### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **qôbâh**, represented by `{{H6897}}`, refers to the **abdomen** or **belly**, understood as a cavity. Derived from the root `qābab`, this term is exceptionally rare, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** throughout the entire Bible, marking a specific and dramatic moment in Israel's history.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The single use of `{{H6897}}` is found in the account of divine judgment against Israel's idolatry. When an Israelite man brought a Midianite woman into the camp, an act of defiance, a zealous individual followed them into a tent. The text states he "thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her **belly**" [[Numbers 25:8]]. This graphic detail emphasizes the severity of the sin and the totality of the judgment enacted, which immediately resulted in a deadly **plague** being **stayed** from the people of **Israel** [[Numbers 25:8]].
### Related Words & Concepts
The context of `{{H6897}}` is illuminated by several related Hebrew words present in the same passage:
* `{{H6898}}` **qubbâh** (tent): This word, sharing a root with `qôbâh`, means a pavilion or tent, conceived as a domed cavity. The piercing of the **belly** (qôbâh) takes place inside the **tent** (qubbâh), linking the two "cavities" in the narrative of judgment [[Numbers 25:8]].
* `{{H1856}}` **dâqar** (to thrust through): This verb describes the violent action performed upon the woman's **belly**. It means to stab, pierce, or strike through, highlighting the lethal nature of the judgment carried out [[Numbers 25:8]].
* `{{H4046}}` **maggêphâh** (plague): This term refers to the pestilence or slaughter that God had sent upon Israel. The act of piercing the **belly** (qôbâh) is directly tied to the cessation of this **plague** [[Numbers 25:8]], showing the event's significance.
### Theological Significance
While appearing only once, the theological weight of `{{H6897}}` is significant within its narrative context.
* **Physicality of Judgment:** The use of a specific anatomical term for **belly** anchors a moment of divine judgment in a stark, physical reality. It demonstrates that sin has tangible and fatal consequences.
* **Site of Atoning Zeal:** The woman's **belly** (qôbâh) becomes the focal point of an act of zeal that stops the **plague** from destroying the **children of Israel** [[Numbers 25:8]]. The piercing is not just a killing, but an intervention that ends a wider calamity.
* **Symbol of Transgression:** The event occurs in a **tent** `{{H6898}}` and involves a man `{{H376}}` and a woman `{{H802}}`. The piercing through the **belly** serves as a powerful symbol of judgment against the sin that was committed, leading to the plague among the congregation [[Numbers 31:16]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6897}}` **qôbâh** is a precise and rare word whose single appearance carries immense narrative weight. Though it simply means **belly**, its context in [[Numbers 25:8]] elevates it beyond a mere anatomical label. It marks the climactic point of a story about sin, zeal, and divine justice, illustrating how a specific, physical act can have profound spiritual consequences for the entire nation of Israel.
TRV