Bible Word Study
גֶּבֶר
Geber · Geber, the name of two Israelites
גֶּבֶר
Geber, the name of two Israelites
Definition
Geber is a proper noun referring to two different individuals in the Old Testament, both bearing the same name. The primary reference is to Geber, son of Uri, who served as one of King Solomon's twelve district governors responsible for providing food for the royal household (1 Kings 4:19). His district was in Gilead. The other individual is simply listed as the father of one of Solomon's governors (1 Kings 4:13), though some scholars suggest this may refer to the same person. The name itself is identical to the common Hebrew noun for 'man' or 'strong man' (geber, H1397).
Biblical Usage
The name Geber is used exclusively in the administrative context of 1 Kings 4, which details Solomon's regional governance structure. It appears only twice, both times in the same chapter (1 Kings 4:13, 19), identifying officials appointed by Solomon. The usage is purely onomastic (as a personal name) and does not carry the common noun's meaning within these verses. The context is secular royal administration, not theological discourse.
Etymology
The name Geber is derived directly from the Hebrew common noun גֶּבֶר (geber, H1397), meaning 'man,' often with connotations of strength or maturity. As a proper noun, it follows a common Hebrew naming convention where personal names are taken from existing vocabulary words, often describing a characteristic or expressing a hope related to the child.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names were significant and often descriptive. Naming a child Geber ('man'/'strong man') likely reflected parental hopes for the child's strength, maturity, or virility. Its use for royal officials in Solomon's administration may imply these were men of capability and stature, fitting for positions of responsibility. The administrative list in 1 Kings 4 highlights the extent and organization of Solomon's kingdom. geber (H1397) — The common noun meaning 'man' or 'strong man,' from which the proper name is derived. 'ish (H0376) — Another common word for 'man' or 'husband,' more general than geber. 'enosh (H0582) — A term for 'man' or 'mankind,' often emphasizing human frailty or mortality.
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]