What does אָחוֹר (ʾāḥwōr) mean in the Bible?
אָחוֹר (ʾāḥwōr): Spatial term denoting what lies behind or at one's back; primarily directional, secondarily temporal for future events.
Hebrew · H268
אָחוֹר
The hinder part; hence (adverb) behind , backward ; also (as facing north) the West
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אָחוֹרH268
Pronunciationʾāḥwōr
What does אָחוֹר (ʾāḥwōr) mean in the Bible?
אָחוֹר (ʾāḥwōr): Spatial term denoting what lies behind or at one's back; primarily directional, secondarily temporal for future events.
Full entry for אָחוֹר (H268) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H268?
The BSB source-word alignment has 41 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (12), back (7), backward (3), and behind him (2), their hindquarters (2).
Where does אָחוֹר (ʾāḥwōr) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 49:17. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (12), Isaiah (9), Jeremiah (4), Lamentations (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It. . .12×2 Samuel 1:22, Psalms 9:3, Psalms 35:4, Psalms 40:14
back7×Psalms 78:66, Psalms 114:3, Psalms 114:5, Psalms 129:5
backward3×Genesis 49:17, Isaiah 28:13, Jeremiah 7:24
and behind him2×2 Samuel 10:9, 1 Chronicles 19:10
their hindquarters2×1 Kings 7:25, 2 Chronicles 4:4
and back1×Ezekiel 2:10
and behind them1×2 Chronicles 13:14
and if I go west1×Job 23:8
away1×Lamentations 1:8
behind1×Psalms 139:5
from the west1×Isaiah 9:12
hereafter1×Isaiah 42:23
it back1×Proverbs 29:11
My back1×Exodus 33:23
that are to come1×Isaiah 41:23
the back1×Exodus 26:12
their backs on Him1×Isaiah 1:4
with their backs1×Ezekiel 8:16
you1×Jeremiah 38:22
You have turned your back1×Jeremiah 15:6
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 49:17אָחֽוֹר׃tobackwardNoun - masculine singularExodus 26:12אֲחֹרֵ֥יtothe backNoun - masculine plural constructExodus 33:23אֲחֹרָ֑יtoMy backNoun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular2 Samuel 1:22אָח֑וֹרto. . .Noun - masculine singular2 Samuel 10:9וּמֵֽאָח֑וֹרtoand behind himConjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular1 Kings 7:25אֲחֹֽרֵיהֶ֖םtotheir hindquartersNoun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural1 Chronicles 19:10וְאָח֑וֹרtoand behind himConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular2 Chronicles 4:4אֲחֹרֵיהֶ֖םtotheir hindquartersNoun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural2 Chronicles 13:14וְאָח֔וֹרtoand behind themConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularJob 23:8וְ֝אָח֗וֹרtoand if I go westConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 49:17
Aligned rows41
Books represented13
Genesis1Exodus22 Samuel21 Kings11 Chronicles12 Chronicles2Job1Psalms12Proverbs1Isaiah9Jeremiah4Lamentations3Ezekiel2
Source forms
אָח֑וֹר4x’ā·ḥō·wr2 Samuel 1:22, Psalms 9:3, Psalms 78:66, Psalms 129:5
אָח֣וֹר4x’ā·ḥō·wrPsalms 35:4, Psalms 44:18, Psalms 139:5, Jeremiah 15:6
אָ֭חוֹר4x’ā·ḥō·wrPsalms 40:14, Psalms 44:10, Psalms 56:9, Psalms 70:2
אָחוֹר֙3x’ā·ḥō·wrIsaiah 28:13, Isaiah 42:17, Isaiah 59:14
אָחֽוֹר׃3x’ā·ḥō·wrGenesis 49:17, Isaiah 1:4, Jeremiah 38:22
לְאָחֽוֹר׃3xlə·’ā·ḥō·wrPsalms 114:3, Psalms 114:5, Isaiah 42:23
אָח֖וֹר2x’ā·ḥō·wrIsaiah 44:25, Isaiah 50:5
וְאָח֑וֹר2xwə·’ā·ḥō·wr1 Chronicles 19:10, Ezekiel 2:10
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular24xGenesis 49:17, 2 Samuel 1:22, Psalms 9:3, Psalms 35:4
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular5xPsalms 114:3, Psalms 114:5, Isaiah 41:23, Isaiah 42:23
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular4x1 Chronicles 19:10, 2 Chronicles 13:14, Job 23:8, Ezekiel 2:10
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural3x1 Kings 7:25, 2 Chronicles 4:4, Ezekiel 8:16
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular1x2 Samuel 10:9
Noun - masculine plural construct1xExodus 26:12
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular1xExodus 33:23
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular1xProverbs 29:11
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Spatial term denoting what lies behind or at one's back; primarily directional, secondarily temporal for future events.
Source Gloss
the hinder part; hence (adverb) behind , backward ; also (as facing north) the West
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Spatial term denoting what lies behind or at one's back; primarily directional, secondarily temporal for future events.
the hinder part; hence (adverb) behind, backward; also (as facing north) the West BDB: the hinder side Usage: after(-ward), back (part, -side, -ward), hereafter, (be-) hind(-er part), time to come, without.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
אָחוֹר is built from this root:
אֲחִירַעH299
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.