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.
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.
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.
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.
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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