The Hebrew word gâdôwl, represented by H1419, is a primary term for great. It appears 529 times across 499 unique verses, denoting its wide application in describing scale, importance, and intensity. Its meaning extends beyond simple size to encompass concepts like age (older), status (noble, high), and severity (sore, aloud).
Beyond its descriptive function, H1419 is intrinsically linked to the verbal root H1431 gâdal, meaning "to grow, become great, or be magnified." This etymological connection reveals that H1419 often signifies not merely an inherent state of greatness but also the result of a process of development, increase, or divine magnification. It can describe something that has become large, important, or numerous, emphasizing the dynamic aspect of greatness, whether through natural growth or supernatural intervention. This nuance enriches its meaning, suggesting that greatness can be achieved or bestowed, rather than always being an intrinsic, static quality.
This dynamic aspect of H1419 allows it to convey progression and intensification. For instance, in describing David, it is noted that he "waxed greater and greater" 1 Chronicles 11:9, illustrating a continuous increase in his power and influence. Similarly, the growth of a people into a "great nation" implies a journey of expansion and development. Thus, H1419 serves not just as an adjective of scale but also as a marker of significant transformation and burgeoning importance.
In scripture, H1419 is used to describe the attributes and actions of God. The LORD is described as a "great God" Deuteronomy 10:17, whose power Jeremiah 32:17, works Psalms 111:2, and name 1 Samuel 12:22 are all great. God promises to make of Abram a "great nation" Genesis 12:2 and to make David's name "great" 2 Samuel 7:9. The term also characterizes significant events, such as the "great and dreadful day of the LORD" Malachi 4:5, and describes both physical phenomena like a "great light" Isaiah 9:2 and emotional intensity, as when Hezekiah "wept sore" (great weeping) Isaiah 38:3. It is also used to distinguish between people, such as "the least of them unto the greatest of them" Jeremiah 31:34.
The term H1419 also frequently characterizes significant human undertakings, physical constructs, and the collective experience of people, both positive and negative. It describes "great wars" fought by kings 1 Chronicles 22:8 and "great cities with walls and brasen bars" 1 Kings 4:13, highlighting the scale of human ambition and achievement. Material possessions, such as "great stones, costly stones" used in temple construction 1 Kings 5:17, and "a great throne of ivory" 1 Kings 10:18, also bear the descriptor, signifying their impressive size and value. Furthermore, the word frequently quantifies groups of people, whether a "great host" 1 Chronicles 12:22, a "great multitude" 1 Kings 20:13, or a "great congregation" 1 Kings 8:65, emphasizing their sheer number and collective presence.
Beyond the tangible, H1419 powerfully articulates the depth of human emotion and the impact of events. It marks moments of profound communal "great joy" and "great gladness" during feasts and anointings 1 Chronicles 29:9, 1 Chronicles 29:22, 1 Kings 1:40, 2 Chronicles 30:26, contrasting sharply with instances of "great mourning" among the Jews Esther 4:3 or "great indignation" that fell upon Israel 2 Kings 3:27. The word also describes severe calamities, such as a "great famine in Samaria" 2 Kings 6:25 or a "great plague" 2 Chronicles 21:14, underscoring the severity and widespread suffering they caused. Even "great evil" 1 Samuel 6:9, Daniel 9:12 is described with H1419, signifying its profound destructive impact.
Several related words provide additional context for the concept of greatness and power:
- H1368 gibbôwr (powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant): This term often describes a mighty or warrior-like strength. It appears alongside H1419 in descriptions of God as "a great God, a mighty" Deuteronomy 10:17.
- H2389 châzâq (strong (usu. in a bad sense, hard, bold, violent)): This word denotes formidable, often forceful, strength. The LORD's judgment is pictured with his "great and strong sword" Isaiah 27:1.
- H3372 yârêʼ (a primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere): This root is used to describe that which is "terrible" or "dreadful." It is frequently paired with H1419 to characterize God as "great and terrible" Nehemiah 1:5 and the coming day of the LORD as "great and dreadful" Malachi 4:5.
- H7227 rab (abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)): While also translated as 'great,' this word often emphasizes abundance or multiplicity. God is described as "great in counsel, and mighty (rab) in work" Jeremiah 32:19.
- H1431 gâdal (to grow, become great): This is the primary verbal root from which H1419 is derived, emphasizing the dynamic process of increase, growth, or magnification that leads to the state of being great.
- H1420 gᵉdûwlâh (greatness, majesty): This feminine noun expresses the abstract quality or state of greatness, often referring to majesty, magnificent acts, or the inherent grandeur of a person or entity, especially God.
The theological weight of H1419 is significant, establishing key aspects of God's character and his relationship with creation.
- Divine Majesty: The word is fundamental to expressing God's supreme nature. Statements like "Great is the LORD" (Psalms 48:1, Psalms 145:3) and his description as the "great God, a mighty, and a terrible" Deuteronomy 10:17 establish his unmatched sovereignty.
- Covenant Action: God's promises and redemptive acts are framed by greatness. He initiates his covenant with the promise of a "great nation" Genesis 12:2 and redeems his people with "great judgments" Exodus 6:6.
- Eschatological Judgment: The term is used to define the final day of reckoning. This future event is consistently called the "great day of the LORD" Zephaniah 1:14, a time of ultimate judgment and deliverance.
- Moral and Social Order: The word defines hierarchies and moral responsibilities. Justice requires hearing the "small as well as the great" Deuteronomy 1:17 and not honoring the person of the "mighty" Leviticus 19:15.
- Human Greatness by Divine Blessing: While God's inherent greatness is paramount, H1419 also describes human greatness as often being a direct result of divine favor and presence. Leaders like David are said to have "waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him" 1 Chronicles 11:9, and his growing prominence is explicitly linked to "the LORD God of hosts was with him" 2 Samuel 5:10. This highlights a theological understanding that human success and influence are ultimately contingent on God's blessing and active involvement.
- Universal Scope of Divine Concern: The repeated pairing of "small and great" in legal, social, and religious contexts Deuteronomy 1:17, 1 Chronicles 25:8, 2 Chronicles 15:13, 2 Chronicles 34:30 underscores the universality of God's law, judgment, and concern. Whether referring to judicial impartiality ("hear the small as well as the great" Deuteronomy 1:17) or the inclusivity of worship and covenant participation ("all the people, both small and great" 2 Chronicles 34:30), H1419 in these phrases emphasizes that no one, regardless of social standing or physical stature, is outside the purview of God's moral order or the demands of the covenant.
The Hebrew word H1419 gâdôwl is a profoundly versatile adjective, extending far beyond simple physical dimension to encapsulate a rich spectrum of scale, importance, and intensity throughout the Old Testament. Its etymological link to the verbal root H1431 gâdal (to grow, become great) reveals that H1419 often describes not just an inherent quality but also the dynamic process or result of increase and magnification, whether through natural development or divine intervention, as seen in David "waxing greater and greater" 1 Chronicles 11:9. This foundational term defines the very essence of God's power, mercy, and majesty, establishing His supreme nature as the "great God, a mighty, and a terrible" Deuteronomy 10:17.
Beyond the divine, H1419 frames the scope of God's covenant promises, such as the "great nation" promised to Abram Genesis 12:2, and the terror of His eschatological judgment on the "great day of the LORD" Zephaniah 1:14. It also permeates descriptions of human experience, from the scale of "great wars" 1 Chronicles 22:8 and "great cities" 1 Kings 4:13 to the depth of "great joy" 1 Chronicles 29:9 and the sorrow of "great mourning" Esther 4:3. The word also signifies the severity of calamities like a "great famine" 2 Kings 6:25 and the impact of "great evil" Daniel 9:12, demonstrating its capacity to convey both the positive and negative extremes of human existence.
The theological weight of H1419 is further enriched by its connection to H1420 gᵉdûwlâh (greatness, majesty), solidifying its role in expressing inherent grandeur. Crucially, while God's greatness is self-existent, human greatness is frequently presented as a bestowed blessing, contingent on divine favor, with individuals "growing great" because "the LORD God of hosts was with him" 2 Samuel 5:10. Moreover, the repeated emphasis on both "small and great" in contexts of justice and worship underscores the universal application of God's moral order and covenant demands, asserting that no individual is exempt from His scrutiny or grace.
In essence, H1419 serves as a comprehensive divine measure of significance. From the "great works" of the LORD to the "great deliverance" He provides 1 Chronicles 11:14, and from the vastness of the Euphrates, the "great river" Deuteronomy 1:7, to the profound "great wrath" of God 2 Chronicles 34:21, gâdôwl profoundly shapes the biblical narrative, defining the physical, emotional, moral, and spiritual landscape of God's creation and His interaction with humanity.
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