מְגֵרָה
𐤌𐤂𐤓𐤄
mᵉgêrâh
H4050 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A tool used for cutting or sawing, generally referring to a saw (a toothed implement for cutting wood or other material). In rare contexts, it can refer metaphorically or broadly to any instrument used for cutting, but the principal reference is to a saw as a woodworking tool.
Semantic Range
saw, sawblade, cutting tool (specifically saw for wood or other material); rarely, any instrument for dragging or pulling through material
Root / Etymology
From the root גָּרַר (גרר), meaning 'to drag, draw, pull'. מְגֵרָה is a feminine noun form denoting an instrument that causes 'dragging' or 'pulling' through material, hence a 'saw'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מְגֵרָה appears infrequently in Biblical Hebrew, most notably in 1 Kings 7:9 and Isaiah 10:15, where it clearly denotes a carpentry tool (saw). While some translation traditions and earlier lexicons offer 'axe' as a possible meaning, there is little contextual support for this; the association with dragging/pulling better suits the saw, which is operated by a back-and-forth motion. The term is not used with specialized cultic or symbolic significance and is not distinctively Israelite, instead reflecting a common tool of the ancient Levant. Later Aramaic and Rabbinic sources preserve similar terms with the same meaning, supporting its primary referent. In ancient Greek translation (LXX), it is typically rendered with words for 'saw', but on occasion overlaps with general cutting tools. The English KJV and similar translations sometimes give 'axe', but this is an imprecision, reflecting a lack of technical distinction in early modern English. The term does not appear to have shifted in meaning over the biblical periods, remaining tied to woodworking or construction contexts, and is unrelated to ethnic or religious identity.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from גָּרַר; a saw; axe, saw.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גרר (g-r-r) — dragging, pulling, drawing
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1620 | גַּרְגַּר | round berries |
| H1621 | גַּרְגְּרוֹת | your throats |
| H1625 | גֵּרָה | regurgitated cud |
| H1626 | גֵּרָה | scraped weight-unit |
| H1627 | גָּרוֹן | in their throat |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4050-01 |
בַּ֠/מְּגֵרָה | bamegerah | HRd/Ncfsa |
under saws | with the saw | 3 |
H4050-02 |
וּ/בַ/מְּגֵר֔וֹת | uvamegerot | HC/Rd/Ncfpa |
and with saws | and with saws | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4050-01 |
2 Samuel 12:31 | בַּ֠/מְּגֵרָה | bamegerah | HRd/Ncfsa |
under saws | with the saw |
H4050-01 |
1 Kings 7:9 | בַּ/מְּגֵרָ֖ה | bamegerah | HRd/Ncfsa |
with saws | with the saw |
H4050-01 |
1 Chronicles 20:3 | בַּ/מְּגֵרָ֜ה | bamegerah | HRd/Ncfsa |
with the saw | with the saw |
H4050-02 |
1 Chronicles 20:3 | וּ/בַ/מְּגֵר֔וֹת | uvamegerot | HC/Rd/Ncfpa |
and with saws | and with saws |