גֶּבֶא
𐤂𐤁𐤀
gebeʼ
H1360 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A collected body of water, specifically an artificial or natural reservoir, cistern, or marshy pit. The term denotes a place where water accumulates, whether by human construction or natural formation. In biblical contexts, it typically refers to a collection point for water (standing pool, gathering of rainwater), with occasional extension to marsh land or swampy areas.
Semantic Range
reservoir, cistern, collecting pit, marsh, swamp, standing pool, natural or artificial water collection, stagnant water
Root / Etymology
From an unattested root (etymology uncertain) possibly meaning 'to collect' or 'to gather,' based on context. The root does not appear elsewhere in known Hebrew usage. The noun גֶּבֶא (gebeʼ) thus signifies a collection point (for water), with the form marked by the segolate pattern.
Historical & Contextual Notes
גֶּבֶא is a rare term, attested with certainty in Isaiah 30:14, describing a pit or collection place for water in a metaphor comparing broken pottery to easily scattered water. The word's meaning is sometimes paralleled to other terms for cisterns or reservoirs (e.g., בּוֹר 'bor', מַבּוּעַ 'mabbu'a'), but גֶּבֶא is less common and may have regional or dialectal associations. Over time, its semantic scope includes artificial reservoirs or marshy, stagnant water. English renderings in major translations vary, often using 'pit,' 'pool,' or 'marsh,' none of which fully captures the nuance of a collection place, whether artificial or natural. Later translations in Ezekiel (47:11) take a similar word as 'marsh' or 'swamp,' perhaps reflecting a shift or expansion of meaning. The term does not have distinct ritual or cultic connotations in the biblical corpus, unlike some other water-related terms.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
xlit gebe corrected to gebeʼ; from an unused root meaning probably to collect; a reservoir; by analogy, a marsh; marish, pit.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גבע (g-b-ʿ) — to collect, to gather
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1375 | גְּבִיעַ | goblet of |
| H1387 | גֶּבַע | in Gebaʿ |
| H1388 | גִּבְעָא | Hill-Town |
| H1389 | גִּבְעָה | in the hill-height |
| H1390 | גִּבְעָה | in the Hill |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1360-02 |
וּ/גְבָאָ֛י/ו | ugevaayv | HC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
and its marshes | and his reservoirs | 1 |
H1360-01 |
מִ/גֶּֽבֶא | migeve | HR/Ncmsa |
from a cistern | from a collecting-pool | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1360-01 |
Isaiah 30:14 | מִ/גֶּֽבֶא | migeve | HR/Ncmsa |
from a cistern | from a collecting-pool |
H1360-02 |
Ezekiel 47:11 | וּ/גְבָאָ֛י/ו | ugevaayv | HC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
and its marshes | and his reservoirs |