Force (literally or figuratively); by implication, valor , victory
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H1369 is a Hebrew noun for might, strength, power, valor, mastery, or a mighty achievement. First Chronicles 29:11 assigns greatness, power, glory, splendor, majesty, and kingdom to the LORD because everything belongs to Him.
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Full entry for גְּבוּרָה (H1369) · Open the biblical lexicon
H1369 is a Hebrew noun for might, strength, power, valor, mastery, or a mighty achievement. First Chronicles 29:11 assigns greatness, power, glory, splendor, majesty, and kingdom to the LORD because everything belongs to Him.
The BSB source-word alignment has 61 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and might (5), and strength (5), his might (5), and his might (2), in the strength (2).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 32:18. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (17), 2 Kings (7), Isaiah (7), Jeremiah (6).
H1369 is a Hebrew noun for might, strength, power, valor, mastery, or a mighty achievement. First Chronicles 29:11 assigns greatness, power, glory, splendor, majesty, and kingdom to the Lord because everything belongs to Him. Micah 3:8 describes prophetic power from the Spirit of the Lord joined with justice and courage to expose Israel's sin. Ecclesiastes 9:16 observes that wisdom is better than strength even when the poor wise person's words are despised.
Royal chronicles also record the might of kings, including military achievements, while prophetic judgment shows mighty nations and warriors descending in defeat. H1369 opens courage, capacity, victory, public accomplishment, and divine power. It corrects worship of physical force, military success, wealth, platform reach, or charismatic intensity, and it refuses the opposite mistake of treating all strength as suspect when God gives power for truthful service, protection, endurance, and justice.
H1369 names effective strength or might in God, rulers, warriors, deeds, victory, counsel, or Spirit-enabled witness. The noun can report impressive capacity without praising its use, so source, purpose, and outcome determine whether might is celebrated, relativized, or judged.
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all.
David's prayer ascribes greatness, power, glory, splendor, majesty, and kingdom to the Lord who owns all things.
As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the Lord, with justice and courage, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.
Micah contrasts corrupt prophets with Spirit-given power, justice, and courage to declare the people's sin.
And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”
The Teacher judges wisdom better than strength while noting that a poor wise person's contribution may still be despised.
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. Concentrated power demonstrating mastery; moves from physical force to valorous deeds and divine mighty acts.
Concentrated power demonstrating mastery; moves from physical force to valorous deeds and divine mighty acts.
force (literally or figuratively); by implication, valor, victory BDB: strength Usage: force, mastery, might, mighty (act, power), power, strength.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 1 selected witness from 62 lexical occurrence verses.
גְּבוּרָה 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.
H1369 refuses to let strength become self-explanatory. Chronicles can catalogue the might of kings, yet those records do not erase their sins, mortality, or accountability. Prophets picture formidable nations and warriors brought down despite the terror they inspired. Jeremiah warns the strong person not to boast in strength, and Ecclesiastes says wisdom can be better even when society ignores the poor wise speaker.
At the center, Scripture ascribes might to God, whose power is joined with wisdom, justice, salvation, and sovereign generosity. Micah receives power by the Spirit not to build a personal brand but to tell a resistant people the truth about injustice and sin. This gives communities a better test for strength. Capacity is faithful when it serves God's character, protects others, tells truth, and accepts limits.
Physical endurance, money, expertise, influence, and institutional reach can all be gifts, but none is a moral certificate. Leaders should ask who bears the cost of their achievements and whether less visible wisdom is being despised. Believers may seek courage and skill while refusing boastfulness, coercion, and the fantasy that force can secure what only God can give.
Mic.3.8
H1369 is a noun of might or effective strength. It can refer to divine power, human valor, political or military capacity, mastery, victory, or notable achievements, and narrative catalogues may use it descriptively rather than approvingly.
The New Testament presents God's power in the gospel, the resurrection, Spirit-enabled witness, and strength perfected amid weakness. These themes redirect boasting without teaching that competence, courage, bodily safety, or protective action are unspiritual.