### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **dérma**, represented by `{{G1192}}`, is a specific term for **a hide or skin**. It appears only **1 time** across **1 unique verse** in the Bible. Its sole usage is literal, referring to the hide of an animal used as rudimentary clothing.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{G1192}}` appears in a list describing the intense suffering of people of faith. It is used to paint a picture of extreme poverty and ostracism, where individuals "wandered about in sheepskins and **goatskins**" [[Hebrews 11:37]]. This context associates the word not with simple clothing, but with a life of hardship, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented for one's faith.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its context in [[Hebrews 11:37]] illuminate the meaning of `{{G1192}}`:
* `{{G122}}` **aígeios** (belonging to a goat): This word directly modifies **dérma** in the text, specifying the source of the skin and completing the term "goatskins."
* `{{G3374}}` **mēlōtḗ** (a sheep-skin): This term is used in parallel with "goatskins," emphasizing the crude nature of the clothing worn by these persecuted figures [[Hebrews 11:37]].
* `{{G5302}}` **hysteréō** (to be destitute, lack, suffer need): This word describes the condition of those wearing the skins, highlighting that this apparel was a mark of their complete destitution [[Hebrews 11:37]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G1192}}` comes entirely from its singular context within a powerful passage on faith.
* **The Cost of Faithfulness:** The use of "goatskins" as clothing is a vivid illustration of the material and social cost paid by those who remained faithful to God in the face of persecution [[Hebrews 11:37]].
* **A Symbol of Endurance:** The image of being clothed in animal hides while being "afflicted" `{{G2346}}` and "tormented" `{{G2558}}` serves as a powerful symbol of endurance, highlighting the perseverance of the saints through extreme hardship.
* **Rejection by the World:** By wandering in such garments, these individuals were marked as outcasts from society, demonstrating a life separate from worldly comforts and acceptance.
### Summary
In summary, while `{{G1192}}` is a simple word for **a hide**, its single appearance in scripture gives it significant symbolic weight. It is a key element in the Bible’s depiction of suffering for faith, illustrating the destitution and rejection faced by believers. It shows how a mundane detail—the type of clothing worn—can powerfully convey the profound reality of enduring persecution for a heavenly promise [[Hebrews 11:37]].
TRV