גָּשַׁשׁ
𐤂𐤔𐤔
gâshash
H1659 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To feel or search for something by touch, especially due to darkness or blindness; to grope. Used of searching or moving one's hand or body in uncertainty, particularly in low-visibility circumstances. The term highlights the actions of tactile searching rather than visual recognition.
Semantic Range
to grope (for something in darkness), to feel about, to search by hand, to fumble by touch, figuratively to be disoriented or lack guidance
Root / Etymology
Root: גּשׁשׁ (g-sh-sh). The root is onomatopoeic in nature, possibly imitative of the sound or sense of touching or moving one's hands over a surface. It only appears in forms directly related to the sense of groping, without an extended family of derived terms, suggesting an expressive or descriptive origin.
Historical & Contextual Notes
גָּשַׁשׁ is a rare verb in the Hebrew Bible, appearing primarily in contexts describing extreme physical or metaphorical darkness, helplessness, or deprivation. Commonly used in poetic or prophetic language, such as in Deuteronomy 28:29 and Isaiah 59:10, where it conveys the aspect of total dependence on touch due to lack of sight—sometimes figuratively for confusion, lack of guidance, or moral blindness. The verb does not overlap with other terms for 'search' (like בָּקַשׁ or דָּרַשׁ), which typically refer to intentional inquiry or investigation. Instead, גָּשַׁשׁ emphasizes tactile searching or feeling one's way, sometimes with a sense of helplessness or vulnerability. Later Hebrew and Aramaic usage maintains the meaning of groping or fumbling by touch, but the term remains rare. English translations often use 'grope,' 'feel,' or 'search by touch,' but the English can fail to capture the full imagery of physical struggle or absence of light implied in certain biblical contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; apparently; to feel about; grope.
Bantu Hebrew
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גשש (g-š-š) — to feel, to grope, to search by touch
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1659-01 |
נְגַֽשְׁשָׁ֤ה | negasheshah | HVpi1cp |
we grope | we grope about | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1659-01 |
Isaiah 59:10 | נְגַֽשְׁשָׁ֤ה | negasheshah | HVpi1cp |
we grope | we grope about |
H1659-01 |
Isaiah 59:10 | נְגַשֵּׁ֑שָׁה | negasheshah-2 | HVpi1cp |
we grope | we grope about |