Word Study for H1505 (גְּזַר)

gᵉzar /ghez-ar'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to גָּזַר

Meaningto quarry; determine

KJV usagecut out, soothsayer.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of gᵉzar — 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 Aramaic word gᵉzar, represented by H1505, carries a dual meaning related to both cutting and divination. It appears 6 times across 6 unique verses in the Bible. Its definition includes concepts such as to quarry or cut out, but it is also used to refer to a soothsayer.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the book of Daniel, H1505 is used in two distinct contexts. First, it literally means to be cut out or quarried. This is seen in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, where a stone "was cut out without hands" Daniel 2:34, a detail repeated when Daniel interprets the dream Daniel 2:45. The second usage of H1505 is to denote soothsayers, a class of wise men in the Babylonian court. These soothsayers were summoned by the king to interpret dreams and writings, but were ultimately unable to do so (Daniel 4:7, Daniel 5:7). They are consistently listed alongside magicians, astrologers, and Chaldeans as part of the king's counselors who failed where Daniel succeeded (Daniel 2:27, Daniel 5:11).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words appear alongside H1505, defining the group of royal advisors in Babylon:

H2749 charṭôm (magician): Described as a horoscopist, this term refers to the magicians who were part of the king's council. They were repeatedly called upon with the soothsayers but failed to interpret divine secrets Daniel 4:7.
H3779 Kasday (Chaldean): This term refers to an inhabitant of Chaldaea, often implying a professional astrologer. The Chaldeans are frequently mentioned as a distinct group of wise men alongside the soothsayers, unable to reveal the king's dream Daniel 2:10.
H826 ʼashshâph (astrologer): Defined as a conjurer, this word identifies the astrologers summoned by the king. They appear in the same lists as soothsayers, highlighting the group of pagan diviners who were contrasted with Daniel Daniel 5:11.

Theological Significance

The narrative weight of H1505 is found in its thematic role within the book of Daniel.

Contrasting Power: The dual meaning of H1505 creates a powerful contrast. While the soothsayers (dividers or determiners of fate) fail to understand God's plans, God himself is shown to be the one who can cut out and determine the course of kingdoms, as symbolized by the stone "cut out without hands" Daniel 2:45.
Failure of Pagan Divination: The repeated appearance of soothsayers as part of the group of Babylonian wise men underscores the inadequacy of human and pagan wisdom. They are consistently shown to be incapable of interpreting divinely-sent dreams and messages (Daniel 2:27, Daniel 4:7).
Divine Sovereignty: The use of H1505 to describe the stone in Nebuchadnezzar's dream points directly to God's sovereign action in history. This act of being cut out is explicitly "without hands," signifying an event of purely divine origin, set apart from any human effort Daniel 2:34.

Summary

In summary, H1505 is a multifaceted Aramaic term used exclusively in the book of Daniel. It functions both as a literal verb for being cut out and as a title for a soothsayer. This duality serves a key thematic purpose, contrasting the failed human attempts to determine the future with the sovereign power of God, who alone can cut out and shape the destiny of nations.

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 6 occurrences, inflected in 4 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.

גָּזְרִין
גָזְרַיָּ
הִתְגְּזֶרֶת
אִתְגְּזֶרֶת

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

6 verses, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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.