גֶּבֶר
𐤂𐤁𐤓
geber
H1397 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An adult male, typically marked by physical strength or vigor; used in biblical texts to connote a man as opposed to a woman or child, and sometimes with a specific emphasis on strength, valor, or capacity for action. In some contexts, it broadly denotes any man, while in others, it highlights qualities such as might, capability, or warrior status.
Semantic Range
adult male, man (in contrast to woman/child), man characterized by strength, valiant man, warrior, mighty man, person of capacity or vigor, a human with focus on endurance or might, proverbial human figure
Root / Etymology
From the root גבר meaning 'to be strong, mighty, prevail.' גֶּבֶר is the nominal formation denoting one who exhibits strength or vigor, literally 'a strong man.' The root conveys physical or metaphorical force, with the noun applying the trait to an adult male.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, גֶּבֶר is used both as a general term for an adult male and, in more focused contexts, as a designation for an individual distinguished by strength, capability, or warrior-like qualities. The term stands in contrast to אִישׁ (ʾish), which also denotes an adult male but lacks the built-in association with strength or valor, and זָכָר (zakhar), which refers to biological maleness and is used of males of humans and animals. Throughout the various periods of Israelite history, גֶּבֶר retains its focus on male strength, whether literal (as in warriors) or proverbial (as in references to endurance or fortitude, e.g., in wisdom literature such as Job or Proverbs). In later periods, the distinction between גֶּבֶר and אִישׁ becomes more pronounced in interpretive and literary traditions. Standard English translations often render גֶּבֶר simply as 'man,' which may obscure the specific nuance of strength or potency entailed in the Hebrew. Not every appearance of 'man' in English Bibles corresponds to גֶּבֶר; at times, the word chosen in Hebrew reflects a deliberate emphasis on capability or might. In poetic contexts, it can also serve as a symbol for human frailty, holding a nuanced balance between the ideal of strength and the reality of human limitation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from גָּבַר; properly, a valiant man or warrior; generally, a person simply; every one, man, [idiom] mighty.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גבר (g-b-r) — to be strong, prevail, be mighty
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1368 | גִּבּוֹר | the mighty ones |
| H1369 | גְּבוּרָה | in mighty strength |
| H1370 | גְּבוּרָה | and the might |
| H1376 | גְּבִיר | mighty master |
| H1377 | גְּבִירָה | the ruling lady |
Word Forms
14 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1397-03 |
גֶ֨בֶר֙ | gever | HNcmsa |
a man | strong man | 18 |
H1397-01 |
גָּ֑בֶר | gaver | HNcmsa |
a man | strong man | 14 |
H1397-05 |
הַ/גֶּ֖בֶר | hagever | HTd/Ncmsa |
the man | the strong man | 12 |
H1397-04 |
הַ/גְּבָרִים֙ | hagevarim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the men | the mighty men | 6 |
H1397-08 |
לַ/גְּבָרִֽים | lagevarim | HRd/Ncmpa |
by men | to the mighty men | 3 |
H1397-07 |
כְ/גֶ֣בֶר | khegever | HR/Ncmsa |
like a man | like a strong man | 2 |
H1397-10 |
לְ֭/גֶבֶר | legever | HR/Ncmsa |
for-a-man | to a strong-man | 2 |
H1397-14 |
וְ/גֶ֣בֶר | vegever | HC/Ncmsa |
and a man | and a strong man | 2 |
H1397-06 |
כְּ/גֶ֣בֶר | kegever | HR/Ncmsa |
like a man | like a strong man | 1 |
H1397-02 |
גְּבָרִ֞ים | gevarim | HNcmpa |
men | strong men | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
65 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1397-04 |
Exodus 10:11 | הַ/גְּבָרִים֙ | hagevarim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the men | the mighty men |
H1397-04 |
Exodus 12:37 | הַ/גְּבָרִ֖ים | hagevarim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the men | the mighty men |
H1397-05 |
Numbers 24:3 | הַ/גֶּ֖בֶר | hagever | HTd/Ncmsa |
of the man | the strong man |
H1397-05 |
Numbers 24:15 | הַ/גֶּ֖בֶר | hagever | HTd/Ncmsa |
of the man | the strong man |
H1397-03 |
Deuteronomy 22:5 | גֶ֨בֶר֙ | gever | HNcmsa |
of a man | strong man |
H1397-03 |
Deuteronomy 22:5 | גֶּ֖בֶר | gever-2 | HNcmsa |
a man | strong man |
H1397-08 |
Joshua 7:14 | לַ/גְּבָרִֽים | lagevarim | HRd/Ncmpa |
to-the-men | to the mighty men |
H1397-08 |
Joshua 7:17 | לַ/גְּבָרִ֔ים | lagevarim | HRd/Ncmpa |
by men | to the mighty men |
H1397-08 |
Joshua 7:18 | לַ/גְּבָרִ֑ים | lagevarim | HRd/Ncmpa |
man by man | to the mighty men |
H1397-03 |
Judges 5:30 | גֶּ֔בֶר | gever | HNcmsa |
warrior | strong man |