Gabar describes strength or prevailing, with the subject and context identifying what gains force. Floodwaters prevail in Genesis, while Exodus uses the same verb for both Israel and Amalek as the course of battle changes.
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Full entry for גָּבַר (H1396) · Open the biblical lexicon
Gabar describes strength or prevailing, with the subject and context identifying what gains force. Floodwaters prevail in Genesis, while Exodus uses the same verb for both Israel and Amalek as the course of battle changes.
The BSB source-word alignment has 25 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include prevailed (5), prevail (3), and has vaunted himself (1), And he will confirm (1), arrogantly (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 7:18. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (5), Psalms (4), Job (3), 2 Samuel (2).
Gabar describes strength or prevailing, with the subject and context identifying what gains force. Floodwaters prevail in Genesis, while Exodus uses the same verb for both Israel and Amalek as the course of battle changes. The verb cannot make every prevailing party righteous. Hannah's song denies that people prevail by their own strength, and Psalm 65 confesses that iniquities prevail before turning to God for atonement.
Psalms 103 and 117 use the language for the greatness of God's loving devotion. Ecclesiastes supplies another ordinary setting: a dull axe requires more exertion, while skill offers an advantage. These uses connect power, need, mercy and competent work without merging them into a victory technique. Readers must ask what prevails, against whom and with what moral evaluation.
The word can support humility about strength and confidence in God's mercy, but it cannot promise that a preferred plan, leader or army will always win.
Selected prevailing forms describe overwhelming waters, changing battle outcomes, the limits of human strength, prevailing iniquity, abundant loving devotion and exertion with a dull axe.
Finally, the waters completely prevailed upon the earth, so that all the high mountains under all the heavens were covered.
The waters prevail until the mountains are covered, describing the flood's overwhelming extent within a judgment and preservation narrative.
As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed.
Both Israel and Amalek are said to prevail as Moses' hands rise or fall; the verb itself does not assign moral approval.
He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness; for by his own strength shall no man prevail.
Hannah's song denies prevailing by one's own strength while naming God's care, judgment and reversal of human status.
When iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our transgressions.
Prevailing iniquities lead to the confession that God atones for transgressions, locating relief in His action rather than personal force.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him.
The greatness of God's loving devotion is compared with the heavens' height, within praise for compassion and forgiveness.
If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.
A dull axe calls for greater exertion, while skill produces an advantage; the saying commends competent work rather than endless force.
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. Strength that actively prevails or dominates; carries implicit sense of forceful action or presumption.
Strength that actively prevails or dominates; carries implicit sense of forceful action or presumption.
to be strong; by implication, to prevail, act insolently BDB: be strong Usage: exceed, confirm, be great, be mighty, prevail, put to more (strength), strengthen, be stronger, be valiant.
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 1 selected witness from 25 lexical occurrence verses.
גָּבַר is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Psalm 65 places two different actions beside one another: iniquities prevail, and God atones for transgressions. The answer to acknowledged sin is not simply to become stronger than the person beside us. The psalm moves toward God's gracious welcome, righteous deeds and abundant provision. Psalm 103 likewise gives strength language to loving devotion within praise for pardon and compassion.
That use cannot be reduced to domination. Exodus 17 keeps the military setting visible and describes both sides prevailing at different moments; the story also includes Moses' tired hands and the help Aaron and Hur provide. Teachers should retain that particular account rather than prescribe a posture that forces victory. Hannah's song resists confidence in self-sufficient strength, while Ecclesiastes observes that an unsharpened tool wastes exertion.
The range permits practical skill and dependence on God without making either a guarantee that all circumstances yield. What matters is not merely which force prevails but whether its purpose is just, its limits acknowledged and its hope placed in the One who forgives.
Ps.65.3
Gabar is a verb with several attested stems in the wider corpus. The selected Qal forms name prevailing or greatness, while Ecclesiastes has a Piel exertion form; grammatical labels do not determine approval or guarantee outcomes.
First Corinthians 1:18-31 contrasts God's saving wisdom with human boasting and centers its proclamation on Christ crucified. This theological comparison can accompany Hannah's denial of self-sufficient strength and the Psalms' mercy language without identifying every forceful achievement as God's saving power.