גָּזַר
to cut down or off; (figuratively) to destroy, divide, exclude, or decide
Definition
The verb גָּזַר (gâzar) primarily means 'to cut' or 'to cut off' in a physical sense, as seen when the prophets cut down trees for building (2 Kings 6:4). Figuratively, it extends to decisive actions like 'to divide' or 'to separate,' as in Solomon's proposed division of a baby (1 Kings 3:25-26). In legal and sovereign contexts, it means 'to decree' or 'to decide,' where a ruler's spoken word carries the force of a cut that separates outcomes, such as the king's decree in Esther 2:1 or a divine decree in Job 22:28. It can also imply destruction or exclusion, as in being 'cut off' from life among the dead (Psalm 88:5).
Biblical Usage
גָּזַר is used 13 times across narrative, poetic, and prophetic books. Its literal sense of cutting wood appears in historical accounts (2 Kings 6:4; 2 Chronicles 26:21). The figurative sense of dividing or deciding is prominent in wisdom and royal contexts, like Solomon's judgment (1 Kings 3:25-26) and Persian decrees (Esther 2:1). In poetry, it describes God's decisive decrees (Job 22:28) and the metaphorical cutting off of life (Psalm 88:5; 136:13). The usage shifts from physical action to abstract authority depending on context.
Etymology
A primitive root, גָּזַר is related to cutting or severing. Cognates appear in other Semitic languages with similar meanings of cutting or deciding. The core idea of a sharp, decisive separation underlies all its meanings, from physical cutting to issuing a binding decree.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it connects human and divine authority. Human decrees, like those of kings, reflect the concept of sovereign pronouncements that enact change. More profoundly, it points to God's sovereign decrees (Job 22:28) and His power to 'cut off' or deliver (Psalm 136:13). Understanding גָּזַר enriches reading by highlighting how biblical language links the concrete act of cutting with the abstract, powerful force of a spoken decision, especially God's irrevocable word.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, a decree (גְּזֵרָה) from a king was absolute and unchangeable, much like a cut that could not be undone. The physical act of cutting a tree or an object was a common, visible demonstration of power and separation, which naturally extended to legal and relational realms. The metaphorical use would have been immediately understood by an audience familiar with the finality of both a physical cut and a royal command.
כָּרַת (karat, H3772) — to cut off or make a covenant, often with a relational or covenantal focus. חָתַךְ (chatak, H2856) — to cut or decide, used for cutting in pieces or determining. בָּצַע (batsa', H1219) — to cut off, gain by violence, often with a negative, greedy connotation.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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