English · KJV
H1512

גָּחוֹן

gâchôwn /gaw-khone'/ Ask about this word
Rootprobably from גִּיחַlemma גּיחַ missing vowel, corrected to class="strongs-hebrew-text">גִּיחַ
Meaning(compare גִּיחוֹן); the external abdomen, belly (as the source of the faetus )
KJV usagebelly.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of gâchôwn — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word gâchôwn, represented by H1512, refers to the belly. It appears only 2 times in 2 unique verses, making its usage highly specific and thematically consistent. Its definition is the external abdomen or belly.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The word is used in two significant contexts of judgment and law. In Genesis, H1512 appears in God's curse upon the serpent H5175, decreeing that "upon thy belly shalt thou go" Genesis 3:14. This connects the word to a state of humiliation and divine punishment. Later, in Leviticus, the term is used in the dietary laws to classify creatures that are an abomination H8263, forbidding the consumption of anything that "goeth upon the belly" Leviticus 11:42.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context of H1512:

  • H5175 nâchâsh (serpent): This is the creature that is cursed by God H430 to move upon its belly as a result of its actions Genesis 3:14.
  • H779 ʼârar (to execrate; bitterly curse): This word defines the divine action taken against the serpent, with movement on the belly being a central part of the punishment Genesis 3:14.
  • H8263 sheqets (abomination): This term describes the status of creatures that move on their belly, classifying them as ritually unclean and forbidden to be eaten Leviticus 11:42.
  • H1980 hâlak (to walk): This word for normal movement is used in Leviticus to describe what goes on the belly, contrasting this form of locomotion with others, such as going on four H702 feet Leviticus 11:42.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H1512 is centered on its association with judgment and uncleanness.

  • Symbol of Humiliation: Movement on the belly is established from its first mention as a sign of a curse and a lowered state, forcing the serpent to travel in the dust H6083 for all the days H3117 of its life H2416 Genesis 3:14.
  • Marker of the Unclean: The concept is carried into the Mosaic law, where going on the belly is a key identifier for animals that are an abomination and must not be eaten by God's people.
  • Divine Judgment: In both of its occurrences, the word is linked to a negative divine declaration, first as a punishment and second as a prohibition, illustrating a clear separation between the holy and the profane.

Summary

In summary, gâchôwn H1512 is more than a simple anatomical term. Though rare, it consistently functions as a symbol of divine judgment, humiliation, and ritual uncleanness. Its use in scripture demonstrates how a physical characteristic can represent a profound spiritual status, marking a creature as either cursed or ceremonially unfit.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • גָּחוֹן
  • גְּחֹנְ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H5175 נָחָשׁ from נָחַשׁ; a snake (from its hiss); serpent. H8263 שֶׁקֶץ from שָׁקַץ; filth, i.e. (figuratively and specifically) an idolatrous object; abominable(-tion). H430 אֱלֹהִים plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) H779 אָרַר a primitive root; to execrate; [idiom] bitterly curse. H1980 הָלַךְ akin to יָלַךְ; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively); (all) along, H702 אַרְבַּע masculine אַרְבָּעָה; from רָבַע; four; four.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis and Leviticus (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
Genesis
1
Leviticus

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.