What does גָּבַר (gābar) mean in the Bible?
גָּבַר (gābar): Strength that actively prevails or dominates; carries implicit sense of forceful action or presumption.
Hebrew · H1396
גָּבַר
To be strong ; by implication, to prevail , act insolently
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גָּבַר H1396
Pronunciation gābar
What does גָּבַר (gābar) mean in the Bible?
גָּבַר (gābar): Strength that actively prevails or dominates; carries implicit sense of forceful action or presumption.
Full entry for גָּבַר (H1396) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1396?
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).
Where does גָּבַר (gābar) appear in Scripture?
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).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It prevailed 5× Genesis 7:19, Genesis 7:24, Exodus 17:11, 1 Chronicles 5:2
prevail 3× 1 Samuel 2:9, Psalms 65:3, Jeremiah 9:3
and has vaunted himself 1× Job 15:25
And he will confirm 1× Daniel 9:27
arrogantly 1× Job 36:9
continued to surge 1× Genesis 7:18
great is 1× Psalms 117:2
has prevailed 1× Lamentations 1:16
have surpassed 1× Genesis 49:26
I will strengthen 1× Zechariah 10:6
I will strengthen them 1× Zechariah 10:12
in triumph 1× Isaiah 42:13
increasing 1× Job 21:7
must be exerted 1× Ecclesiastes 10:10
overpowered us 1× 2 Samuel 11:23
rose 1× Genesis 7:20
so great 1× Psalms 103:11
they were stronger 1× 2 Samuel 1:23
we will prevail 1× Psalms 12:4
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 7:18 וַיִּגְבְּר֥וּ to continued to surge Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Genesis 7:19 גָּֽבְר֛וּ to prevailed Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Genesis 7:20 גָּבְר֖וּ to rose Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Genesis 7:24 וַיִּגְבְּר֥וּ to prevailed Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Genesis 49:26 גָּֽבְרוּ֙ to have surpassed Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Exodus 17:11 וְגָבַ֣ר to prevailed Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Exodus 17:11 וְגָבַ֥ר to prevailed Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 1 Samuel 2:9 יִגְבַּר־ to prevail Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 2 Samuel 1:23 גָּבֵֽרוּ׃ to they were stronger Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural 2 Samuel 11:23 גָבְר֤וּ to overpowered us Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 7:18
Aligned rows 25
Books represented 13
Genesis 5 Exodus 2 1 Samuel 1 2 Samuel 2 1 Chronicles 1 Job 3 Psalms 4 Ecclesiastes 1 Isaiah 1 Jeremiah 1 Lamentations 1 Daniel 1 Zechariah 2
Source forms
וַיִּגְבְּר֥וּ 2x way·yiḡ·bə·rū Genesis 7:18, Genesis 7:24
גָ֘בַ֤ר 1x ḡā·ḇar Psalms 117:2
גָבַ֖ר 1x ḡā·ḇar Lamentations 1:16
גָּבַ֣ר 1x gā·ḇar 1 Chronicles 5:2
גָּבַ֥ר 1x gā·ḇar Psalms 103:11
גָבְר֤וּ 1x ḡā·ḇə·rū 2 Samuel 11:23
גָּֽבְר֛וּ 1x gā·ḇə·rū Genesis 7:19
גָּבְר֖וּ 1x gā·ḇə·rū Genesis 7:20
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural 8x Genesis 7:19, Genesis 7:20, Genesis 49:26, 2 Samuel 1:23
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 4x 1 Chronicles 5:2, Psalms 103:11, Psalms 117:2, Lamentations 1:16
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 2x Exodus 17:11
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 2x Genesis 7:18, Genesis 7:24
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 2x Job 15:25, Isaiah 42:13
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 1x Daniel 9:27
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular 1x Zechariah 10:6
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural 1x Zechariah 10:12
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Strength that actively prevails or dominates; carries implicit sense of forceful action or presumption.
Strong's H1396
Lexical occurrences 25 verses Word forms 4 forms 18 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Genesis 7:17-24 Source Gloss
to be strong ; by implication, to prevail , act insolently
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
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.
Grammatical Forms
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.
Form groups 4 Aligned forms 18
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 13×
Perfect 2Sam 1:23 · 2Sam 11:23 · Gen 7:19 · Gen 7:20 · Gen 49:26 · Jer 9:2 · Job 21:7 · Ps 65:4 · 1Chr 5:2 · Lam 1:16 · Ps 103:11 · Ps 117:2 12×
Imperfect 1Sam 2:9 1×
Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others 3×
Imperfect Isa 42:13 · Job 15:25 · Job 36:9 3×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 1×
Imperfect Eccl 10:10 1×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 1×
Imperfect Ps 12:5 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Waters of the flood grew mighty and overwhelmed the earth with increasing force
Showing 1 selected witness from 25 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
גָּבַר is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain