Language Studies

Hebrew Thoughts

n^eqêbhâh - נְקֵבָה (Strong's #5347)
Female

The word for female נְקֵבָה n^eqêbhâh (Strong's #5347, x22) is relatively rare compared to the high incidence of אִשָּׁה 'îshshâh "woman" (Strong's #802, x780) which is just the feminine form of "man" אִישׁ 'îysh (Strong's #376, x2180), just as we have wo/man, fe/male, vir/ago (Latin). It is, however, a feminine formed word with the Hebrew שׂנבספָ -âh suffix derived from נָקַב nâqabh (Strong's #5344, x25).

נְקֵבָה n^eqêbhâh is not related in any way to the Hebrew word for "male" זָכָר zâkâr (Strong's #2145, x81) and stands in its own right. It does, however, often appear with זָכָר zâkâr in the couplet "male and female", indeed, in 15 of its 22 occurrences.

It could stand for the female of humankind or animalkind, as in the "male and female" of the species taken in to the Ark (Genesis 6:19; 7:3,9,16) or of animals used for sacrifice (Leviticus 3:1,6).

Its first occurrence is in the creation narrative, Genesis 1:27; 5:2, "male and female he created them", describing the creation of both the singular first man and plurally of mankind, using the word אדם 'âdhâm (Strong's #120, x522) in both cases. According to Jewish tradition the first man was both male and female until Eve was created from him, being taken out of him.

זָכָר zâkâr (Strong's #2145, x81) "male" derives from זָכַר zâkar (Strong's #2142, x236) "to remember" with the idea of preserving memory and family name and line. נְקֵבָה n^eqêbhâh, on the other hand, stems from נָקַב nâqabh, meaning to "to pierce, perforate, bore", which appears to have a crude sexual connotation. Another derivative isנֶקֶב neqebh (Strong's #5345, x1) which describes the hollowed-out setting for a gem, though not the gem itself (only used in Ezekiel 28:13). Thus, the idea of female, woman, could be seen as she who is pierced, entered, or as descriptive of her hollowed out organs of either vagina or womb.

The last occurrence of נְקֵבָה n^eqêbhâh is in the peculiar and hard to interpret passage in Jeremiah 31:22 "How long will you gad about, O you backsliding daughter? For the LORD has created a new thing in the earth a female shall encompass a man". The word for man here גֶבֶר gebher (Strong's #1397, x68) is man in his might, emphasising his strength or warrior-like ability to fight, so it could suggest a weak-strong role reversal, or humiliation. This verse has been taken by some to be prophetic of the virgin birth, though it could simply suggest that instead of the Father pursuing the daughter, she will turn about, pursue and encircle her first love, the woman initiating the courting and taking the lead.

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Meet the Author

Charles Loder has an MA in Jewish Studies from Rutgers University. His work is in Biblical Hebrew and comparative semitic linguistics, along with a focus on digital humanities. His work can be found on his Academia page and Github.