Job 4:15 — Word Study
WLCוְ֭רוּחַ עַל־ פָּנַ֣י יַחֲלֹ֑ף תְּ֝סַמֵּ֗ר שַֽׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּשָׂרִֽי׃
BSA◂Then a spiritrûwach [breath of life, supernatural being] glidedchâlaph▸ pastʻal my facepânîym [presence, before me] [and] the hairsaʻărâh [covering of the body] on my bodybâsâr [flesh, physical form] bristledçâmar▸ [stood up, became stiff]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְ֭רוּחַ | and a wind | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| עַל־ | over | Preposition |
| פָּנַ֣י | face my | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| יַחֲלֹ֑ף | it passed over | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| תְּ֝סַמֵּ֗ר | it made bristle | Verb, Piel, imperfect third person feminine singular |
| שַֽׂעֲרַ֥ת | [the] hair of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| בְּשָׂרִֽי׃ | flesh my | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Then a spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body bristled. |
| KJV | Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: |
| ASV | Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair of my flesh stood up. |
| YLT | And a spirit before my face doth pass, Stand up doth the hair of my flesh; |
| WEB | Then a spirit passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up. |
| BBE | And a breath was moving over my face; the hair of my flesh became stiff: |
Where they part company is רוּחַ — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause presents the action of the spirit, followed by a prepositional phrase indicating location and a noun phrase describing the physical reaction.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectרוּחַ
verbחָלַף
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 4:15
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Encounter with the Supernaturalgenerated
Job 4:15 describes a moment of fear and awe as Job recounts a spirit passing by him, which causes a physical reaction in his body. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job's friend, Eliphaz, interprets Job's suffering through visions and experiences that suggest a divine presence. The surrounding verses highlight the emotional and spiritual turmoil present in Job's life, as seen in Job 4:14 and Job 4:16.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 104:4 | He makes the winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants. |
| 2 | Matthew 14:26 | When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear. |
| 3 | Luke 24:37–39 | But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit. |
| 4 | Hebrews 1:7–14 | Now about the angels He says: “He makes His angels winds, His servants flames of fire.” |
| 5 | Isaiah 13:8 | Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look at one another, their faces flushed with fear. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — רוּחַ, Ve.Ru.achgenerated
The word רוּחַ (ruach) is a feminine noun meaning spirit, breath, or wind. It encompasses a range of meanings, including the breath of life and emotional disposition, as well as the spirit of God. In this context, it refers to a supernatural being that passes by Job, evoking a strong physical response.
The parsing indicates that this word is a noun in the absolute state, emphasizing its significance in the sentence. The use of רוּחַ here suggests a powerful presence that is both felt and perceived, leading to Job's visceral reaction.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb in the verse is יַחֲלֹף, it passed over, which governs the action of the spirit moving past Job. The structure is straightforward, with the subject רוּחַ preceding the verb, indicating the spirit's action as the focal point.
The phrase שַֽׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּשָׂרִֽי is a construct chain, linking the hair to Job's flesh, emphasizing the physical reaction. The Hebrew syntax places the emphasis on the spirit's movement and the resulting effect on Job's body.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, רוּחַ is rendered as πνεῦμα (pneuma), which also means spirit. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the supernatural aspect of the encounter.
The use of ἐπῆλθεν (epēlthen) for the verb 'it passed over' indicates a direct translation of the action, preserving the sense of movement and presence conveyed in the Hebrew.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 4:15 describes a moment when Job sees a spirit pass by, causing the hair on his body to stand up. This reaction indicates fear and awe in response to the supernatural presence.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job is describing a supernatural experience that evokes a strong emotional and physical reaction, suggesting the presence of something beyond the ordinary.
The bristling of Job's hair indicates a visceral response to fear or awe in the presence of the spirit, reflecting a common human reaction to the unknown.
The spirit represents a divine or supernatural presence, highlighting the themes of fear, mystery, and the unknown in Job's narrative.
This verse illustrates Job's encounters with the divine and the emotional turmoil he experiences, which is central to the themes of suffering and faith in the book of Job.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some instances in my life where I have felt a strong emotional response to something I could not see or understand?
- How do I respond to experiences that evoke fear or awe, and what do they reveal about my understanding of the divine?
- In what ways can I cultivate a deeper awareness of the spiritual presence in my life, similar to Job's experience?
- How does Job's encounter with the spirit challenge or affirm my beliefs about the supernatural?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers have commented on this verse, discussing the implications of Job's encounter with the spirit and the nature of divine presence.
And as a spirit passed before my face, the hair of my flesh stood up. But when the mind is suspended in contemplation, when, exceeding the narrow limits of the flesh, with all the power of her ken,Early Church Fathers on Job 4 →
ON HOW HERETICS MISUSE THIS VERSE. And when a spirit passed before my face, the hair of my flesh stood up. There stood one, but I knew not the face of him.Early Church Fathers on Job 4 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 4:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThen a spirit passed before my face,.... Which some interpret of a wind (q), a blustering wind, that blew strong in his face; and so the Targum renders it, a stormy wind, such an one as Elijah
Read John Gill on Job 4 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryFear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 4 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThen, Heb. and, or for, as this particle is oft used. So this was the reason of the foregoing thoughts and fear. A spirit; an angel in some visible shape, otherwise he could not have discerned it, nor would have been affrighted at it. The hair of my flesh, i.e. of my body, as flesh is taken, 119:120. Stood up, through that excessive horror caused by so glorious, unusual, and terrible a presence; which God used to excite in men upon such occasions, to convince them that it was not a vain imagination or illusion, but a real vision and revelation, and that from God.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 4 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 4:15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:Ver. 15. Then a spirit passed before my face] Some render it a wind, as a messenger or forerunner of God near at hand, as 1 Kings 19:11. But better, a good angel in some bodily shape, Psalms 104:4 Luke 24:37; for else how could he be seen of Eliphaz, gliding rather than going, as a ship upon the face of the waters? The hair of my flesh stood up] Horripilatus sum. In a fright the heart falleth down, the hair standeth up; the blood hastening to the heart to relieve it, as soldiers do to the castle when all is likely to be lost. Dirigui, steteruntque comae -
Read John Trapp on Job 4 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(15) A spirit passed before my face.—It is vain to argue from this passage that spiritual essences are capable of being seen by the bodily eye, because, first of all, the language is highly figurative and poetical, and because, secondly, every one understands that a spiritual manifestation can be made only to the spirit. The notion, therefore, of seeing a spirit is absurd in itself, because it involves the idea of seeing the invisible; but it is conceivable that the perceptions of the inner spirit may be so vivid as to assume the character of outward manifestations.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 4 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15. then a spirit] Rather, a breath. It was something which he felt; that which he saw follows in Job 4:16. The word spirit does not seem used in the Old Testament in the sense of an apparition.
Read Cambridge on Job 4 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThen a spirit passed before my face - He does not intimate whether it was the spirit of a man, or an angel who thus appeared. The belief in such apparitions was common in the early ages, and indeed has prevailed at all times.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 4 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible15. A spirit — ψεη, rouahh, as a verb, signifies to breathe or to blow, and as a noun, bears the meaning of breath or spirit, according as the associated thought shall determine.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 4 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Then a spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body bristled.
Then a spirit passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up.
Then a spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body bristled.
Then a breath of air passes by my face; it makes the hair of my flesh stand up.
Tyndale line
Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:
Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair of my flesh stood up.
Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up.
Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:
And the wind passed before me, and made the heares of my flesh to stande vp.
Strictly literal
And a spirit passed before my face — the hair of my flesh stood up —
And a spirit before my face doth pass, Stand up doth the hair of my flesh;
And a spirit passes before my face, || The hair of my flesh stands up;
Then flitted a spirit past before my face; the hair of my body stood up:
Then a spirit passed before my face, and the hair of my flesh stood up.
From the Latin
And when a spirit passed before me, the hair of my flesh stood up.
Simplified
Then a breath brushed my face and gave me goose-pimples.
And a breath was moving over my face; the hair of my flesh became stiff:
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads: וְ֭רוּחַ עַל־ פָּנַ֣י יַחֲלֹ֑ף תְּ֝סַמֵּ֗ר שַֽׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּשָׂרִֽי׃. The Septuagint matches five of the seven words, reflecting a strong agreement in the core elements of the text, although the word order differs.
וְ֭רוּחַ עַל־ פָּנַ֣י יַחֲלֹ֑ף תְּ֝סַמֵּ֗ר שַֽׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּשָׂרִֽי׃
5 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 4:15
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
רוּחַ (ruach) means breath, wind, or spirit. It encompasses various meanings, including the breath of life, emotional disposition, and the spirit of God. The term can refer to both physical phenomena, like wind, and abstract concepts, such as moral character or mental acts. Notably, it is used frequently in the context of divine inspiration and the Holy Spirit.
רוּחַ 378 n.f. (less oft. m.) breath, wind, spirit
breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)
wind (117 t.)
spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)
spirit of the living, breathing being
spirit as seat of emotion
occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts
rarely of the will
רוּחַ esp. of moral character
spirit of God (94 t.)
base
H7307 רוּחַ breath, wind, spirit . breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)
. wind (117 t.)
. spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)
. spirit of the living, breathing being
. spirit as seat of emotion
. occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts
. rarely of the will
. רוּחַ esp. of moral character
. spirit of God (94 t.)
7307 ruwach roo'-akh
from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or
even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger,
unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by
resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including
its expression and functions):--air, anger, blast, breath, X
cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit((-ual)),
tempest, X vain, ((whirl-))wind(-y).
see HEBREW for 07306
רוּחַ (ru.ach) — spirit.
: spirit
1) wind, breath, mind, spirit
1a) breath
1b) wind
1b1) of heaven
1b2) quarter (of wind), side
1b3) breath of air
1b4) air, gas
1b5) vain, empty thing
1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation)
1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour
1c2) courage
1c3) temper, anger
1c4) impatience, patience
1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented)
1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse
1c7) prophetic spirit
1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals)
1d1) as gift, preserved by God, God's spirit, departing at death, disembodied being
1e) spirit (as seat of emotion)
1e1) desire
1e2) sorrow, trouble
1f) spirit
1f1) as seat or organ of mental acts
1f2) rarely of the will
1f3) as seat especially of moral character
Conj | N-cs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absoluteHC/Ncfsa
wind (anemos:
1. Causes:
Unequal distribution of heat in the atmosphere causes currents of air or wind. The heated air rises and the air from around rushes in. The direction from which a current comes determines its name, as west wind coming from the West but blowing toward the East. When two currents of air of different directions meet, a spiral motion sometimes results.
See WHIRLWIND.
2. West Wind:
In Palestine the west wind is the most common. It comes from the sea and carries the moisture which condenses to form clouds, as it is turned upward by the mountains, to the cooler layers of the atmosphere. If the temperature reached is cool enough the cloud condenses and rain falls. Elijah looked toward the West for the "small cloud," and soon "the heavens grew black with clouds and wind" (1Ki 18:44 f). "When ye see a cloud rising in the…
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep — PrepositionHR
The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.
[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces
face, faces
presence, person
technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
face of seraphim
face of animals
face (= surface) of ground
as adv.loc. before
for other phrases
with prepositions
base
H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces
. . presence, person
. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
. face of seraphim
. face of animals
. face (= surface) of ground
. as adv. loc. before
. for other phrases
. with prepositions
6440 paniym paw-neem'
plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh
{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);
used in a great variety of applications (literally and
figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a
preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),
against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),
+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,
face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er
time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +
honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +
meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,
open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,
presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right
forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,
X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.
: before/to/front
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.
: face
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…
N-cp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp1bs
חָלַף (chalaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pass on or away, with various nuances including to hasten, sprout anew, or change. It can refer to physical movement, such as passing through, as well as metaphorical changes like transgression or renewal. The word appears in poetic contexts and has different forms indicating causation or transformation.
חָלַף vb. pass on or away, pass through (mostly poet.)
Qal
pass on quickly
pass away, vanish
of grass, come on anew, i.e. sprout again
trans.
pass through, i.e. pierce
overstep, transgress
Pi. (cause to pass) change
Hiph.
change (trans.)
shew newness
base
H2498 חָלַף pass on or away, pass through (mostly poet.) .. . pass on quickly
. pass away, vanish
. of grass, come on anew, i.e. sprout again
. trans. . pass through, i.e. pierce
. overstep, transgress
. (cause to pass) change
. . change (trans.)
. shew newness
2498 chalaph khaw-laf'
a primitive root; properly, to slide by, i.e. (by
implication) to hasten away, pass on, spring up, pierce or
change:--abolish, alter, change, cut off, go on forward, grow
up, be over, pass (away, on, through), renew, sprout, strike
through.
חָלַף (cha.laph) — to pass.
1) to pass on or away, pass through, pass by, go through, grow up, change, to go on from
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pass on quickly
1a2) to pass away (vanish)
1a3) to come on anew, sprout again (of grass)
1a4) to pass through
1a5) to overstep, transgress
1b) (Piel) to cause to pass, change
1c) (Hiph)
1c1) to change, substitute, alter, change for better, renew
1c2) to show newness (of tree)
Aramaic equivalent: cha.laph (חֲלַף "to pass" H2499)
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
סָמַר (sa.mar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to bristle up or stand up, often in response to fear. It appears in various forms, including the Qal and Piel stems, indicating actions like shivering or standing erect. Notably, it is referenced in Psalm 119:120, where it describes the physical reaction of fear.
סָמַר vb. bristle up
Qal ψ 119:120 from fear of thee did my flesh bristle up, ‘creep.’
Pi. Jb 4:15.
ref
H5568 סָמַר
5568 camar saw-mar'
a primitive root; to be erect, i.e. bristle as hair:--stand
up, tremble.
סָמַר (sa.mar) — to bristle up.
1) to bristle up, shiver, stand up
1a) (Qal) to bristle up, shiver
1b) (Piel) to bristle up, stand up
V-Piel-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person feminine singularHVpi3fs
שַׂעֲרָה (sa`arah) refers to hair, specifically a single hair or hairiness. It is a feminine noun derived from the root word for hair. The entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
שַׂעֲרָה n.f. a hair, nom. unit
base
H8185 שַׂעֲרָה
8185 sa`arah sah-ar-aw'
feminine of 8181; hairiness:--hair.
see HEBREW for 08181
שַׂעֲרָה (sa.a.rah) — hair.
a single hair
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
בָּשָׂר (basar) means 'flesh' and encompasses various meanings, including the physical body, kinship, and a euphemism for male genitalia. It can refer to humans, animals, and all living things, highlighting the frailty of man in relation to God. The entries consistently emphasize its bodily and relational aspects.
בָּשָׂר 266 n.m. flesh
of the body
flesh for the body itself
male organ of generation (euphemism)
flesh for kindred, blood-relations
man over against God as frail or erring
base
H1320 בָּשָׂר flesh . of the body
. flesh for the body itself
. male organ of generation (euphemism)
. flesh for kindred, blood-relations
. man over against God as frail or erring
1320 basar baw-sawr'
from 1319; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body,
person; also (by euphem.) the pudenda of a man:--body, (fat,
lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-)kind, + nakedness, self, skin.
see HEBREW for 01319
בָּשָׂר (ba.sar) — flesh.
1) flesh
1a) of the body
1a1) of humans
1a2) of animals
1b) the body itself
1c) male organ of generation (euphemism)
1d) kindred, blood-relations
1e) flesh as frail or erring (man against God)
1f) all living things
1g) animals
1h) mankind
Aramaic equivalent: be.shar (בְּשַׁר "flesh" H1321)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp1bs