What does גָּזַז mean in the Bible?
גָּזַז is a Hebrew word meaning "to cut off ; specifically to shear a flock or shave the hair; figuratively to destroy an enemy".
Hebrew · H1494
גָּזַז
To cut off ; specifically to shear a flock or shave the hair; figuratively to destroy an enemy
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גָּזַז H1494
What does גָּזַז mean in the Bible?
גָּזַז is a Hebrew word meaning "to cut off ; specifically to shear a flock or shave the hair; figuratively to destroy an enemy".
Full entry for גָּזַז (H1494) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1494?
The BSB source-word alignment has 15 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include shearing (2), and cut off your hair (1), and shaved (1), are you to shear (1), Cut off (1).
Where does גָּזַז appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 31:19. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Samuel (4), Genesis (3), 2 Samuel (2), Deuteronomy (1).
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 shearing 2× Genesis 31:19, 1 Samuel 25:2
and cut off your hair 1× Micah 1:16
and shaved 1× Job 1:20
are you to shear 1× Deuteronomy 15:19
Cut off 1× Jeremiah 7:29
for my shearers 1× 1 Samuel 25:11
her shearers 1× Isaiah 53:7
hired shearers 1× 2 Samuel 13:24
his sheepshearers 1× Genesis 38:12
it is time for shearing 1× 1 Samuel 25:7
sheepshearers 1× 2 Samuel 13:23
they will be cut down 1× Nahum 1:12
to shear 1× Genesis 38:13
was shearing 1× 1 Samuel 25:4
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 31:19 לִגְזֹ֖ז to shearing Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Genesis 38:12 גֹּֽזֲזֵ֤י to his sheepshearers Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct Genesis 38:13 לָגֹ֥ז to to shear Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Deuteronomy 15:19 תָגֹ֖ז to are you to shear Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 1 Samuel 25:2 בִּגְזֹ֥ז to shearing Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct 1 Samuel 25:4 גֹזֵ֥ז to was shearing Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 1 Samuel 25:7 גֹזְזִ֖ים to it is time for shearing Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 1 Samuel 25:11 לְגֹֽזְזָ֑י to for my shearers Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular 2 Samuel 13:23 גֹֽזְזִים֙ to sheepshearers Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 2 Samuel 13:24 גֹזְזִ֖ים to hired shearers Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 31:19
Aligned rows 15
Books represented 9
Genesis 3 Deuteronomy 1 1 Samuel 4 2 Samuel 2 Job 1 Isaiah 1 Jeremiah 1 Micah 1 Nahum 1
Source forms
גֹזְזִ֖ים 2x ḡō·zə·zîm 1 Samuel 25:7, 2 Samuel 13:24
בִּגְזֹ֥ז 1x biḡ·zōz 1 Samuel 25:2
גֹזֵ֥ז 1x ḡō·zêz 1 Samuel 25:4
גֹּֽזֲזֵ֤י 1x gō·ză·zê Genesis 38:12
גֹזְזֶ֖יהָ 1x ḡō·zə·ze·hā Isaiah 53:7
גֹֽזְזִים֙ 1x ḡō·zə·zîm 2 Samuel 13:23
גָּזִּ֤י 1x gāz·zî Jeremiah 7:29
וָגֹ֔זִּי 1x wā·ḡōz·zî Micah 1:16
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 3x 1 Samuel 25:7, 2 Samuel 13:23, 2 Samuel 13:24
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct 2x Genesis 31:19, Genesis 38:13
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 1x Job 1:20
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular 1x Micah 1:16
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct 1x 1 Samuel 25:2
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular 1x 1 Samuel 25:11
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural 1x Nahum 1:12
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular 1x Jeremiah 7:29
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. to cut off ; specifically to shear a flock or shave the hair; figuratively to destroy an enemy
Source Gloss
to cut off ; specifically to shear a flock or shave the hair; figuratively to destroy an enemy
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
to cut off; specifically to shear a flock or shave the hair; figuratively to destroy an enemy BDB: shear Usage: cut off (down), poll, shave, (sheep-) shear(-er).
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 2 Aligned forms 8
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 7×
Participle active 1Sam 25:4 · 1Sam 25:7 · 2Sam 13:23 · 2Sam 13:24 · Gen 38:12 5×
Imperfect Deut 15:19 1×
Sequential imperfect Jer 7:29 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 1×
Perfect Nah 1:12 1×
Word Origins
גָּזַז is built from this root:
גּוּז H1468
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