English · KJV
H1400

גְּבַר

gᵉbar /gheb-ar'/ Ask about this word
Root(Aramaic) corresponding to גְּבַר
Meaning(a person)
KJV usagecertain, man.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of gᵉbar — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Aramaic word gᵉbar, represented by H1400, is a term for a person or man. It appears 21 times across 20 unique verses in the Bible. It is used to refer to individuals or groups of people, often within the context of royal courts and decrees.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H1400 is used to identify individuals and groups in the books of Daniel and Ezra. It frequently appears in high-stakes situations before kings. For instance, it describes Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the men cast into the fiery furnace Daniel 3:23, and Nebuchadnezzar's astonishment at seeing four men walking loose inside it Daniel 3:25. The word also identifies the conspirators who plot against Daniel (Daniel 6:5, Daniel 6:11) and refers to Daniel himself as a remarkable man possessing divine wisdom Daniel 5:11. It is also used more generally to identify the builders in Ezra Ezra 5:4 and those who are the subject of royal commands Ezra 4:21.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide further context for the types of men described:

  • H1401 gibbâr (mighty): An intensive form of gᵉbar, this term denotes a warrior or valiant individual. It is used to describe the "most mighty men" in Nebuchadnezzar's army who were commanded to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Daniel 3:20.
  • H1123 bên (son): This word for a son or child is used in conjunction with H1400 to describe the complete destruction of the families of Daniel's accusers, where the men were cast into the lions' den along with their children Daniel 6:24.
  • H3779 Kasday (Chaldean): This term specifies a particular group of people. In Daniel 3:8, it is used to identify the "certain men" who were Chaldeans that accused the Jews before the king.

Theological Significance

The narrative significance of H1400 is primarily seen in how these men function within the conflicts between human kingdoms and divine authority.

  • Objects of Divine Deliverance: The word is central to the account of the fiery furnace, where the survival of the three men serves as a powerful testament to the power of their God over the king's decree. The appearance of a fourth man described as "like the Son of God" elevates the event beyond mere survival to a divine encounter Daniel 3:25.
  • Instigators of Conflict: H1400 is used to label the antagonists who conspire against God's faithful servants. These are the men who seek to find fault with Daniel concerning the law of his God Daniel 6:5 and the Chaldean men who accuse the Jews Daniel 3:8.
  • Focus of Royal Decrees: The word consistently appears in the context of royal commands. Whether being ordered to their execution Daniel 3:20, commanded to stop their work Ezra 4:21, or designated to receive provisions Ezra 6:8, these men are often portrayed as subjects under the absolute power of a king.

Summary

In summary, H1400 gᵉbar is more than a simple Aramaic term for man. It functions as a key narrative marker in Daniel and Ezra, identifying the central figures in confrontations between earthly power and divine sovereignty. Whether referring to the faithful who endure persecution, the officials who witness miracles, or the conspirators who oppose God's people, gᵉbar consistently places human individuals at the heart of pivotal moments in biblical history.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 21 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • גֻּבְרַיָּ
  • גֻּבְרִין
  • גְּבַר

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H1401 גִּבָּר (Aramaic) intensive of גְּבַר; valiant, or warrior; mighty. H1123 בֵּן (Aramaic) corresponding to בֵּן; {a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense}; child, son, young. H3779 כַּשְׂדַּי (Aramaic) corresponding to כַּשְׂדִּי; a Chaldaean or inhabitant of Chaldaea; by implication, a Magian or professional a

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 20 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Daniel (16 verses); never once in the other 37.

4
Ezra
16
Daniel

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.