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.
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.
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.
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.
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