Word Study for H1488 (גֵּז) | Strong's Concordance

gêz /gaze/ Ask about this word

Meaninga fleece (as shorn); also mown grass

KJV usagefleece, mowing, mown grass.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of gêz — 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 gêz, represented by H1488, is a term with dual meanings referring to a fleece or mown grass. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. The word derives from a root meaning "to shear," which connects its application to both the shorn wool from a sheep and grass that has been cut down.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H1488 applies to both agricultural and pastoral life. As "fleece," it is listed as a required offering, with the law stipulating that "the first of the fleece of thy sheep" shall be given to the priests Deuteronomy 18:4. It is also used to describe a source of warmth and charity, as when Job speaks of the poor being warmed with the "fleece of my sheep" Job 31:20. In the context of "mown grass," it is used metaphorically in Psalms to describe a righteous king's influence, which shall "come down like rain upon the mown grass" Psalms 72:6. It also appears in Amos to denote a specific time in the agricultural calendar, "after the king's mowings" Amos 7:1.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which H1488 is used:

H7225 rêʼshîyth (the first, in place, time, order or rank): This word establishes the fleece as a primary offering, placing it alongside the firstfruit of corn, wine, and oil as a religious obligation Deuteronomy 18:4.
H6629 tsôʼn (a collective name for a flock): This term identifies the source of the fleece, linking the offering directly to the pastoral wealth of the Israelites Deuteronomy 18:4.
H4306 mâṭar (rain): This word is used in conjunction with "mown grass" to create a powerful metaphor for gentle, life-giving influence descending upon the land and its people Psalms 72:6.
H3954 leqesh (the after crop): This term for the "latter growth" is used to frame the timing of the "king's mowings," highlighting its place within a broader agricultural and seasonal cycle Amos 7:1.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H1488 is expressed through its distinct applications:

Tangible Righteousness: The fleece serves as a concrete measure of righteousness, both in fulfilling one's duty to God through offerings Deuteronomy 18:4 and in showing compassion to others by providing warmth Job 31:20.
Vulnerability and Renewal: As "mown grass," the term symbolizes a state of vulnerability and need. The blessing of a righteous king is like rain upon this cut grass, bringing renewal and life where there was weakness Psalms 72:6.
Royal Authority and Divine Sovereignty: The mention of "the king's mowings" in Amos signifies royal privilege and control over the land's resources. However, this is immediately followed by a vision of judgment from the Lord God, illustrating that divine sovereignty ultimately supersedes earthly authority Amos 7:1.

Summary

In summary, H1488 is a specific term from ancient life that carries significant metaphorical and theological meaning. Whether referring to a fleece from a sheep or a field of mown grass, it consistently points to themes of provision, religious duty, and the relationship between divine authority and human action. The word illustrates how the cycles of agriculture and pastoralism provided a rich vocabulary for expressing core spiritual truths.

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 4 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.

גֵּז
גִּזֵּי
גֵּז

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 4 verses across 4 of the 39 books. 4 books tie for most frequent (1 verse each); never once in the other 35.

Deuteronomy

Job

Psalms

Amos

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.