone after meeting God. Your body is not an accident; it is a temple designed to hold the presence of God. When you feel exposed or weak, remember that your Creator knows every inch of you and has provided grace for every wound.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 78 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- in the/ skin10×
- the/ skin9×
- hide8×
- skin of7×
- and/ hides of6×
- on/ [the] skin of5×
- skins of4×
- skin4×
- [the] skin of4×
- the/ hide3×
- skin/ my3×
- [the] skins of3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ע֣וֹר9×
- הָ/ע֔וֹר7×
- בָּ/ע֑וֹר6×
- בָּ/ע֔וֹר5×
- עֹרֹ֥ת4×
- בְ/עוֹר\־4×
- ע֥וֹר3×
- ע֖וֹר3×
- ע֔וֹר3×
- וְ/עֹרֹ֨ת3×
- וְ/עֹרֹ֥ת3×
- הָ/ע֖וֹר3×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 3:21
Yahweh God made garments of animal skins for Adam and for his wife, and clothed them.
This is the first mention of skins in Scripture, where God actively provides covering for human shame, establishing a pattern of divine care.
-
Exodus 34:29
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mountain, Moses didn’t know that the skin of his face shone by reason of his speaking with him.
Here skin serves as the vessel for glory, showing that intimate communion with God can transform our physical appearance.
-
Leviticus 13:2
“When a man shall have a swelling in his body’s skin, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes in the skin of his body the plague of leprosy, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons, the priests.
In legal texts, skin is the site of examination, showing how physical health was tied to spiritual community and ritual purity.