Bible Word Study
גָּזֵז
Gâzêz · Gazez, the name of two Israelites
גָּזֵז
Gazez, the name of two Israelites
Definition
Gazez is a proper name given to two individuals in the Old Testament, both appearing in the genealogy of Caleb in 1 Chronicles 2:46. The name means 'shearer' or 'one who shears,' likely referring to the occupation of shearing sheep. In the biblical context, it identifies a son of Caleb by his concubine Ephah (1 Chronicles 2:46) and also a son of Haran, who is listed in the same genealogical record. As a proper name, it serves primarily to distinguish these specific persons within Israel's tribal history.
Biblical Usage
The word גָּזֵז (Gâzêz) is used exclusively as a proper noun in the Old Testament, appearing only in 1 Chronicles 2:46. It occurs twice in that single verse, identifying two distinct men within the lineage of Caleb from the tribe of Judah. Its usage is confined to this genealogical list, with no narrative or descriptive context provided beyond their familial relationships.
Etymology
The name Gazez is derived from the Hebrew root גָּזַז (gāzaz, H1494), which means 'to shear' or 'to cut off,' specifically in reference to shearing wool from sheep. It is a participial form meaning 'shearer.' This root is also found in other Semitic languages with similar meanings, indicating an occupation-based origin for the personal name.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often descriptive, reflecting a person's character, circumstances, or occupation. The name Gazez ('shearer') likely indicates a family involved in shepherding and wool production, common and economically important tasks. Its use in a genealogy highlights the social importance of recording lineage and preserving the memory of ancestors, even those with seemingly ordinary occupational names. גָּזַז (gāzaz, H1494) — the verbal root meaning 'to shear,' from which the proper name is derived.
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]