גִּיחַ
𐤂𐤉𐤇
gîyach
H1519 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To gush or burst forth with force, especially of liquids; to rush out suddenly, as of water erupting from a source. In rare poetic or Aramaic contexts, the term can also denote striving or a vigorous outflow, implying energetic movement.
Semantic Range
to gush forth (of water); to rush out; to spring out (from the earth); to strive vigorously (rare, mostly Aramaic); to burst forth suddenly
Root / Etymology
From the root גיח, which in Hebrew carries the sense of 'to burst forth, gush, spring out.' The Aramaic form is closely related, reflecting similar meanings. The core idea is sudden emergence or eruption, particularly of water or liquid.
Historical & Contextual Notes
גִּיחַ appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible and its Aramaic form primarily in later texts or poetic passages. In biblical Hebrew, the root most often describes water bursting out from the earth (e.g., springs or fountains erupting). In Job 38:8, the verb appears with reference to the sea gushing forth from the womb, poetically personifying the sea's creation. The Aramaic usage is largely compatible. English translations often render the verb as 'to rush forth' or 'break out,' which captures the physical sense but may miss the vividness of violent, energetic outflow implied by the term. There is some semantic overlap with related Hebrew roots such as פרץ ('to break out/breach') and נבע ('to spring up'), but גיח specifically emphasizes the forceful or sudden emergence, especially of water. The figurative sense of striving is rare and primarily attested in Aramaic, not classical Hebrew. The use of this term does not reflect any distinctive identity markers or socio-political boundaries in biblical Israel.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) or (shortened) גּוּחַ; (Aramaic), corresponding to גִּיחַlemma גּיחַ missing vowel, corrected to גִּיחַ; to rush forth; strive.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גיח (g-y-ḥ) — to burst forth, gush, rush out suddenly
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1512 | גָּחוֹן | ventral underside |
| H1518 | גִּיחַ | in his bursting forth |
| H1520 | גִּיחַ | Gushing-Place |
| H1521 | גִּיחוֹן | at Gushing-Spring |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1519-01 |
מְגִיחָ֖ן | megichan | AVarfpa |
stirring up | causing to gush forth | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1519-01 |
Daniel 7:2 | מְגִיחָ֖ן | megichan | AVarfpa |
stirring up | causing to gush forth |