גְּבִירָה
𐤂𐤁𐤉𐤓𐤄
gᵉbîyrâh
H1377 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A woman of high status, commonly used for the mother of a king (queen mother), or a consort of great rank in the royal court. The term specifically refers to a female figure holding authority or dignity, and is not a general term for 'queen' in the sense of the reigning monarch's wife, but rather for a senior royal woman, predominantly the queen mother.
Semantic Range
lady of rank, mistress, queen mother, high-ranking female courtier, consort of authority
Root / Etymology
From the root גבר (g-b-r), meaning 'to be strong, powerful.' The term גְּבִירָה derives as the feminine form of גְּבִיר ('lord, master'), thus indicating 'lady, mistress,' particularly one of authority or honor in the royal context.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Historically, גְּבִירָה most frequently designates the queen mother (i.e., the mother of the reigning king) within the monarchic period of Israelite and Judahite history, rather than the king's consort. This usage is best exemplified in texts describing the royal court, such as 1 Kings 15:13; 2 Kings 10:13; Jeremiah 13:18; 29:2. The position carried significant influence and was distinct from the status of the king's wives, reflecting Near Eastern political structures where the king's mother often played an important role in matters of succession and counsel. In English translations, the word is sometimes rendered as 'queen,' but this can be misleading, as the term does not typically refer to a reigning female sovereign or the king's wife. Instead, it highlights a dynastic and authoritative status connected with motherhood. By the later biblical period, direct references to the role diminish as monarchical structures change, but the usage remains tied to female authority and dignity within the royal household.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of גְּבִיר; a mistress; queen.
Bantu Hebrew
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גבר (g-b-r) — to be strong, to prevail, to have power
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1368 | גִּבּוֹר | the mighty ones |
| H1369 | גְּבוּרָה | in mighty strength |
| H1370 | גְּבוּרָה | and the might |
| H1376 | גְּבִיר | mighty master |
| H1396 | גָּבַר | he prevailed |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1377-02 |
מִ/גְּבִירָ֔ה | migevirah | HR/Ncfsa |
from queen mother | from a high-ranking lady | 2 |
H1377-01 |
הַ/גְּבִירָֽה | hagevirah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the queen | the ruling lady | 2 |
H1377-04 |
וְ/לַ/גְּבִירָ֖ה | velagevirah | HC/Rd/Ncfsa |
and to the queen mother | and to the ruling-lady | 1 |
H1377-03 |
וְ/הַ/גְּבִירָ֨ה | vehagevirah | HC/Td/Ncfsa |
and the queen mother | and the ruling lady | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1377-01 |
1 Kings 11:19 | הַ/גְּבִירָֽה | hagevirah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the queen | the ruling lady |
H1377-02 |
1 Kings 15:13 | מִ/גְּבִירָ֔ה | migevirah | HR/Ncfsa |
from queen mother | from a high-ranking lady |
H1377-01 |
2 Kings 10:13 | הַ/גְּבִירָֽה | hagevirah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the queen mother | the ruling lady |
H1377-04 |
Jeremiah 13:18 | וְ/לַ/גְּבִירָ֖ה | velagevirah | HC/Rd/Ncfsa |
and to the queen mother | and to the ruling-lady |
H1377-03 |
Jeremiah 29:2 | וְ/הַ/גְּבִירָ֨ה | vehagevirah | HC/Td/Ncfsa |
and the queen mother | and the ruling lady |
H1377-02 |
2 Chronicles 15:16 | מִ/גְּבִירָ֔ה | migevirah | HR/Ncfsa |
from queen mother | from a high-ranking lady |