Bible Dictionaries
Foreskin

Holman Bible Dictionary

The loose fold of skin covering the glans of the penis which is removed in circumcision. Removal of the foreskin was a bodily reminder of God's covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:11 ,Genesis 17:11,17:14 ,Genesis 17:14,17:23-25 ). In Deuteronomy 10:16 the “foreskin of the heart” is associated with stubbornness in disobedience. The difficult text in Habakkuk 2:16 is likely a scribal corruption

of the word “stagger” involving the inversion of two letters. NRSV, TEV, and REB thus translate “stagger” together with the Dead Sea Scrolls and several ancient versions. The reading in the Masoretic text, “to show oneself to be uncircumcised,” does not mean simple exposure (NIV, NAS), but to be recognized as one cut off from the covenant. See Covenant; Circumcision .