גַּיְא (H1516) — Hebrew Lexicon

גַּיְא

𐤂𐤉𐤀

Gaye

H1516 noun

SILEX Entry

Root גיא deep valley, gorge, ravine

Definition

A geographical feature denoting a valley, ravine, or deep gorge, typically bounded by high sides and sometimes used as a location reference for settlements, travel, or significant events. The term often suggests steep or sharply-defined sides, in contrast to broader, open valleys (עֵמֶק, 'emeq'). The word may describe both arid and lush areas, depending on context, and is frequently associated with both positive and negative symbolism in biblical narrative and poetry.

Semantic Range

narrow valley, gorge, steep ravine, depression between hills, site of ritual or historical events, sometimes metaphorical for descent or danger

Root / Etymology

The word גַּיְא (gayʼ) derives from the root גוי/גיא, uncertainly connected etymologically but likely cognate with גֵּוָה (gevah, 'back, height') based on similar consonantal forms, possibly referring to the 'loftiness' or 'elevated sides' of such terrain. The root sense is uncertain; the form itself is only attested as a noun referring to a landform rather than an action or broad semantic field.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Across the Hebrew Bible, גַּיְא most often refers to steep-sided valleys or ravines, particularly in the Judean hill country (e.g., גֵּיא בֶן הִנֹּם, 'Valley of Ben Hinnom'). Unlike עֵמֶק ('emeq'), which generally describes broad, fertile plains, גַּיְא emphasizes topographical narrowness and depth. Over time, certain valleys with the term גַּיְא in their names accrued significant cultural or historical meaning (e.g., Gehenna as a later locus of eschatological judgment, though this association is post-biblical). Greek and English translations sometimes render גַּיְא with 'valley,' but this can obscure the steep, gorge-like nuance inherent in the Hebrew term. Usage is more common in the monarchic and later periods, and its distribution tends to be concentrated in reference to sites around Jerusalem and the hill country. The semantic overlap with נַחַל (naḥal, 'wadi, ravine') exists, but נַחַל typically refers to seasonal riverbeds or channels, while גַּיְא is a static feature. The 'valley' of גַּיְא is not strictly a watercourse and need not have a stream except in the rainy season.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (shortened) גַּי; probably (by transmutation) from the same root as גֵּוָה (abbreviated); a gorge (from its lofty sides; hence, narrow, but not a gully or winter-torrent); valley.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

גיא (g-y-ʾ) — deep valley, gorge, ravine

Word Forms

18 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H1516-05`	גֵּ֣י	gey	`HNcbsc`	valley	gorge of	23
`H1516-02`	בְּ/גֵיא	begey	`HR/Np`	in the valley	in a deep ravine	12
`H1516-07`	הַ/גַּיְא֙	hagaye	`HTd/Ncbsa`	of the valley	the deep ravine	5
`H1516-08`	הַ/גֵּאָי֑וֹת	hageayot	`HTd/Ncbpa`	the valleys	the deep ravines	3
`H1516-17`	וְ/לַ/גֵּאָי֗וֹת	velageayot	`HC/Rd/Ncbpa`	and to the valleys	and to the deep ravines	3
`H1516-01`	בַּ/גָּ֔יְא	bagaye	`HRd/Ncbsa`	in the valley	in the gorge	3
`H1516-14`	וְ/גֵ֣יא	vegey	`HC/Ncbsc`	and valley	and ravine of	2
`H1516-16`	וְ/הַ/גַּ֖יְא	vehagaye	`HC/Td/Ncbsa`	and the valley	and the deep gorge	1
`H1516-10`	לַ/גַּי֙	lagay	`HRd/Ncbsa`	to-the-valley	to the deep gorge	1
`H1516-06`	הַ/גַּ֜יא	hagay	`HTd/Ncbsa`	of the valley	the deep ravine	1
`H1516-09`	ה/גיאות	hgyvt	`HTd/Ncbpa`	the valleys	deep gorges	1
`H1516-03`	גַ֔יְא	gaye	`HNcbsa`	the valley	steep gorge	1
`H1516-11`	וּ/בְ/גֵ֨י	uvegey	`HC/R/Ncbsc`	and to the valley	and in the gorge of	1
`H1516-12`	בַ/גַּיְ֙	vagaye	`HRd/Ncbsa`	in-the-valley	in the gorge	1
`H1516-18`	ו/ל/גאית	vlgyt	`HC/Rd/Ncbpa`	and-to-the-valleys	and to deep ravines	1
`H1516-13`	וְ/גֵאוֹתֶ֨י/ךָ֙	vegeoteykha	`HC/Ncbpc/Sp2ms`	and-your-valleys	and your gorges	1
`H1516-15`	וְ/הַ/גַּ֖י	vehagay	`HC/Td/Ncbsa`	and the valley	and the deep gorge	1
`H1516-04`	גֵּ֨אָי֜וֹת	geayot	`HNcbpa`	valleys	steep ravines	1

Occurrences in Scripture

62 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H1516-07`	Numbers 21:20	הַ/גַּיְא֙	hagaye	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the valley	the deep ravine
`H1516-01`	Deuteronomy 3:29	בַּ/גָּ֔יְא	bagaye	`HRd/Ncbsa`	in the valley	in the gorge
`H1516-01`	Deuteronomy 4:46	בַּ/גַּ֗יְא	bagaye	`HRd/Ncbsa`	in the valley	in the gorge
`H1516-12`	Deuteronomy 34:6	בַ/גַּיְ֙	vagaye	`HRd/Ncbsa`	in-the-valley	in the gorge
`H1516-15`	Joshua 8:11	וְ/הַ/גַּ֖י	vehagay	`HC/Td/Ncbsa`	and the valley	and the deep gorge
`H1516-05`	Joshua 15:8	גֵּ֣י	gey	`HNcbsc`	valley of	gorge of
`H1516-05`	Joshua 15:8	גֵֽי	gey-2	`HNcbsc`	valley of	gorge of
`H1516-05`	Joshua 18:16	גֵּ֣י	gey	`HNcbsc`	valley of	gorge of
`H1516-05`	Joshua 18:16	גֵּ֨י	gey-2	`HNcbsc`	the valley of	gorge of
`H1516-05`	Joshua 19:14	גֵּ֖י	gey	`HNcbsc`	valley of	gorge of
`H1516-11`	Joshua 19:27	וּ/בְ/גֵ֨י	uvegey	`HC/R/Ncbsc`	and to the valley	and in the gorge of
`H1516-05`	1 Samuel 13:18	גֵּ֥י	gey	`HNcbsc`	valley	gorge of
`H1516-16`	1 Samuel 17:3	וְ/הַ/גַּ֖יְא	vehagaye	`HC/Td/Ncbsa`	and the valley	and the deep gorge
`H1516-03`	1 Samuel 17:52	גַ֔יְא	gaye	`HNcbsa`	the valley	steep gorge
`H1516-02`	2 Samuel 8:13	בְּ/גֵיא	begey	`HR/Np`	in the valley	in a deep ravine
`H1516-09`	2 Kings 2:16	ה/גיאות	hgyvt	`HTd/Ncbpa`	the valleys	deep gorges
`H1516-08`	2 Kings 2:16	הַ/גֵּאָי֑וֹת	hageayot	`HTd/Ncbpa`	the valleys	the deep ravines
`H1516-02`	2 Kings 14:7	בְּ/גֵיא	begey	`HR/Np`	in-the-valley	in a deep ravine
`H1516-02`	2 Kings 23:10	בְּ/גֵ֣י	begey	`HR/Ncbsc`	in the valley	in a deep ravine
`H1516-05`	Isaiah 22:1	גֵּ֣יא	gey	`HNcbsc`	of the valley	gorge of
`H1516-02`	Isaiah 22:5	בְּ/גֵ֣יא	begey	`HR/Ncbsc`	in the valley	in a deep ravine
`H1516-05`	Isaiah 28:1	גֵּֽיא	gey	`HNcbsc`	valley	gorge of
`H1516-05`	Isaiah 28:4	גֵּ֣יא	gey	`HNcbsc`	of valley	gorge of
`H1516-05`	Isaiah 40:4	גֶּיא֙	gey	`HNcbsa`	valley	gorge of
`H1516-01`	Jeremiah 2:23	בַּ/גַּ֔יְא	bagaye	`HRd/Ncbsa`	in the valley	in the gorge
`H1516-02`	Jeremiah 7:31	בְּ/גֵ֣יא	begey	`HR/Ncbsc`	in-the-valley	in a deep ravine
`H1516-14`	Jeremiah 7:32	וְ/גֵ֣יא	vegey	`HC/Ncbsc`	and valley	and ravine of
`H1516-05`	Jeremiah 7:32	גֵּ֣יא	gey	`HNcbsc`	valley	gorge of
`H1516-05`	Jeremiah 19:2	גֵּ֣יא	gey	`HNp`	valley	gorge of
`H1516-14`	Jeremiah 19:6	וְ/גֵ֣יא	vegey	`HC/Np`	and-Valley	and ravine of
`H1516-05`	Jeremiah 19:6	גֵּ֥יא	gey	`HNcbsc`	Valley	gorge of
`H1516-02`	Jeremiah 32:35	בְּ/גֵ֣יא	begey	`HR/Ncbsc`	in the valley	in a deep ravine
`H1516-18`	Ezekiel 6:3	ו/ל/גאית	vlgyt	`HC/Rd/Ncbpa`	and-to-the-valleys	and to deep ravines
`H1516-17`	Ezekiel 6:3	וְ/לַ/גֵּאָי֗וֹת	velageayot	`HC/Rd/Ncbpa`	and-to-the-valleys	and to the deep ravines
`H1516-08`	Ezekiel 7:16	הַ/גֵּאָי֛וֹת	hageayot	`HTd/Ncbpa`	of the valleys	the deep ravines
`H1516-04`	Ezekiel 31:12	גֵּ֨אָי֜וֹת	geayot	`HNcbpa`	valleys	steep ravines
`H1516-08`	Ezekiel 32:5	הַ/גֵּאָי֖וֹת	hageayot	`HTd/Ncbpa`	the valleys	the deep ravines
`H1516-13`	Ezekiel 35:8	וְ/גֵאוֹתֶ֨י/ךָ֙	vegeoteykha	`HC/Ncbpc/Sp2ms`	and-your-valleys	and your gorges
`H1516-17`	Ezekiel 36:4	וְ/לַ/גֵּאָי֗וֹת	velageayot	`HC/Rd/Ncbpa`	and to the valleys	and to the deep ravines
`H1516-17`	Ezekiel 36:6	וְ/לַ/גֵּאָי֜וֹת	velageayot	`HC/Rd/Ncbpa`	and to the valleys	and to the deep ravines
`H1516-05`	Ezekiel 39:11	גֵּ֤י	gey	`HNcbsc`	valley	gorge of
`H1516-05`	Ezekiel 39:11	גֵּ֖יא	gey-2	`HNcbsc`	valley	gorge of
`H1516-05`	Ezekiel 39:15	גֵּ֖יא	gey	`HNcbsc`	the valley	gorge of
`H1516-10`	Micah 1:6	לַ/גַּי֙	lagay	`HRd/Ncbsa`	to-the-valley	to the deep gorge
`H1516-05`	Zechariah 14:4	גֵּ֖יא	gey	`HNcbsc`	valley	gorge of
`H1516-05`	Zechariah 14:5	גֵּֽיא	gey	`HNcbsc`	valley	gorge of
`H1516-05`	Zechariah 14:5	גֵּי	gey-2	`HNcbsc`	valley	gorge of
`H1516-02`	Psalms 23:4	בְּ/גֵ֪יא	begey	`HR/Ncbsc`	in the valley	in a deep ravine
`H1516-02`	Psalms 60:2	בְּ/גֵיא	begey	`HR/Np`	in the Valley	in a deep ravine
`H1516-06`	Nehemiah 2:13	הַ/גַּ֜יא	hagay	`HTd/Ncbsa`	of the valley	the deep ravine
`H1516-07`	Nehemiah 2:15	הַ/גַּ֖יְא	hagaye	`HTd/Ncbsa`	of the valley	the deep ravine
`H1516-07`	Nehemiah 3:13	הַ/גַּ֜יְא	hagaye	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the valley	the deep ravine
`H1516-05`	Nehemiah 11:30	גֵּֽיא	gey	`HNcbsc`	the valley	gorge of
`H1516-05`	Nehemiah 11:35	גֵּ֥י	gey	`HNcbsc`	valley of	gorge of
`H1516-05`	1 Chronicles 4:14	גֵּ֣יא	gey	`HNcbsc`	valley	gorge of
`H1516-07`	1 Chronicles 4:39	הַ/גָּ֑יְא	hagaye	`HTd/Ncbsa`	of the valley	the deep ravine
`H1516-02`	1 Chronicles 18:12	בְּ/גֵ֣יא	begey	`HR/Np`	in the valley	in a deep ravine
`H1516-02`	2 Chronicles 14:9	בְּ/גֵ֥יא	begey	`HR/Ncbsc`	in the valley	in a deep ravine
`H1516-05`	2 Chronicles 25:11	גֵּ֣יא	gey	`HNp`	valley	gorge of
`H1516-07`	2 Chronicles 26:9	הַ/גַּ֖יְא	hagaye	`HTd/Ncbsa`	of the valley	the deep ravine
`H1516-02`	2 Chronicles 28:3	בְּ/גֵ֣יא	begey	`HR/Ncbsc`	in the valley	in a deep ravine
`H1516-02`	2 Chronicles 33:6	בְּ/גֵ֣י	begey	`HR/Ncbsc`	in the valley	in a deep ravine

← H1515 Hebrew Lexicon H1517 →