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חָגַר

𐤇𐤂𐤓

châgar

H2296 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To gird, bind, or fasten clothing or equipment about the body, especially by tying on a belt, sash, or armor. Used both in literal senses—to refer to the act of securing garments or military gear—and in extended figurative senses, such as preparing oneself for action or strengthening oneself. The word can denote readiness, preparation for activity, or equipping for a specific task or challenge.

Semantic Range

to gird (clothing, belt, armor), to bind on, to equip or arm oneself, to prepare oneself, to be ready, to muster strength (figuratively), to encircle, be surrounded (idiomatically), to be restrained (rare or extended sense)

Root / Etymology

From the root חגר (ḥ-g-r), meaning 'to gird, enclose, bind around.' The verb derives directly from the core root sense of tying or fastening about the body. Though often used in reference to clothing or armor, the root sense is binding or securing something encircling the body.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חָגַר is a common verb across biblical Hebrew, especially in contexts involving physical preparation—such as warriors girding swords (1 Samuel 17:39, 25:13), people dressing for travel or service (Jeremiah 1:17), or metaphorical uses where individuals are called to 'gird up' strength (Psalm 18:33; Job 40:7). In military settings, the term often references equipping oneself with weapons or armor, signifying readiness for conflict. In prophetic or poetic texts, the term can function metaphorically: 'girding strength' or 'girding for battle' carries the sense of mental or spiritual preparation as well as physical. While English translations sometimes render it 'be able,' 'restrain,' or 'be appointed,' these are contexts where the idea is derived from readiness accomplished by girding or preparation, not a primary semantic sense. Idiomatic uses—such as 'on every side'—arise when the verb appears with surrounding or encircling objects (e.g., Psalm 109:19). The word's range narrows in later biblical and post-biblical texts, but in pre-exilic and exilic usage, it retains the broader physical and figurative spectrum. Related roots are חבש ('to bind, bandage'), but חָגַר emphasizes the dynamic act of equipping (especially for movement or conflict), rather than static binding. English 'gird' only partially captures this sense, as 'to gird' in contemporary speech is archaic and less dynamic than the Hebrew.

Translation Consistency

primary "gird" 44 occurrences

'Gird' is the traditional, widely used English verb for H2296 (23 occurrences as 'girded', 16 as 'gird') and naturally covers both the literal sense (tying on a belt, fastening armor) and the common figurative sense (preparing or readying oneself). It preserves the concrete image of binding/tightening clothing or equipment while fitting the typical biblical idiom better than broader alternatives like 'equip' or 'prepare.'

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to gird on (as a belt, armor, etc.); be able to put on, be afraid, appointed, gird, restrain, [idiom] on every side.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

חגר (châgôwr) — to gird, bind, tie around

Root חגר to gird, to bind around, to fasten clothing/equipment
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2289 חָגוֹר belted ones
H2290 חֲגוֹר his girding-belt
H4228 מַחֲגֹרֶת belt of

Word Forms

25 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2296-17 וַ/יַּחְגֹּ֣ר vayachegor HC/Vqw3ms and girded and he girded on and he girded on 6
H2296-05 חָג֖וּר chagur HVqsmsa was girded girded one girded 5
H2296-03 חֲגֹ֣ר chagor HVqv2ms Gird up girding of gird your loins 3
H2296-07 חֲגֻרִ֖ים chagurim HVqsmpa girded girding ones girding ones 3
H2296-09 חִגְר֣וּ chigeru HVqv2mp Gird on Gird yourselves Gird yourselves 3
H2296-02 חָ֣גְרוּ chageru HVqp3cp have girded they girded themselves they girded themselves 2
H2296-10 חֹגֵ֖ר choger HVqrmsa able to bear arms one who girds on one who girds on 2
H2296-16 וַ/יַּחְגְּרוּ֩ vayachegeru HC/Vqw3mp and they girded and they girded themselves and they girded themselves 2
H2296-19 וְ/חָגְר֣וּ vechageru HC/Vqq3cp and they will gird and they girded themselves and they girded themselves 2
H2296-01 חָֽגְרָ֣ה chagerah HVqp3fs She girds she girded on she girded on 1

Occurrences in Scripture

44 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2296-07 Exodus 12:11 חֲגֻרִ֔ים chagurim HVqrmpa girded girding ones girded
H2296-18 Exodus 29:9 וְ/חָגַרְתָּ֩ vechagareta HC/Vqq2ms and you shall gird and you will gird on and you shall gird
H2296-17 Leviticus 8:7 וַ/יַּחְגֹּ֤ר vayachegor HC/Vqw3ms and girded and he girded on and he girded on
H2296-17 Leviticus 8:7 וַ/יַּחְגֹּ֣ר vayachegor-2 HC/Vqw3ms and girded and he girded on and he girded on
H2296-17 Leviticus 8:13 וַ/יַּחְגֹּ֤ר vayachegor HC/Vqw3ms and-girded and he girded on and he girded on
H2296-25 Leviticus 16:4 יַחְגֹּ֔ר yachegor HVqi3ms he shall gird he will gird on he will gird on
H2296-15 Deuteronomy 1:41 וַֽ/תַּחְגְּר֗וּ vatachegeru HC/Vqw2mp and you girded and you girded yourselves and you girded yourselves
H2296-17 Judges 3:16 וַ/יַּחְגֹּ֤ר vayachegor HC/Vqw3ms and he girded and he girded on and he girded on
H2296-05 Judges 18:11 חָג֖וּר chagur HVqsmsa armed girded one girded
H2296-07 Judges 18:16 חֲגוּרִים֙ chagurim HVqsmpa girded girding ones girding ones
H2296-11 Judges 18:17 הֶ/חָג֖וּר hechagur HTd/Vqsmsa girt girded one the girded ones
H2296-05 1 Samuel 2:18 חָג֖וּר chagur HVqsmsa girded girded one girded one
H2296-17 1 Samuel 17:39 וַ/יַּחְגֹּ֣ר vayachegor HC/Vqw3ms and girded and he girded on and he girded on
H2296-09 1 Samuel 25:13 חִגְר֣וּ chigeru HVqv2mp Gird on Gird yourselves Gird yourselves
H2296-16 1 Samuel 25:13 וַֽ/יַּחְגְּרוּ֙ vayachegeru HC/Vqw3mp And they girded on and they girded themselves and they girded themselves
H2296-17 1 Samuel 25:13 וַ/יַּחְגֹּ֥ר vayachegor HC/Vqw3ms and he girded on and he girded on and he girded on
H2296-20 2 Samuel 3:31 וְ/חִגְר֣וּ vechigeru HC/Vqv2mp and gird and gird yourselves and gird yourselves
H2296-05 2 Samuel 6:14 חָג֖וּר chagur HVqsmsa was girded girded one girded
H2296-05 2 Samuel 20:8 חָג֣וּר chagur HVqsmsa was girded girded one girded one
H2296-05 2 Samuel 21:16 חָג֣וּר chagur HVqsmsa was girded girded one girded
H2296-22 2 Samuel 22:46 וְ/יַחְגְּר֖וּ veyachegeru HC/Vqi3mp and they gird themselves and they gird themselves and they gird themselves
H2296-10 1 Kings 20:11 חֹגֵ֖ר choger HVqrmsa the one who girds on one who girds on one who girds on
H2296-16 1 Kings 20:32 וַ/יַּחְגְּרוּ֩ vayachegeru HC/Vqw3mp and they girded and they girded themselves and they girded themselves
H2296-10 2 Kings 3:21 חֹגֵ֤ר choger HVqrmsc able to bear arms one who girds on one who girds on
H2296-03 2 Kings 4:29 חֲגֹ֣ר chagor HVqv2ms Gird up girding of gird your loins
H2296-03 2 Kings 9:1 חֲגֹ֣ר chagor HVqv2ms Gird up girding of gird your loins
H2296-02 Isaiah 15:3 חָ֣גְרוּ chageru HVqp3cp they have girded they girded themselves they girded themselves
H2296-21 Isaiah 22:12 וְ/לַ/חֲגֹ֥ר velachagor HC/R/Vqc and to girding and to gird on and to girding
H2296-14 Isaiah 32:11 וַ/חֲג֖וֹרָה vachagorah HC/Vqv2fp and gird and a girding-belt and gird a belt
H2296-09 Jeremiah 4:8 חִגְר֥וּ chigeru HVqv2mp gird yourselves Gird yourselves Gird yourselves
H2296-08 Jeremiah 6:26 חִגְרִי chigeri HVqv2fs gird yourself Gird yourself gird yourself
H2296-04 Jeremiah 49:3 חֲגֹ֣רְנָה chagorenah HVqv2fp gird-yourselves Gird yourselves Gird yourselves
H2296-19 Ezekiel 7:18 וְ/חָגְר֣וּ vechageru HC/Vqq3cp and they will gird and they girded themselves and they girded themselves
H2296-19 Ezekiel 27:31 וְ/חָגְר֖וּ vechageru HC/Vqq3cp and they will gird and they girded themselves and they girded themselves
H2296-24 Ezekiel 44:18 יַחְגְּר֖וּ yachegeru HVqi3mp shall they gird they will gird on they will gird on
H2296-06 Joel 1:8 חֲגֻֽרַת chagurat HVqsfsc girded girded one girded one
H2296-09 Joel 1:13 חִגְר֨וּ chigeru HVqv2mp Gird yourselves Gird yourselves Gird yourselves
H2296-03 Psalms 45:4 חֲגֽוֹר chagor HVqv2ms Gird girding of gird
H2296-13 Psalms 65:13 תַּחְגֹּֽרְנָה tachegorenah HVqi3fp are clothed they will gird themselves they will gird themselves
H2296-12 Psalms 76:11 תַּחְגֹּֽר tachegor HVqi2ms you will gird you will gird yourself you will gird yourself
H2296-23 Psalms 109:19 יַחְגְּרֶֽ/הָ yachegereha HVqi3ms/Sp3fs he girds it he girds her he girds it
H2296-01 Proverbs 31:17 חָֽגְרָ֣ה chagerah HVqp3fs She girds she girded on she girded on
H2296-02 Lamentations 2:10 חָגְר֖וּ chageru HVqp3cp have girded they girded themselves they girded themselves
H2296-07 Daniel 10:5 חֲגֻרִ֖ים chagurim HVqsmpa were girded girding ones girding ones
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