BIBLE HEBREW WORD STUDY
ʻÔwd (עוֹד) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
ʻÔwd is a Hebrew adverb expressing continuation or repetition, rendered as 'still,' 'yet,' 'again,' or 'more' depending on context.
Meaning of the word
The term ʻôwd (עוֹד) functions as an adverb of continuation or repetition. At its root it conveys the idea of 'a going round' — something that persists, returns, or carries on beyond an expected stopping point.
In usage the word spans several closely related senses. It can mark the persistence of a prior state ('still,' 'yet' — as in Noah's continued waiting in Genesis 8:10, 12), signal that an action recurs ('again' — Genesis 4:25; 8:21; 9:11, 15), or add something further ('more,' 'longer'). The choice of gloss depends on whether the emphasis falls on persistence, repetition, or addition.
The lexicon notes an Aramaic cognate form (עוֹד, H5751) used in later biblical books, showing that the word remained part of the adverbial vocabulary for expressing what is ongoing or returning.
Usage in Scripture
Across the Old Testament (284 total occurrences in 268 verses), ʻôwd appears in narrative, covenant, and legal contexts to mark what continues or recurs. A major cluster sits in the Flood narrative of Genesis 7–9, where God speaks of further action ('yet seven days,' 'no more curse the ground,' 'no more flood'), and Noah waits additional periods of seven days before releasing the birds. These uses give the word a strong association with divine resolve and the cessation or resumption of covenant acts.
Outside Genesis, ʻôwd functions as a hinge word in covenant speeches, laments, and legal discourse to signal that a former state will not resume ('any more,' 'longer') or that an earlier act will be repeated ('again'). Readers should note that a single Hebrew particle can carry several English glosses; the sense — persistence, repetition, or addition — is decided by the surrounding clause rather than by the word itself.
The word in detail
- H5750 An adverb built on the idea of 'a going round,' used adverbially for what persists, recurs, or is added. KJV renders it variously as 'again,' 'yet,' 'still,' 'more,' or 'longer.' Its Aramaic equivalent is H5751.
Example verses
- Genesis 4:25 Marks repetition: Adam 'knew his wife again,' picking up a discontinued narrative thread after the line of Cain.
- Genesis 8:21 Signals that a divine action will not recur — God resolves never 'again' to curse the ground as He had in the flood.
- Genesis 9:11 Expresses cessation ('no more'): God establishes that a destructive flood will never recur as covenant ground.
- Genesis 17:5 Carries the sense of 'longer': Abram's old name will not be used 'any more' once the covenant name Abraham is given.
Common questions
Is ʻôwd a noun or an adverb?
Although the underlying concept involves a 'going round,' the word is used only as an adverb in biblical Hebrew — modifying verbs to indicate continuation, repetition, or addition.
Why is the same word translated 'still,' 'yet,' 'again,' and 'more'?
ʻÔwd is a flexible adverb whose exact sense depends on context. 'Still/Yet' highlights persistence, 'again' marks repetition, and 'more/longer' signals addition or negation of an expected return. The surrounding clause decides which English word fits best.
Does ʻôwd appear outside of Genesis?
Yes. It occurs 284 times across the Old Testament in 268 distinct verses, appearing in narrative, prophecy, poetry, and law to mark what continues, returns, or ceases.