Word Study for H5748 (עוּגָב)

ʻûwgâb /oo-gawb'/ Ask about this word

Rootor עֻגָּב · from עֲגַב in the original sense of breathing

Meaninga reed-instrument of music

KJV usageorgan.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻûwgâb — 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 ʻûwgâb, represented by H5748, is a term for a reed-instrument of music, or organ. Its definition suggests an origin from a root word meaning "breathing." It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses, marking its significance in specific contexts of worship, culture, and human emotion.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The ʻûwgâb is first mentioned in the earliest accounts of human history, where Jubal is named the father H1 of all who handle H8610 the harp H3658 and organ Genesis 4:21. This establishes it as a foundational instrument of human art and culture. It is associated with celebration and joy, as people rejoice H8055 at the sound H6963 of the organ Job 21:12. Conversely, in times of deep distress, its music is silenced; Job laments that his organ H5748 is turned into the voice H6963 of them that weep H1058 Job 30:31. Finally, it holds a sacred role in worship, where believers are called to praise H1984 God with the organ Psalms 150:4.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help define the musical and emotional context of the ʻûwgâb:

H3658 kinnôwr (harp): This stringed instrument is mentioned alongside the organ in three of its four appearances, establishing them as a pair of foundational instruments for both cultural expression and emotional articulation (Genesis 4:21, Job 21:12, Job 30:31).
H8596 tôph (timbrel): A percussion instrument often associated with joyous occasions, the timbrel appears with the organ in contexts of both praise and celebration (Job 21:12, Psalms 150:4).
H1984 hâlal (praise): This word, meaning to celebrate or commend, defines the highest purpose of the organ as an instrument dedicated to the worship of God Psalms 150:4.

Theological Significance

The biblical mentions of H5748 carry significant thematic weight.

A Foundational Art: The instrument's inclusion in Genesis establishes music as an ancient and integral part of human civilization, with Jubal H3106 being the forefather of those who play it Genesis 4:21.
Expression of Joy and Sorrow: The organ serves as a powerful symbol of the human emotional spectrum. Its sound is tied directly to rejoicing Job 21:12, while its transformation into the sound of weeping illustrates a state of profound mourning H60 and loss Job 30:31.
An Instrument of Worship: In the Psalms, the organ is elevated to a sacred purpose, explicitly listed among the instruments used to praise H1984 the Lord, alongside the timbrel H8596 and dance H4234 Psalms 150:4.

Summary

In summary, H5748 ʻûwgâb is far more than an archaic musical term. It is a symbol that spans the breadth of human experience, from the dawn of culture to the heights of worship. Though mentioned only a few times, its presence in Scripture marks the importance of music as an expression of celebration, a voice for sorrow, and a vital component of praising God.

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 4 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.

עוּגָב
עֻגָבִ

Related Words

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.

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 4 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Job (2 verses); never once in the other 36.

Genesis

Job

Psalms

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.