English · KJV
H1468

גּוּז

gûwz /gooz/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root (compare גַּזָז)
Meaningproperly, to shear off; but used only in the (figuratively) sense of passing rapidly
KJV usagebring, cut off.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of gûwz — 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 Hebrew word gûwz, represented by H1468, is a primitive root. While its proper meaning is "to shear off," it is used figuratively in scripture to convey the sense of passing rapidly, to bring, or to cut off. This specific term is quite rare, appearing only 2 times in 2 unique verses in the Bible.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H1468 illustrate its distinct figurative applications. In Numbers, it describes an act of divine provision, where "there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea" Numbers 11:31, showing a rapid transit of a physical object. In contrast, Psalms uses the word to describe the swift and fleeting nature of human life, stating that our years are "soon cut off, and we fly away" Psalms 90:10, emphasizing a sudden end.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide additional context to the events where H1468 is found:

  • H7958 sᵉlâv (quails): This word refers to the quail collectively and is the object that is "brought" by the action of H1468 in the wilderness. God provided for the people when "he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven" Psalms 105:40.
  • H5203 nâṭash (let fall, forsake): This word is used in conjunction with H1468 in the account of the quails. After the wind "brought" them, the Lord did let them fall by the camp for the Israelites Numbers 11:31. This term is also used elsewhere to mean forsake or cast off Judges 6:13.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H1468 is rooted in its depiction of swift, decisive action, whether creative or conclusive.

  • Divine Provision: The use of H1468 in Numbers 11:31 highlights God's power to act quickly and decisively in nature to provide for His people. The sudden appearance of the quails is a direct result of His command.
  • Brevity of Life: The "cutting off" described in Psalms 90:10 serves as a stark reminder of human frailty and the swiftness with which life passes. It frames mortality as a rapid event under God's sovereignty.

Summary

In summary, H1468 is a potent, though infrequently used, term. Its two appearances powerfully contrast God's ability to rapidly bring forth provision with the rapid "cutting off" of human life. The word gûwz demonstrates how a single root can be applied to vastly different contexts—the arrival of food and the end of life—to underscore the theme of sudden, powerful action.

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 verb across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

  • יָּגָז
  • גָז

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.

H7958 שְׂלָו or שְׂלָיו; by orthographical variation from שָׁלָה through the idea of sluggishness; the quail collectively (as slow in H5203 נָטַשׁ a primitive root; properly, to pound, i.e. smite; by implication (as if beating out, and thus expanding) to disperse; al

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Numbers and Psalms (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
Numbers
1
Psalms

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.