קָשֶׁה
Severe (in various applications) · the nape or back of the neck (as declining ); hence, the back generally (whether literal or figurative)
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What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
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Canonical witness: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
קָשֶׁה H7186 severe (in various applications)
עֹרֶף H6203 the nape or back of the neck (as declining ); hence, the back generally (whether literal or figurative)
What does קָשֶׁה (qesheh-oref) mean in the Bible?
קָשֶׁה · עֹרֶף is a Hebrew word meaning "severe (in various applications)". churlish, cruel, grievous, hard((-hearted), thing), heavy, impudent, obstinate, prevailed, rough(-ly), sore, sorrowful, stiff(necked), stubborn, in trouble. The term captures Israel’s persistent resistance, magnifying the depth of divine patience and mercy.
Full entry for קָשֶׁה (H7186, H6203) · Browse the biblical lexicon
Meaning
Denotes obstinate resistance to authority, whether through hard-heartedness, stiff-neckedness, or cruel inflexibility.
churlish, cruel, grievous, hard((-hearted), thing), heavy, impudent, obstinate, prevailed, rough(-ly), sore, sorrowful, stiff(necked), stubborn, in trouble.
Why This Word Matters
The term captures Israel’s persistent resistance, magnifying the depth of divine patience and mercy. Nehemiah 9:6-38
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.