StrongerBible

gibbor

גִּבּוֹר

HebrewH1368mighty man, warrior, ...

Appears 159 times · tap a cell to see the verses

Gen 6:4Gen 10:8Gen 10:9 (2×)Deu 10:17Jos 1:14Jos 6:2Jos 8:3Jos 10:2Jos 10:7Jdg 5:13Jdg 5:23Jdg 6:12Jdg 11:1Rut 2:11Sa 2:41Sa 9:11Sa 14:521Sa 16:181Sa 17:512Sa 1:192Sa 1:212Sa 1:222Sa 1:252Sa 1:272Sa 10:72Sa 16:62Sa 17:82Sa 17:102Sa 20:72Sa 22:262Sa 23:82Sa 23:92Sa 23:162Sa 23:171Ki 1:81Ki 1:101Ki 11:282Ki 5:12Ki 15:202Ki 24:142Ki 24:161Ch 1:101Ch 5:241Ch 7:21Ch 7:51Ch 7:71Ch 7:91Ch 7:111Ch 8:401Ch 9:26
Word studygib-BOHRnoun

What gibbor means

a mighty one: a man of outstanding strength and prowess, above all the warrior and the hero, and by extension God himself as the supreme champion.

TranslatabilityPartialCertaintySettled

At its heart this word names someone who is strong and able far beyond the ordinary, and proves it. It is not a description of muscle alone but of someone whose strength makes a difference: the soldier who wins battles, the famous champion whose name is remembered, the capable man of weight and standing in his community.

The word lives mostly on the battlefield. Its commonest use is the seasoned fighter, the man of war, and from there it becomes a near-title for an elite class of soldiers, most famously David's band of celebrated warriors. Reach a little wider and it can mark any man of conspicuous ability or standing, even where no fighting is in view, the man of valor, wealth, or proven competence.

Because the word reaches for the very top of human strength, it became a natural way to speak of God. When the Bible calls God a mighty one, it borrows the picture of the unbeatable warrior and turns it on the only one who is truly invincible. The same word that praises a human hero confesses that real, final might belongs to God, who fights for his people and cannot be overpowered.

Nuances

1aa warrior, a seasoned fighting man; in the plural, troops or men of war.
Jos 1:14Jos 8:3Jos 10:71Sa 14:522Sa 10:72Sa 20:72Ki 24:142Ki 24:16Isa 13:3Isa 21:17Jer 46:9Jer 48:14
1ba celebrated hero or champion; as a near-title, a member of an elite corps of warriors, such as David's renowned "mighty men".
Gen 6:4Gen 10:8Gen 10:9 (2×)2Sa 23:82Sa 23:92Sa 23:162Sa 23:172Sa 23:221Ki 1:81Ki 1:101Ch 1:101Ch 11:10
1ca man of strength, standing, or proven ability, even apart from war: a man of valor, wealth, or competence.
Jdg 6:12Jdg 11:1Rut 2:11Sa 9:11Sa 16:181Ki 11:282Ki 5:12Ki 15:201Ch 9:131Ch 9:26Pro 16:32Ecc 9:11
1dthe Mighty One: God himself, pictured as the invincible warrior and champion.
Deu 10:17Neh 9:32Job 16:14Psa 24:8Psa 45:3(4)Psa 78:65Isa 9:6Isa 10:21Isa 42:13Jer 14:9Jer 32:18Zep 3:17

Uncategorized

Awaiting AI sense categorization.

2 verses
2Sa 22:26Neh 3:16

What scholars say about gibbor

The standard lexicons (HALOT, BDB, DCH) and the major theological dictionaries treat this as a single word built on the idea of being strong or superior, used as a noun for the strong man, the warrior, and the hero. H. Kosmala's TDOT article traces the range from the individual fighting man, to the elite "mighty men" as a class, to figures of legendary prowess such as Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-9), and on to its use of God. Scholars note that the phrase often rendered "mighty man of valor" joins this word to a term for strength or worth and can denote not only fighting ability but social standing and means (so Boaz in Ruth 2:1; Jeroboam's competence in 1 Kings 11:28). The word's application to God, especially the title "Mighty God" in Isaiah 9:6 (el gibbor), is widely read as drawing on the warrior image to confess God's invincible power; the same title recurs at Isaiah 10:21, and the picture stands behind Deuteronomy 10:17, Jeremiah 32:18, Zephaniah 3:17, and Psalm 24:8. The Genesis 6:4 "mighty men of old, men of renown" are understood to be named for might and fame rather than giant stature, against a popular conflation with the Nephilim.

Sources

  • HALOT (Koehler-Baumgartner), s.v. גִּבּוֹרlexicon
  • BDB (Brown-Driver-Briggs), s.v. גִּבּוֹרlexicon
  • DCH (Clines, ed.), s.v. גִּבּוֹרlexicon
  • H. Kosmala, "גָּבַר," in Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament (TDOT) 2:367-382dictionary
  • Robert L. Hubbard Jr., "גבר," in New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis (NIDOTTE) 1:807-810dictionary
  • John N. Oswalt, The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 1-39, NICOT (1986)commentary
  • Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 1-15, Word Biblical Commentary (1987)commentary

All attested forms of גִּבּוֹר

m p absolute

גִּבּוֹרִים, גִּבֹּרִים

Jdg 5:13, Jdg 5:23, 2Sa 1:19, 2Sa 1:21, 2Sa 1:22, 2Sa 1:27, 1Ki 1:8, 1Ki 1:10

m s absolute

גִּבּוֹר, גִּבֹּר

1Sa 14:52, 2Sa 17:10, 2Sa 22:26, 1Ch 1:10, 1Ch 12:4, Neh 9:32, Job 16:14, Psa 19:5

m p construct

גִּבּוֹרֵי, גִּבֹּרֵי

Jos 1:14, Jos 6:2, Jos 8:3, Jos 10:7, 2Ki 15:20, 2Ki 24:14, 1Ch 5:24, 1Ch 7:2

m s construct

גִּבּוֹר, גִבֹּר

Gen 10:9, Jdg 6:12, Jdg 11:1, Rut 2:1, 1Sa 9:1, 1Sa 16:18, 1Ki 11:28, 2Ki 5:1

m p construct

גִּבּוֹרֶיךָ

Hos 10:13, Jol 3:11, Oba 1:9

m p construct

גִּבּוֹרֶיהָ

Jer 50:36, Jer 51:56, Jer 51:57

m p construct

גִּבּוֹרָיו, גִּבֹּרֵיהוּ, גִבֹּרָיו

Jer 26:21, Nam 2:3, 2Ch 32:3

m p construct

גִבּוֹרַי

Isa 13:3

m p construct

גִבּוֹרֵיהֶם

Jer 46:5

m s construct

גִּבּוֹרָם

1Sa 17:51