### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʻôwr**, represented by `{{H5785}}`, is the primary term for **skin**. It appears **99 times** across **82 unique verses**, signifying its importance in both literal and symbolic contexts. Its meaning extends from the skin of a person or animal to processed materials such as **hide** and **leather**.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H5785}}` is used in several key ways. It marks the first covering for humanity after the fall, when God made Adam and his wife "coats of **skins**" [[Genesis 3:21]]. The term is central to the laws of purity and disease, with leprosy being identified as a plague in the **skin** of the flesh [[Leviticus 13:2-3]]. Animal **hides** were also crucial materials for constructing the tabernacle, used as coverings for the tent and its sacred instruments ([[Exodus 25:5]], [[Exodus 26:14]]). In poetic literature, the word often symbolizes human frailty and suffering, as when Job cries out, "My bone cleaveth to my **skin** and to my flesh" [[Job 19:20]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide a deeper understanding of the contexts where skin is mentioned:
* `{{H1320}}` **bâsâr** (flesh): This word is frequently paired with `{{H5785}}` to describe the physical body. The laws concerning leprosy, for instance, are diagnosed in the "**skin** of his **flesh**" [[Leviticus 13:2]].
* `{{H6883}}` **tsâraʻath** (leprosy): This term for a skin disease is directly linked to `{{H5785}}`, as leprosy manifests as a plague upon the **skin** [[Leviticus 13:8]]. The condition of the skin was the primary indicator of this ceremonial uncleanness.
* `{{H3847}}` **lâbash** (to put on a garment or clothe): This verb is used in the pivotal moment when God **clothed** Adam and his wife with coats of skins [[Genesis 3:21]], connecting the concept of skin with the act of covering.
* `{{H899}}` **beged** (garment): While `{{H5785}}` can be the material for a covering, `{{H899}}` is a general term for clothing. The laws in Leviticus address plagues appearing in either a **garment** or any item made of **skin** [[Leviticus 13:57-58]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5785}}` is significant, touching on themes of sin, sacrifice, and holiness.
* **Atoning Cover:** The first use of skin as a covering in [[Genesis 3:21]] implies the shedding of blood was necessary to cover Adam and Eve's shame, foreshadowing the sacrificial system.
* **Ceremonial Boundary:** In the Levitical law, the skin serves as a boundary between clean and unclean. A disease deeper than the **skin** signified a serious impurity requiring separation from the community [[Leviticus 13:3]].
* **Sacred and Profane:** The **hide** of a sin offering was to be burned outside the camp, separating it from the holy place ([[Exodus 29:14]], [[Leviticus 8:17]]). Conversely, the **skins** of rams and badgers were used to protect the sacred tabernacle [[Exodus 26:14]].
* **Symbol of Mortality:** In Job and Lamentations, the wasting away of skin represents the temporary and fragile nature of human life in a fallen world ([[Job 7:5]], [[Lamentations 4:8]]).
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5785}}` is far more than a simple biological term. It is a word rich with theological meaning, representing humanity's first covering after sin, the physical boundary for ceremonial purity, a key material in worship, and a poignant symbol of our mortality. From the coats of skins in the Garden to the coverings of the tabernacle, **ʻôwr** illustrates the biblical themes of covering, separation, and redemption.
TRV