---
title: עֹרֶף — back of neck · The Tanakh dictionary
description: עֹרֶף (6203), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 33 times: back of neck. BDB 1906: n.m. back of neck, neck. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# עֹרֶף

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«עֹרֶף» in the Tanakh dictionary: **back of neck** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

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**Used:** 33 times · **Key:** 6203 · **BDB:** עֹ֫רֶף

### Glosses

neck (18); a.neck (7); of.neck (6)

### Meaning (OSHB)

back of neck [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1506/6203/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

n.m. back of neck, neck [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1506/6203/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** n.m. Dt 31:27 back of neck, neck;—ע׳ abs. Jos 7:12 +; cstr. Gn 49:8 +; sf. עָרְפִּי Jb 16:12, עָרְפְּךָ Dt 31:27, etc.;— back of neck of fleeing foe יָֽדְךָ בְּע׳ אֹיְבֶיךָ Gn 49:8 (poem in J), cf. וְאָחַז בְּעָרְפִּי Jb 16:12 (fig.); Ex 23:27 (E), ψ 18:41 = 2 S 22:41; turn (הָפַךְ, פָּנָה) one’s back before (לִפְנֵי) a foe Jos 7:8, 12 (JE), abs. Je 48:39; fig. of apostasy פָּנָה ע׳אֶל Je 2:27; 32:33 (opp. פָּנָה פָנִים) abs. וַיִּתְּנוּ ע׳ 2 Ch 29:6; of י׳’s disfavour ע׳ וְלֹא פָנִים אֶרְאֵם Je 18:17 with the back and not the face will I look at them. fig. in קְשֵׁה־ע׳ stiff of neck, i.e. obstinate, of Isr. Ex 32:8; 33:3, 5; 34:9 (all JE), Dt 9:6, 13; עָרְפְּךָ הַקָּשֶׁה Dt 31:27; with vb. הִקְשָׁה ע׳ i.e. be obstinate, intractable 10:16; Je 7:26; 17:23; 19:15; 2 K 17:14(×2) Ne 9:16, 17, 29; 2 Ch 30:8; cf. גִּיד בַּרְזֶל ע׳ Is 48:4 (‖ קָשֶׁה אָ֑תָּת); הִקְשָׁה ע׳ of individual 2 Ch 36:13; Pr 29:1. of bird: nip its head מִמּוּל עָרְפּוֹ Lv 5:8 (P).

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 31 of its verses cited, 1 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (5 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 2 words shared with the BDB entry, 1 with the glosses (4 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «עֹרֶף» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1506/6203/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Proverbs 29:1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PRO.29.1/)

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אִ֣ישׁ תּ֭וֹכָחוֹת מַקְשֶׁה־עֹ֑רֶף פֶּ֥תַע יִ֝שָּׁבֵ֗ר וְאֵ֣ין מַרְפֵּֽא׃

*Word for word:* a.person of.rebukes \[who\].stiffens a.neck suddenness he.will.be.broken and there.\[will\].not.\[be\] healing

*JPS 1917:* He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be broken, and that without remedy.

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[Deuteronomy 10:16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/DEU.10.16/)

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וּמַלְתֶּ֕ם אֵ֖ת עָרְלַ֣ת לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וְעָ֨רְפְּכֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תַקְשׁ֖וּ עֽוֹד׃

*Word for word:* and you.will.circumcise (et) the.foreskin your.heart your and neck your not you.will.stiffen again

*JPS 1917:* Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

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