lemma גּיחַ missing vowel, corrected to גִּיחַ; or (shortened) גֹּחַ; a primitive root; to gush forth (as water), generally to issue; break forth, labor to bring forth, come forth, draw up, take out.
Transliteration:gîyach
Pronunciation:ghee'-akh
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The root גִּיחַ (gîyach, `{{H1518}}`) is a primitive Hebrew root, fundamentally conveying the idea of forceful emergence or expulsion. Its primary meaning is "to gush forth," often associated with the powerful flow of water, as seen in its usage for springs or floods. From this core, the semantic range expands to encompass various forms of "issuing forth" or "breaking forth." It can describe the act of birth ("labor to bring forth"), emphasizing the forceful expulsion from the womb. It also extends to the action of "drawing up" or "taking out," implying an extraction from a confined space or depth, such as drawing water from a well. The common thread is a movement from an interior or hidden state to an exterior or visible one, often with an element of force or suddenness.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The verb גִּיחַ (gîyach) appears in various forms and contexts, illustrating its semantic breadth:
* **Emergence of Water:** In Job, it describes the earth "breaking forth" with water, particularly the primordial sea: "Or who enclosed the sea with doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band?" [[Job 38:8]]. Here, the sea "bursting forth" (וַיָּגַח) is likened to a birth, emphasizing its powerful, originating emergence under divine command.
* **Birth and Labor:** The most poignant usage relates to birth. In Job's lament, he wishes he had "not come forth from the womb" (לֹא גָחַתִּי מֵרָחֶם) [[Job 3:11]]. This highlights the pain and struggle of birth, where the child "breaks forth" from the mother. Similarly, in Psalm 22, the psalmist speaks of being "taken from the womb" (גֹּחִי מִבֶּטֶן) [[Psalm 22:9]], emphasizing divine assistance in the moment of birth.
* **Drawing Water:** The Niphal form is used in 2 Samuel to describe drawing water from a well: "So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the Lord." [[2 Samuel 23:16]]. Here, the nuance is the effort involved in "drawing up" or "taking out" water from a depth.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **`{{H3318}}` (יָצָא, yatsa'):** This common verb means "to go out," "to come forth," or "to issue." While גִּיחַ often implies a more forceful or sudden emergence, יָצָא is a broader term for any kind of exit or procession. גִּיחַ can be seen as a specific, intense form of יָצָא.
* **`{{H5344}}` (נָקַב, naqav):** This root means "to pierce," "to bore," or "to make a hole." While not directly synonymous, the act of גִּיחַ (gushing forth) often presupposes a נָקַב (piercing) or breaking through a barrier, especially in the context of water.
* **`{{H6555}}` (פָּרַץ, parats):** Meaning "to break through," "to burst out," or "to spread out," פָּרַץ shares the idea of breaking a boundary or emerging with force. It often describes a breakthrough or an overflowing. גִּיחַ emphasizes the *result* of the break (the gushing or issuing), while פָּרַץ emphasizes the *act* of breaking.
* **`{{H4161}}` (מוֹצָא, motsa'):** A noun derived from יָצָא, meaning "a going forth," "a source," or "an outcome." This noun captures the *result* or *place* of emergence, whereas גִּיחַ describes the *action* itself.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of גִּיחַ (gîyach) lies in its application to profound acts of divine creation and human experience:
* **Divine Sovereignty over Creation:** The description of the sea "bursting forth from the womb" in [[Job 38:8]] powerfully portrays God's absolute control over the primordial chaos and the very origins of the cosmos. It presents the sea not as an untamed force, but as something brought forth by divine decree, much like a child from a womb, underscoring God as the ultimate source and controller of all existence. This imagery imbues the natural world with a sense of purposeful emergence under divine hand.
* **God's Presence in Human Origins:** The use of גִּיחַ in relation to birth ([[Job 3:11]], [[Psalm 22:9]]) highlights the intimate involvement of God in the very beginning of human life. The psalmist's declaration, "Yet you are he who took me from the womb" [[Psalm 22:9]], is a profound confession of God's personal care and active presence at the most vulnerable and foundational moment of human existence. It speaks to a theology of divine providence that extends even to the physical act of birth, establishing a relationship of trust from the earliest moments.
* **The Struggle and Deliverance:** While גִּיחַ can denote a forceful or even painful emergence (as in labor), its use in Psalm 22 to describe God *taking* the psalmist from the womb transforms this potentially traumatic event into an act of divine deliverance and care. This suggests that even in moments of intense struggle or vulnerability, God is actively involved, bringing forth life and sustaining it.
### Summary
The Hebrew verb גִּיחַ (gîyach, `{{H1518}}`) is a vivid and potent primitive root signifying a forceful emergence or expulsion. Its core meaning, "to gush forth," primarily applies to the powerful issuance of water, such as a spring breaking forth or the primordial sea "bursting from the womb." This core meaning extends to the act of "laboring to bring forth" in childbirth, emphasizing the struggle and ultimate emergence of new life. It also describes the action of "drawing up" or "taking out," particularly water from a well, implying effortful extraction. Biblically, גִּיחַ illuminates God's sovereign power over creation, particularly in the dramatic imagery of the sea's origin ([[Job 38:8]]), portraying the cosmos itself as divinely "birthed." Furthermore, its application to human birth ([[Job 3:11]], [[Psalm 22:9]]) underscores God's intimate and providential care from the very inception of life, establishing a deep theological connection between divine activity and human existence. The word thus encapsulates themes of origin, forceful emergence, and divine involvement in both the cosmic and personal spheres.
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