גֹּשֶׁם
𐤂𐤔𐤌
gôshem
H1656 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Substantial rainfall, a heavy shower, or a period of abundant rain. In biblical usage, גֹּשֶׁם (gôshem) designates a significant rain event, often marking the transition from the dry season to the rainy season. It refers to actual, palpable rain as opposed to mist or dew, emphasizing quantity and tangible precipitation rather than a light drizzle or symbolic moisture.
Semantic Range
heavy rain, downpour, torrential rain, rainstorm, period of abundant rain
Root / Etymology
From the root גָּשַׁם (gāsham), meaning 'to rain abundantly' or 'to become heavy with moisture.' גֹּשֶׁם (gôshem) is a noun formed from this root, denoting a rainstorm or downpour. Cognate with גֶּשֶׁם (geshem), which also signifies 'rain,' though the variant vocalization of גֹּשֶׁם is rare and likely poetic or archaic in usage.
Historical & Contextual Notes
גֹּשֶׁם appears only in Ezekiel 13:11, 13; 34:26, all within prophetic discourse. Its usage in these passages evokes the imagery of intense, fateful storms as metaphors for divine intervention—contrasting gentler terms for rain, such as מָטָר (māṭār), which is a general word for rain. The possible synonym גֶּשֶׁם (geshem) becomes the standard term for rain in later biblical and post-biblical Hebrew. The root ג־שׁ־ם preserves the idea of tangible, heavy precipitation throughout its derivatives. In translation, 'downpour' or 'torrential rain' conveys the force and impact implied, while 'shower' in some English versions weakens this effect. In Biblical Hebrew, the nuance between גֹּשֶׁם and מָטָר is preserved contextually: גֹּשֶׁם emphasizes the abundance and overwhelming nature of rain, especially in prophetic or poetic contexts, unlike normative or agricultural rains.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from גָּשַׁם; equivalent to גֶּשֶׁם; {a shower}; rained upon.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גשם (g-š-m) — to rain, to pour, to make moist
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1652 | גָּשַׁם | rain-causing ones |
| H1653 | גֶּשֶׁם | heavy rains |
| H1654 | גֶּשֶׁם | and to Geshem |
| H1655 | גֶּשֶׁם | in their physical body |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1656-01 |
גֻשְׁמָ֖/הּ | gushemah | HNcmsc/Sp3fs |
rained on | her downpour | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1656-01 |
Ezekiel 22:24 | גֻשְׁמָ֖/הּ | gushemah | HNcmsc/Sp3fs |
rained on | her downpour |