Lexical Summary gav: back, backs Original Word: גַּו Strong's Exhaustive Concordance back Another form for gev; the back -- back. see HEBREW gev NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition the back NASB Translation back (2), backs (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [גַּו] noun [masculine] back — only suffix גַּוֶּ֑ךָ 1 Kings 14:9, גַּוֵּ֑ךְ Ezekiel 23:35, גַּוָּם Nehemiah 9:26; — always ׳הִשְׁלִיךְ אַחֲרֵי ג cast behind the back, i.e. put out of mind, ignore, reject ׳י 1 Kings 14:9; Ezekiel 23:35, and his law Nehemiah 9:26. Topical Lexicon Basic Meaning and Figurative Sense גַּו (gav) denotes the physical “back” of a person, yet in all three canonical occurrences the word is used figuratively: that which is thrust “behind one’s back” represents willful disregard, deliberate neglect, or contemptuous rejection. The image communicates not mere forgetfulness but an intentional turning away from the covenant Lord and His revealed will. Occurrences in Scripture 1. 1 Kings 14:9 – Jeroboam “thrust” Yahweh “behind [his] back,” embodying the Northern Kingdom’s programmatic idolatry. Covenantal Implications: Casting God Behind One’s Back In each text the covenant relationship is at stake. “Back” language presupposes a face-to-face fellowship (Genesis 3:8; Exodus 33:11). To push God behind the back is to reverse the Exodus paradigm: instead of following the LORD’s glory, Israel dismisses Him, preferring the works of its own hands. Such repudiation violates the first commandment (Exodus 20:3) and triggers the covenant curses (Leviticus 26:17; Deuteronomy 28:20). Prophetic Warning and Judgment The prophets deploy גַּו as a forensic term. In 1 Kings, Ahijah indicts Jeroboam before the birth of his dynasty; in Ezekiel, the metaphor seals Jerusalem’s fate on the eve of the Babylonian siege. Ezekiel 23:35 concludes, “bear now the consequences of your lewdness”. The image therefore functions simultaneously as accusation and verdict, underlining the moral logic of divine judgment—what is pushed behind the back returns upon the sinner’s own back (cf. Psalm 7:16). Didactic Lessons for Contemporary Discipleship Nehemiah 9 transforms the idiom into a confessional tool for corporate repentance. By acknowledging the ancestors’ “back-turning,” the post-exilic community seeks renewal. The passage models: Every generation must decide whether to face God’s word or to relegate it “behind the back.” Christological Fulfillment Where Israel pushed God away, the Messiah turns His back to suffering in faithful submission: “I gave My back to those who struck Me” (Isaiah 50:6). The obedient Servant absorbs the judgment deserved by those who cast the LORD behind their backs, restoring face-to-face fellowship (2 Corinthians 4:6). Pastoral Application 1. Preaching: The gav motif warns against selective obedience. Whenever Scripture is ignored on matters of holiness, justice, or worship, believers reenact the ancient gesture. Related Themes and Cross-References • Turning one’s back: Jeremiah 2:27; 32:33. In sum, גַּו serves as a vivid theological shorthand for the decisive moment when the heart forsakes its Maker. The remedy lies in repentance, covenant fidelity, and ultimately in the redemptive work of Christ, who alone enables sinners to turn back and behold the LORD’s face in peace. Forms and Transliterations גַוֵּ֑ךְ גַוֶּֽךָ׃ גַוָּ֔ם גוך גוך׃ גום gavVam gavVech gavVecha ḡaw·wām ḡaw·we·ḵā ḡaw·wêḵ ḡawwām ḡawwêḵ ḡawweḵāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 14:9 HEB: הִשְׁלַ֖כְתָּ אַחֲרֵ֥י גַוֶּֽךָ׃ ס NAS: and have cast Me behind your back-- KJV: and hast cast me behind thy back: INT: cast behind your back Nehemiah 9:26 Ezekiel 23:35 3 Occurrences |
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