### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **gâzâh**, represented by `{{H1491}}`, is a primitive root meaning **to cut off, i.e. portion out; take**. It is a rare term, appearing only **1 times** in **1 unique verses** in the entire Bible, yet its singular use carries significant weight regarding God's personal involvement in human life.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H1491}}` is in [[Psalms 71:6]], where the psalmist declares his lifelong dependence on God: "By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that **took** me out of my mother's bowels." In this context, the word signifies a divine and deliberate act of bringing the individual into the world. It is portrayed not as a passive event, but as a direct action by God, who "took" the psalmist from the safety of the womb, implying a sense of careful selection or portioning out of a life.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words in its immediate context help illuminate the meaning of `{{H1491}}`:
* `{{H5564}}` **çâmak**: Defined as to prop, uphold, or sustain, this word appears in [[Psalms 71:6]] as "holden up." It works in tandem with **gâzâh** to show that God not only brings a person into the world but also actively sustains them from the very beginning.
* `{{H990}}` **beṭen**: Meaning **the belly, especially the womb**, this term identifies the place of origin from which God acts. Its use in [[Psalms 71:6]] specifies the womb as the domain of God's formational and delivering power, a theme also seen in [[Job 1:21]].
* `{{H4578}}` **mêʻeh**: Referring to the **intestines, abdomen, or bowels**, and figuratively the womb, this word runs parallel to **beṭen**. In [[Psalms 71:6]], being taken from the "mother's bowels" emphasizes the intimate and physical nature of God's role in one's birth, as echoed in [[Isaiah 49:1]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H1491}}` is centered on God's sovereignty over life from its inception.
* **Providential Care at Birth:** The act of being "taken" from the womb presents God as a divine midwife, personally and carefully delivering a new life into the world. This action is the foundation of the psalmist's trust.
* **Life as a Divine Portion:** The root meaning "to cut off, i.e. portion out" suggests that an individual's life is a portion allotted by God. It frames existence as a gift, deliberately sectioned off and given by the Creator.
* **The Basis for Continual Praise:** The psalmist’s immediate response to this realization is a vow of unending worship: "my praise shall be continually of thee" [[Psalms 71:6]]. God's initial act of "taking" a person into life becomes the primary reason for that life to be one of praise `{{H8416}}` and constancy `{{H8548}}`.
### Summary
In summary, though used only once, `{{H1491}}` provides a powerful and intimate portrait of God. It defines Him not as a distant creator, but as the one who actively and personally **takes** each individual from their mother's womb. This single word in [[Psalms 71:6]] encapsulates a profound theological truth: that the very origin of our life is a direct, providential act of God, which serves as the ultimate foundation for a life of praise and dependence on Him.
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