Powerful ; by implication, warrior , tyrant
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H1368, gibbôr, is a Hebrew adjective often used substantivally for a mighty person, strong man, warrior, champion, or valiant fighter. The word points to conspicuous strength or battlefield capability, but it does not announce moral approval.
Reader summary
Full entry for גִּבּוֹר (H1368) · Open the biblical lexicon
H1368, gibbôr, is a Hebrew adjective often used substantivally for a mighty person, strong man, warrior, champion, or valiant fighter. The word points to conspicuous strength or battlefield capability, but it does not announce moral approval.
The BSB source-word alignment has 159 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include mighty men (27), of the mighty (10), mighty (8), a mighty (5), a mighty man (4).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 6:4. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Chronicles (31), Jeremiah (19), 2 Samuel (16), 2 Chronicles (12).
H1368, gibbôr, is a Hebrew adjective often used substantivally for a mighty person, strong man, warrior, champion, or valiant fighter. The word points to conspicuous strength or battlefield capability, but it does not announce moral approval. Genesis calls Nimrod a mighty one, military lists apply the term to seasoned fighters, and the Psalms can speak of a warrior whose real strength still cannot save him.
Context, not the adjective by itself, tells whether the mighty figure is honored, opposed, humbled, or simply described. The plural can describe a company of warriors without praising their cause. In Judges 6, the angel addresses Gideon as a mighty man of valor and immediately anchors the summons in the Lord's presence. The title is not a motivational claim that hidden self-confidence creates strength; the narrative follows God's commission and patient provision.
Psalm 33 makes the boundary explicit: a king's army and a warrior's great strength cannot secure salvation. The adjective also appears of the Lord. In Isaiah 9:6 it joins H410 in the title Mighty God for the promised child; the theological claim belongs to the complete title and prophetic context, not to H1368 isolated from its phrase. Zephaniah 3:17 presents the Lord's might as saving presence, rejoicing love, and covenant restoration.
Gibbôr opens a disciplined theology of strength: might is real, but its moral character is known by its bearer, purpose, and action. It must not be reduced to masculinity, aggression, celebrity leadership, or coercive dominance.
H1368 describes conspicuous strength and often functions as a noun for a mighty person or warrior. It can describe humans or the Lord, while each passage determines whether strength is limited, dangerous, commissioned, praised, or saving.
Cush was the father of Nimrod, who began to be a mighty one on the earth.
H1368 describes Nimrod's conspicuous might without making the adjective a moral commendation; the following narrative must govern any assessment of that strength.
And the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.”
The address to Gideon is joined to the Lord's presence and later commission, not offered as a free-standing technique for manufacturing confidence.
No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength.
The psalm acknowledges the warrior as genuinely mighty while denying that military strength can deliver or save him.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
H1368 contributes Mighty inside the complete title Mighty God; the full phrase and prophetic context carry the theological claim.
The Lord your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.”
The Lord's might is expressed through saving presence, covenant joy, quieting love, and restoration rather than coercive display.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Hebrew word. powerful ; by implication, warrior , tyrant
powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant BDB: strong Usage: champion, chief, × excel, giant, man, mighty (man, one), strong (man), valiant man.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
גִּבּוֹר is built from this root:
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Genesis 10:8 calls Nimrod a mighty one and reminds readers that descriptive strength is not automatic praise. Judges 6:12 addresses Gideon as a mighty man of valor, yet the narrative anchors his calling in the Lord's presence, command, and patient confirmation. The title does not reveal a self-generated inner hero. Psalm 33:16 then denies that a warrior is delivered by great strength, setting military capacity beneath the Lord's faithful care.
Isaiah 9:6 uses gibbôr within the complete title Mighty God for the promised child. Teachers must preserve H410 and the prophetic title rather than pretending H1368 alone contains the whole Christological claim. Zephaniah 3:17 portrays the Lord as mighty to save in a scene of presence, love, joy, quieting, and restoration. These passages allow courage and skill to be honored while refusing the worship of force.
Churches should test power by truthfulness, protection of vulnerable neighbors, accountability, and service rather than charisma, physical stature, gender performance, or victory. A person can be effective and unjust; another can be dependent and deeply faithful. God's saving might does not authorize leaders to dominate in His name. It teaches communities to receive strength as accountable stewardship and to locate final deliverance in the Lord rather than weapons, personalities, or institutions.
Ps.33.16
H1368 is an adjective that frequently functions substantivally, so translations may use mighty, warrior, champion, or mighty person. Singular and plural forms occur, and construct phrases can specify valor or another quality associated with the person.
Old Testament mighty-person language can describe genuine human prowess while subordinating salvation to the Lord. The New Testament's presentation of Jesus joins divine authority to suffering service, resurrection, and worship. That canonical development evaluates power morally but does not make every Greek strength term identical to H1368.