What does גָּדַע (gādaʿ) mean in the Bible?
גָּדַע (gādaʿ): Decisive, violent severing—cutting something off at its root to completely eliminate it, not merely damage
Hebrew · H1438
גָּדַע
To fell a tree; generally, to destroy anything
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גָּדַע H1438
Pronunciation gādaʿ
What does גָּדַע (gādaʿ) mean in the Bible?
גָּדַע (gādaʿ): Decisive, violent severing—cutting something off at its root to completely eliminate it, not merely damage
Full entry for גָּדַע (H1438) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1438?
The BSB source-word alignment has 22 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include cut down (3), and cut through (2), and chopped down (1), and cut it in two (1), and cut to pieces (1).
Where does גָּדַע (gādaʿ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Deuteronomy 7:5. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (5), 2 Chronicles (4), Deuteronomy (2), Jeremiah (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 cut down 3× Deuteronomy 7:5, Deuteronomy 12:3, Ezekiel 6:6
and cut through 2× Psalms 107:16, Isaiah 45:2
and chopped down 1× 2 Chronicles 14:3
and cut it in two 1× Zechariah 11:10
and cut to pieces 1× 2 Chronicles 34:7
and he cut to pieces 1× 2 Chronicles 34:4
chopped down 1× 2 Chronicles 31:1
has been cut off 1× Jeremiah 48:25
have been felled 1× Isaiah 9:10
He has cut off 1× Lamentations 2:3
I will cut off 1× Psalms 75:10
is cut off 1× Judges 21:6
it will be sheared off 1× Isaiah 22:25
lies broken 1× Jeremiah 50:23
Then I cut in two 1× Zechariah 11:14
when I will cut off 1× 1 Samuel 2:31
will be cut down 1× Isaiah 10:33
will be cut off 1× Amos 3:14
You have been cut down 1× Isaiah 14:12
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 7:5 תְּגַדֵּע֔וּן to cut down Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun Deuteronomy 12:3 תְּגַדֵּע֑וּן to cut down Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun Judges 21:6 נִגְדַּ֥ע to is cut off Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 1 Samuel 2:31 וְגָֽדַעְתִּי֙ to when I will cut off Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular 2 Chronicles 14:3 וַיְגַדַּ֖ע to and chopped down Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 2 Chronicles 31:1 וַיְגַדְּע֣וּ to chopped down Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 2 Chronicles 34:4 גִּדֵּ֑עַ to and he cut to pieces Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2 Chronicles 34:7 גִּדַּ֖ע to and cut to pieces Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular Psalms 75:10 אֲגַדֵּ֑עַ to I will cut off Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular Psalms 107:16 גִּדֵּֽעַ׃ to and cut through Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Deuteronomy 7:5
Aligned rows 22
Books represented 11
Deuteronomy 2 Judges 1 1 Samuel 1 2 Chronicles 4 Psalms 2 Isaiah 5 Jeremiah 2 Lamentations 1 Ezekiel 1 Amos 1 Zechariah 2
Source forms
וְנִגְדְּעוּ֙ 2x wə·niḡ·də·‘ū Ezekiel 6:6, Amos 3:14
אֲגַדֵּ֑עַ 1x ’ă·ḡad·dê·a‘ Psalms 75:10
אֲגַדֵּֽעַ׃ 1x ’ă·ḡad·dê·a‘ Isaiah 45:2
גְּדוּעִ֔ים 1x gə·ḏū·‘îm Isaiah 10:33
גִּדֵּ֑עַ 1x gid·dê·a‘ 2 Chronicles 34:4
גִּדַּ֖ע 1x gid·da‘ 2 Chronicles 34:7
גָּדַ֣ע 1x gā·ḏa‘ Lamentations 2:3
גִּדֵּֽעַ׃ 1x gid·dê·a‘ Psalms 107:16
Parsing patterns
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular 3x 2 Chronicles 34:4, 2 Chronicles 34:7, Psalms 107:16
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural 2x Ezekiel 6:6, Amos 3:14
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular 2x Zechariah 11:10, Zechariah 11:14
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2x Judges 21:6, Jeremiah 50:23
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular 2x Psalms 75:10, Isaiah 45:2
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun 2x Deuteronomy 7:5, Deuteronomy 12:3
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular 1x Isaiah 22:25
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 1x 2 Chronicles 31:1
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Decisive, violent severing—cutting something off at its root to completely eliminate it, not merely damage
Source Gloss
to fell a tree; generally, to destroy anything
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Decisive, violent severing—cutting something off at its root to completely eliminate it, not merely damage
to fell a tree; generally, to destroy anything BDB: hew Usage: cut (asunder, in sunder, down, off), hew down.
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 12
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 5×
Perfect 2Chr 34:4 · 2Chr 34:7 · Ps 107:16 3×
Imperfect Isa 45:2 · Ps 75:11 2×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 4×
Perfect Jer 50:23 · Judg 21:6 · Isa 14:12 · Jer 48:25 4×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 1×
Perfect Isa 9:9 1×
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 2×
Participle passive Isa 10:33 1×
Perfect Lam 2:3 1×
Word Origins
גָּדַע 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