o.reph denotes the bodily neck and, in recurring clauses, a hardened posture or a turned back.

The term most often occurs in clauses about hardening the neck, describing refusal to listen, return, or accept instruction. It also marks turning the back in withdrawal, shame, or defeat, and appears literally for the bodily neck in acts of grasping, sacrifice, and domination.

1. Hardened posture of refusal · dominant

   The singular noun occurs in repeated clauses of resistance: in Deuteronomy 10:16 the APB renders a command not to harden the neck, while in Jeremiah 17:23 and Jeremiah 19:15 it renders people as having stiffened their neck so as not to hear. Exodus 32:9 and 2 Kings 17:14 place the form in the description of a stiff-necked people.

   Deuteronomy 10:16Exodus 32:92 Kings 17:14Jeremiah 17:23Jeremiah 19:15Proverbs 29:1
2. Back turned in retreat or rejection · common

   In battle scenes, the noun marks enemies or Israel turning away: in 2 Samuel 22:41 and Joshua 7:12 the APB renders the clauses with enemies or Israel turning their backs. In Jeremiah 2:27 and Jeremiah 32:33, turning the neck or back rather than the face expresses rejection despite appeal or instruction.

   2 Samuel 22:41Exodus 23:27Joshua 7:12Jeremiah 2:27Jeremiah 32:33Jeremiah 48:39
3. Physical neck · occasional

   The noun is used for a bodily location in concrete actions: Genesis 49:8 places Judah's hand on the neck of enemies, Job 16:12 describes being seized by the neck, and Leviticus 5:8 locates the treatment of a bird's head opposite its neck.

   Genesis 49:8Job 16:12Leviticus 5:8

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB renders the relevant clauses variously with “stiff-necked,” “hardened their neck,” “stiffened their neck,” and “turned their backs,” while concrete contexts use “neck.” These renderings show the verse-level presentation rather than a fixed English equivalent.