Language Studies

Hebrew Thoughts

Gebher - גּבר (Strong's #1397)
Mighty man

""Are Your days like the days of a mortal man?
Are Your years like the days of a mighty man " (Job 10:5),emphasises man in his might and strength or warrior-like ability to fight, and occurs just 68 times. Other words for man such as איש 'îysh (Strong's #376), occur 2180 times and אדם 'âdhâm (Strong's #120) over 550 times, these concentrate on man generically, or in relation to woman, or in respect of man's origins - from the earth and in the image of God. In Job 10:5 another infrequent word for man, אנוש 'enôwsh (Strong's #582, is used in parallel with to emphasise man's humanity as opposed to divinity.

גּבר gebher derives from the root verb גּבר gâbher (Strong's #1396) which means to be strong, to prevail, and to bind up and make strong. But the neutral concept of strength in some forms of the verb drifts over to the more negative concept of pride and insolence. That said, other derivatives of the verb could be used for 'soldier, hero' and in the archangel Gabriel's name גּבריאל 'mighty-man of God' (Strong's #1403).

The word is used mainly in the poetic books, predominantly Job and also Psalms and Proverbs. The next most frequent usage is in the prophet Jeremiah. In Job the word usually emphasises man more as mortal than mighty, until the last few occurrences in Job 38:3; 40:7 where it is rendered in the context of "gird up your loins like a real man".

The Psalms speak of the גּבר gebher man having to trust in God and not his own strength (Psalms 34:8; 40:4; 52:7).

Jeremiah speaks similarly but goes on to encourage the might of man to put his trust in God's strength, not his own:

"Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD...Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is." (Jeremiah 17:5,7)

Psalm 88:4 describes the ultimate paradox, a mighty man without might:

"I am counted with them that go down into the pit;
I am as a man that hath no strength"

But according to Proverbs 24:5 a man's true strength lies in exercising wisdom and knowledge:

"A wise man is strong;
yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength"

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Meet the Author

Charles Loder has an MA in Jewish Studies from Rutgers University. His work is in Biblical Hebrew and comparative semitic linguistics, along with a focus on digital humanities. His work can be found on his Academia page and Github.