רֹק (roq)
roq
spittle
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun roq refers to saliva or spittle, a bodily fluid with little theological weight on its own but significant narrative function in specific contexts. It appears only three times in the Hebrew Bible, making it a rare lexical item that draws attention through its scarcity rather than its frequency.
In two of these instances, found in Job and Isaiah, the word is used metaphorically to describe something despicable or worthless. For example, in Isaiah 29:18, those who are spiritually blind are described as seeing only "the words of the book," which are sealed, while the deaf hear no more; the context implies a state of spiritual degradation where even basic understanding is reduced to something as lowly as spittle. Similarly, in Job, it underscores human frailty and contempt.
This usage highlights how physical realities can carry symbolic meaning in biblical literature. The word itself does not denote purity or ritual significance but serves to illustrate humility, degradation, or the limitations of human perception when disconnected from divine insight.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we encounter the word for spittle in Scripture, it often points to our lowest moments of humiliation or physical exhaustion. In Job’s lament, swallowing one’s own spittle becomes a metaphor for enduring relentless pressure without relief. This vivid imagery reminds us that God sees us in our most vulnerable states, not just when we are strong or composed.
Similarly, the prophetic voice in Isaiah describes facing shame and spitting without hiding. These raw descriptions validate human suffering rather than dismissing it. They show that even in degradation, there is a space for endurance and trust. We do not need to hide our pain from God; He meets us in the messiness of life.
This rare word invites us to bring our whole selves to prayer. Whether we feel exhausted like Job or scorned like the servant in Isaiah, our struggles are known. There is comfort in knowing that Scripture does not shy away from these difficult realities, but holds them within a larger story of divine presence and eventual restoration.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- spittle/ my1×
- spittle1×
- and/ spittle1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- רֻקִּֽ/י\׃1×
- רֹֽק\׃1×
- וָ/רֹֽק\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Job 7:19
How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?
This verse uses the physical act of swallowing spittle to illustrate the overwhelming fatigue and feeling of being unrelieved by God's gaze.
-
Job 30:10
They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, and don’t hesitate to spit in my face.
Here the word highlights social rejection, where others actively spit in the speaker's face as a sign of deep contempt.
-
Isaiah 50:6
I gave my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair. I didn’t hide my face from shame and spitting.
The servant’s willingness to endure spitting demonstrates steadfast obedience and humility in the face of shame.