Original Word: רֹק
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: roq
Pronunciation: roke
Phonetic Spelling: (roke)
KJV: spit(-ting, -tle)
NASB: spitting, spittle
Word Origin: [from H7556 (רָקַק - spits)]

1. spittle

spitting,

From raqaq; spittle -- spit(-ting, -tle).

see HEBREW raqaq

Word Origin
from raqaq
Definition
spittle
NASB Translation
spitting (2), spittle (1).

רֹק noun [masculine] spittle; — absolute ׳ר Isaiah 50:6; Job 30:10 (both of contemptuous spitting); suffix רֻקִּי Job 7:19 while I swallow (בָּלַע) my spittle, i.e. for the briefest time.

Meaning and Symbolism

רֹק (roq) denotes spittle—either the saliva itself or the act of spitting. In Scripture spitting is rarely neutral; it is ordinarily a vivid gesture of contempt, rejection, humiliation, or disgust. By metonymy, spittle becomes a concrete symbol of the scorn or shame hurled at another person. Ancient Near Eastern literature parallels this usage, but the Hebrew text uniquely binds the image to theological reflections on suffering, honor, and ultimate vindication.

Occurrences in the Old Testament

• Job 7:19 portrays Job’s anguish at God’s relentless scrutiny: “Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle?”. The phrase magnifies his vulnerability; even the most trivial bodily reflex seems impossible under divine pressure.
• Job 30:10 recounts the social reversal Job experiences: “They detest me and keep their distance; they do not hesitate to spit in my face.”. Roq here marks public shaming by the lowest strata of society, underscoring Job’s total humiliation.
• Isaiah 50:6 places the term in the Servant Song: “I offered My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard; I did not hide My face from scorn and spittle.”. The Servant willingly accepts roq-induced disgrace, confident of divine vindication.

Cultural Background

In ancient Semitic culture, spitting on or toward a person functioned as an unmistakable act of humiliation. Legal texts from Mesopotamia and later rabbinic discussions both acknowledge spitting as an offense against personal honor. Because bodily fluids carried ritual connotations of purity or impurity, the gesture intensified the insult. Spittle could also be used in sympathetic magic or folk healing, which explains why in the Gospels Jesus repurposes saliva for restorative ends (Mark 7:33; John 9:6), turning an emblem of shame into a medium of grace.

Theological Significance

1. Human Frailty and Divine Sovereignty: Job’s cry (Job 7:19) uses roq to show how fragile human life is before the Almighty. Even the body’s involuntary actions are under God’s gaze, reminding believers of the fine line between creature and Creator (Psalm 103:14).
2. Social Reversal and Innocent Suffering: Job 30:10 bridges personal suffering with social ostracism. Spittle becomes a barometer of how fallen humanity treats the afflicted, challenging communities of faith to defend rather than disgrace the marginalized (Proverbs 31:8-9).
3. Prophetic Anticipation of the Messiah: Isaiah 50:6 links voluntary submission to disgrace with ultimate triumph. The despised Servant foreshadows Jesus Christ, on whom Roman soldiers “spat” during His passion (Matthew 27:30). The prophetic use of roq therefore enriches Christological interpretation: the One who endures spittle purchases honor for the dishonored (Hebrews 12:2).

Prophetic and Messianic Foreshadowing

Isaiah’s Servant not only experiences roq but embraces it as part of a redemptive mission. New Testament evangelists depict Jesus absorbing the same contempt (Mark 14:65; 15:19). The continuity underscores the reliability of prophecy and the intentional path of the Messiah: shame, suffering, and subsequent exaltation (Philippians 2:8-11). For readers, roq anchors the understanding that Christ’s humiliation was neither accidental nor purposeless.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Pastoral Care: Faith communities are called to honor those whom society devalues, reversing the stigma symbolized by spittle. Active empathy reflects Christ’s embrace of the shamed.
• Persecution and Patience: Believers facing ridicule may see in Job and the Servant a template for perseverance. Enduring contempt without retaliation aligns with Jesus’ teaching in 1 Peter 2:23.
• Evangelism and Apologetics: The specific fulfillment of spitting prophecies offers a tangible line of evidence for the reliability of Scripture, strengthening confidence in its unified narrative.
• Worship and Lament: Liturgical reading of Job 7 and Job 30 can guide corporate lament, while Isaiah 50 can inform Passion Week services, directing hearts from humiliation to hope.

Conclusion

רֹק serves as more than a lexical curiosity. It anchors profound truths about human vulnerability, societal injustice, prophetic fulfillment, and redemptive suffering. Each occurrence invites reflection on how God transforms symbols of disgrace into instruments of grace, culminating in the cross where the One spat upon secures everlasting honor for His people.

וָרֹֽק׃ ורק׃ רֹֽק׃ רֻקִּֽי׃ רק׃ רקי׃ Rok rōq rukKi ruq·qî ruqqî vaRok wā·rōq wārōqInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts