Hebrew word · H1396

גָּבַר

gavar

to prevail

To be strong, to be mighty, to prevail, to be superior, to overpower. Related nouns are geber (a strong man) and gibbôr (warrior, hero). In Gen 7:18–24 the floodwaters "prevailed" (gābar) over the earth and covered the highest mountains.

Appears 25 times in 24 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to prevail, have strength, be strong, be powerful, be mighty, be great

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be strong, mighty

1a2) to prevail

1b) (Piel) to make strong, strengthen

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to confirm, give strength

1c2) to confirm (a covenant)

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to show oneself mighty

1d2) to act proudly (toward God)

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Psalm 103:11

Range of meaning

To be strong, to be mighty, to prevail, to be superior, to overpower. Related nouns are geber (a strong man) and gibbôr (warrior, hero). In Gen 7:18–24 the floodwaters "prevailed" (gābar) over the earth and covered the highest mountains. In Exod 17:11 Israel "prevailed" while Moses held up his hands.

Against the English

Most versions say "so great is", which suggests size or amount. The Hebrew says the love is strong, superior, winning out. YLT's "hath been mighty" is closest. The Hebrew also has no word for "so". English adds it to complete the comparison.

How it drifted

Not drift in the English word. Translators chose "great" to make the as-high/so-great comparison smooth, and the verb's sense of force and overcoming was flattened in the process.

Used elsewhere in the period

Ps 117:2 uses the identical phrase for God's ḥesed. The Septuagint renders this verse with ekrataiōsen ("he made strong, strengthened"), and the Vulgate with corroboravit ("he strengthened"). Both ancient translators read force and strength here, not only size.

From the study of Psalm 65:3

Range of meaning

To be strong, to be superior, to prevail or overpower. It is the root of gibbor ("warrior, hero") and gever ("man, strong man").

Against the English

"Prevail against" (BSB, KJV), "overwhelmed" (WEB, NIV, NLT), "were mightier than" (YLT). YLT keeps the comparison best: the sins were stronger than I am.

Used elsewhere in the period

Genesis 7:18–24: the Flood waters "prevailed" (wayyigberû) over the earth. Exodus 17:11: Israel "prevailed" while Moses' hands were raised. 2 Samuel 1:23: Saul and Jonathan "were stronger than lions," the same verb with "than."

From the study of Job 15:25

Range of meaning

The root gbr means to be strong, superior, or prevail. Related words are gibbôr ('warrior, champion'), geber ('man, strong man') and gəbûrâ ('might'). The reflexive (Hitpael) form, which is rare, means to show oneself mighty, act the hero, or behave with arrogant strength. It occurs only here, in Job 36:9 and in Isaiah 42:13.

Against the English

KJV 'strengtheneth himself' and YLT 'maketh himself mighty' follow the root closely. WEB 'behaves himself proudly', NASB 'conducts himself arrogantly' and BSB/NIV 'vaunts himself' bring out the attitude but drop the warrior image. ESV/NLT 'defies' is close in function. None of them fully conveys 'plays the warrior against'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Isaiah 42:13: 'YHWH goes out like a gibbôr… against his enemies he shows himself mighty (yitgabbār)'. There it is God's proper warrior role. Job 36:9: Elihu speaks of people's transgressions 'that they behaved arrogantly (yitgabbārû)'.

Where it appears

Genesis · 5

  1. Genesis 7:18 וַיִּגְבְּר֥וּ and they increased

    So the waters continued to surge and rise greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the waters.

  2. Genesis 7:19 גָּֽבְר֛וּ they increased

    Finally, the waters completely prevailed upon the earth, so that all the high mountains under all the heavens were covered.

  3. Genesis 7:20 גָּבְר֖וּ they increased

    The waters rose and covered the mountaintops to a depth of fifteen cubits.

  4. Genesis 7:24 וַיִּגְבְּר֥וּ and they increased

    And the waters prevailed upon the earth for 150 days.

  5. Genesis 49:26 גָּֽבְרוּ֙ they have prevailed

    The blessings of your father have surpassed the blessings of the ancient mountains and the bounty of the everlasting hills. May they rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince of his brothers.

Exodus · 2

  1. Exodus 17:11 וְגָבַ֣ר וְגָבַ֥ר and it prevailed

    As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed.

    Here: 'Then Israel would gain the upper hand.' The verb belongs to the same family as gibbor, 'warrior'. It means having more strength than the other side at that moment, not final victory.

1 Samuel · 1

  1. 1 Samuel 2:9 יִגְבַּר־ he will prevail

    He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness; for by his own strength shall no man prevail.

    Here: This comes from the same root as gibbôr, 'warrior, mighty man' (v. 4, 'the bows of the mighty are broken'). Strength does not make anyone a winner, and the play on the root is deliberate.

2 Samuel · 2

  1. 2 Samuel 1:23 גָּבֵֽרוּ׃ they were strong

    Saul and Jonathan, beloved and delightful in life, were not divided in death. They were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions.

  2. 2 Samuel 11:23 גָבְר֤וּ they prevailed

    The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate.

1 Chronicles · 1

  1. 1 Chronicles 5:2 גָּבַ֣ר he was strong

    And though Judah prevailed over his brothers and a ruler came from him, the birthright belonged to Joseph.

    Here: 'Became strong / proved superior.' The verb describes power that wins out over rivals, the way floodwaters 'prevailed' over the earth (Gen 7:18–24). It describes Judah's actual rise to dominance and says nothing about a legal right.

Job · 3

  1. Job 15:25 יִתְגַּבָּֽר׃ he behaves proudly

    For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,

    Here: From the same root as gibbôr, 'warrior, hero'. The reflexive form means he plays the hero, puts on a warrior's might, or swaggers. The verb form describes his ongoing stance. Verse 26 goes on to picture him charging God with a shield, so this is battlefield language, not just a vague word for pride.

  2. Job 21:7 גָּ֥בְרוּ do they become strong?

    Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?

    Here: 'They have grown strong, prevailed.' This is the root behind 'mighty man/warrior' (gibbôr). Their strength grows over time; they come out on top.

  3. Job 36:9 יִתְגַּבָּֽרוּ׃ they were behaving proudly

    then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed.

Psalms · 4

  1. Psalm 12:4 נַ֭גְבִּיר we will make strong

    They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”

    Here: 'We will show strength / we will prevail.' The root is the root of gibbôr, 'warrior, mighty man'. They picture themselves as champions who win their battles with talk rather than swords.

  2. Psalm 65:3 גָּ֣בְרוּ they are [too] strong

    When iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our transgressions.

    Here: "They have been too strong / have overpowered." This is the root behind gibbor, "warrior." It is also the verb used for the Flood waters that "prevailed" over the earth (Genesis 7:18–24). The tense presents it as a real experience: the speaker has been overwhelmed.

  3. Psalm 103:11 גָּבַ֥ר it is strong

    For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him.

    Here: The main verb. It means "is mighty, has prevailed, is superior", a word of strength and winning out, not only size. It also sounds like gābah ("be high") from the first half, so the sound links the two halves: as high (gābah), so mighty (gābar).

  4. Psalm 117:2 גָ֘בַ֤ר it is strong

    For great is His loving devotion toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Hallelujah!

    Here: 'Has proved mighty / has prevailed.' The verb is about strength winning out, the same verb used for floodwaters overwhelming the earth (Genesis 7). God's loyal love is pictured as a force that has overpowered everything ranged against 'us'.

Ecclesiastes · 1

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:10 יְגַבֵּ֑ר he will make strong

    If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.

    Here: 'He must put more into it', increasing the force. It comes from the same root as gevurah ('might') in 9:16, 'wisdom is better than might', so it sets up the strength-versus-wisdom contrast again.

Isaiah · 1

  1. Isaiah 42:13 יִתְגַּבָּֽר׃ ס he will prevail

    The LORD goes forth like a mighty one; He stirs up His zeal like a warrior. He shouts; yes, He roars in triumph over His enemies:

    Here: From the same root as gibbor, in a form meaning 'to act the warrior' or 'prove himself mighty'. The verse opens with God 'like a warrior' and closes with him actually being one, victorious.

Jeremiah · 1

  1. Jeremiah 9:3 גָּבְר֣וּ they are strong

    “They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD.

    Here: 'They have grown strong / have prevailed'. Related to gibbor, 'warrior', so it keeps the battle picture going. Their power and success were won by lying.

Lamentations · 1

  1. Lamentations 1:16 גָבַ֖ר he has prevailed

    For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears. For there is no one nearby to comfort me, no one to revive my soul. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed.

    Here: 'Has prevailed / has grown mighty.' It comes from the same root as the words for 'warrior' and 'strong man'. The enemy has won the contest of strength her own mighty men lost (v. 15).

Daniel · 1

  1. Daniel 9:27 וְהִגְבִּ֥יר and he will make strong

    And he will confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of the temple will come the abomination that causes desolation, until the decreed destruction is poured out upon him.”

    Here: 'And he will make [it] strong / cause [it] to prevail.' This is the causative form of the verb for being mighty (the root of gibbor, 'warrior'). It is not the usual phrase for making a covenant ('cutting' one). The idea is enforcing a covenant or making it binding.

Zechariah · 2

  1. Zechariah 10:6 וְגִבַּרְתִּ֣י׀ and I will make strong

    I will strengthen the house of Judah and save the house of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them, and they will be as though I had not rejected them. For I am the LORD their God, and I will answer them.

    Here: God will make Judah mighty. The verb shares its root with gibbor, 'warrior/mighty man,' the word used in verses 5 and 7, so Judah is being turned into the warriors those verses describe.

  2. Zechariah 10:12 וְגִבַּרְתִּים֙ and I will make strong them

    I will strengthen them in the LORD, and in His name they will walk,” declares the LORD.

    Here: God speaking: 'and I will make them mighty.' This is the intensive (Piel) form of the root behind gibbor, 'warrior, mighty man'. It picks up the same verb from 10:6, 'I will strengthen the house of Judah', and closes the oracle with it.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.