H6677a H6677a
neck, back of neck — the body part connecting head and torso; site of embrace, ornament, and subjugation
Tsavvar is a masculine noun for the neck, appearing 40 times and carrying rich physical and symbolic resonance. In Genesis, it is the site of tender reunion: Jacob 'fell on the neck' of Esau (Gen 33:4) and later of Benjamin and Joseph (Gen 45:14; 46:29) — an embrace idiom (nafal al-tsavvar) that recurs in the prodigal son parable (Luke 15:20, using the Greek trachelos). Pharaoh places a gold chain on Joseph's neck as a sign of authority (Gen 41:42), and the Song of Songs adorns the beloved's neck with ornaments (Song 1:10; 4:4, 9; 7:5). Yet the neck also receives the yoke of servitude: 'I will put an iron yoke on your neck' (Deut 28:48; Jer 28:14). The metaphor of stiff-neckedness (qeshe-oref, using a different word) is distinct, but tsavvar itself bears the physical weight of both love and bondage.
Senses
1. neck (body part) — The anatomical neck, the body part connecting head and torso, appearing in three primary contextual clusters: (1) the embrace idiom nafal al-tsavvar, 'fall upon the neck,' expressing intense reunion emotion (Gen 33:4; 45:14; 46:29); (2) adornment and authority — gold chains (Gen 41:42; Dan 5:7, 16, 29) and jewelry (Song 1:10; 4:4, 9; Prov 1:9; 3:3, 22); (3) subjugation — the neck bears the literal or figurative yoke (Deut 28:48; Isa 8:8; 10:27; Jer 27:8, 12; 28:10-14; Lam 1:14). French 'cou,' Spanish 'cuello,' and German 'Hals' consistently translate with a single anatomical term, confirming that all occurrences share one core referent despite the varied symbolic uses. 40×
AR["العُنُقِ", "الْعُنُقِ", "صَوَّارِيكْ", "عُنُقُكِ", "عُنُقِ", "عُنُقِكَ", "عُنُقِكِ", "عُنُقِهِ"]·ben["গলা", "গলায়-তোমার", "গলার", "ঘাড়", "ঘাড়-তোমার", "তাঁর-গলার", "তার-গলায়", "তার-গলার", "তোমার-গর্দানে", "তোমার-গলা", "তোমার-গলার", "তোমার-ঘাড়"]·DE["Hals", "dein-Hals", "dein-neck", "seinem-Hals", "seinen-Hals", "seines-Halses"]·EN["his-neck", "neck", "neck-his", "neck-of", "the-neck", "your-neck"]·FR["Ton-cou", "cou", "cou-son", "son-cou", "ton-cou", "ton-cou,"]·heb["צוואר", "צוואר-ו", "צווארך"]·HI["अपनी-गर्दन", "उस-की-गर्दन-के", "उसकी-गर्दन", "गरदन", "गर्दन", "गर्दन-उसकी", "गर्दन-तेरी", "तेरी-गरदन", "तेरी-गर्दन", "तेरी-गर्दनके"]·ID["Lehermu", "leher", "leher.", "lehermu", "lehernya"]·IT["collo", "collo-tua", "neck-suo", "suo-neck", "tuo-neck"]·jav["Jangga-panjenengan", "gulu", "gulu-nipun", "gulu-panjenengan", "guluipun", "gulunipun", "jangga-panjenengan", "jangganipun", "jangganipun-panjenengan"]·KO["그의-목", "그의-목에", "그의-목의", "네-목", "네-목-이", "네-목을", "네-목의", "목", "목까지"]·PT["Teu-pescoço", "pescoço", "pescoço-de-", "pescoço-dele", "pescoço-seu", "pescoço-teu", "teu-pescoço"]·RU["Шея-твоя", "шее-его", "шеи", "шеи-его", "шеи-твоей", "шею", "шею-его", "шею-твою", "шея-твоя"]·ES["Tu-cuello", "cuello", "cuello-de", "cuello-suyo", "el-cuello", "su-cuello", "tu-cuello"]·SW["shingo", "shingo-ya", "shingo-yake", "shingo-yako"]·TR["boyna-o", "boynun", "boynuna", "boynunda", "boynunun", "boynunun-senin", "boyun", "boyunun"]·urd["اپنی-گردن-کے", "تیری-گردن", "گردن", "گردن-اس-کی", "گردن-اُس-کی", "گردن-اپنی", "گردن-تیری"]
Gen 27:16, Gen 27:40, Gen 33:4, Gen 41:42, Gen 45:14, Gen 45:14, Gen 46:29, Gen 46:29, Deut 28:48, Josh 10:24, Josh 10:24, Judg 5:30 (+28 more)
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† צַוָּאר n.m. ψ 75:6 neck, back of neck;—abs. צ׳ Is 8:8 +, cstr. צַוַּאר Je 28:10 + 3 times; sf. צַוָּארִי La 1:14, צַוָּרָם Ne 3:5, etc.; pl. cstr. צַוְּארֵי Ju 8:21 +; sf. צַוָּארָיו Gn 27:16 +, צַוְּארֵיכֶם Je 27:12, †צַוְּארֹתֵיכֶם Mi 2:3;— 1. neck, especially back of neck, of man, wearing chain as ornament Gn 41:42 (E), so of woman Ct 1:10, cf. Ju 5:30 (read perhaps צַוָּארַי for -רֵי),…