Bible Word Study
גָּרַז
gâraz · to cut off
גָּרַז
to cut off
Definition
The Hebrew verb גָּרַז (gâraz) means 'to cut off' or 'to cut down.' It appears only once in the Old Testament, in Psalm 31:22, where the psalmist laments, 'I am cut off from before your eyes.' In this context, the cutting off is metaphorical, describing a profound sense of separation or removal from God's protective presence and favor. The term conveys a decisive, complete severance, not merely a physical cutting but a spiritual or relational alienation.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only in Psalm 31:22. Its usage is poetic and metaphorical, found within a lament psalm where David expresses deep distress and a feeling of being abandoned by God. The context is one of emotional and spiritual crisis, where 'cut off' describes the psalmist's perceived state of isolation from divine care.
Etymology
גָּרַז is a primitive root in Biblical Hebrew. Its core meaning relates to cutting or severing. Cognates in other Semitic languages, like Arabic 'jaraza' (meaning to cut off), support this sense of a decisive separation. As a rare verb, its meaning is consistent and focused on the act of removal.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, גָּרַז carries significant theological weight in its context. It vividly portrays the human experience of spiritual desolation and the fear of divine abandonment. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of Psalm 31 by highlighting the depth of the psalmist's anguish and the contrast with the deliverance and trust expressed later in the psalm. It touches on the doctrine of God's presence and the believer's experience of feeling separated from Him. In ancient Israelite culture, being 'cut off' could imply not only physical death or exile but also exclusion from the covenant community and its blessings. The metaphorical use in a psalm aligns with a common poetic device for expressing extreme distress or perceived judgment. כָּרַת (karat, H3772) — to cut off, cut down, or make a covenant (broader usage); נָתַק (nataq, H5423) — to tear away or draw off; חָתַךְ (hatakh, H2856) — to cut off or decide (often of a decree).
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]