### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **gallâb**, represented by `{{H1532}}`, means **barber**. It is derived from an unused root meaning to shave. This specific term appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible, making its single appearance highly significant.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its sole scriptural use, `{{H1532}}` appears in a dramatic prophetic command given to Ezekiel. God instructs the prophet, addressed as the "son of man" (`{{H1121}}`, `{{H120}}`), to perform a symbolic act: "take thee a sharp `{{H2299}}` knife `{{H2719}}`, take thee a **barber's** `{{H1532}}` razor `{{H8593}}`, and cause it to pass `{{H5674}}` upon thine head `{{H7218}}` and upon thy beard `{{H2206}}`" [[Ezekiel 5:1]]. This act of shaving, using the tool of a common **barber**, serves as a powerful visual metaphor for the coming judgment upon Jerusalem. The hair is then to be weighed in balances `{{H3976}}` and divided `{{H2505}}`, signifying the precise and varied fates of the inhabitants.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its context illuminate the meaning of this prophetic act:
* `{{H8593}}` **taʻar** (a knife or razor): This is the specific instrument a **barber** would use. In [[Ezekiel 5:1]], it is explicitly called a "barber's razor," but the word is also used to describe the Lord's "razor" of judgment in other prophetic contexts [[Isaiah 7:20]].
* `{{H2206}}` **zâqân** (the beard): The beard, along with the hair of the head `{{H7218}}`, is what is shaved in this prophetic act. The shaving of the **beard** was often a sign of deep humiliation, mourning, or disgrace in the ancient world ([[Isaiah 15:2]], [[Jeremiah 48:37]]).
* `{{H2719}}` **chereb** (knife, sword): Before mentioning the "barber's razor," the command is to take a "sharp **knife**." The use of **chereb**, a word frequently translated as "sword," frames the act of shaving not as simple grooming but as an act of severity and judgment, akin to the stroke of a sword [[Zechariah 13:7]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H1532}}` is derived entirely from its singular, powerful context.
* **Instrument of Judgment:** The **barber's** `{{H1532}}` razor `{{H8593}}` is transformed from a tool of grooming and maintenance into an instrument of divine judgment. By using a common object in this way, the prophecy demonstrates how God can employ the ordinary to signify a severe and humbling sentence.
* **Prophetic Embodiment:** Ezekiel is commanded to embody the role of the **barber**, performing the action upon himself. This makes the prophet a living parable. The shaving of his head `{{H7218}}` and beard `{{H2206}}` represents the defilement and exile that God will bring upon His people.
* **Measured Destruction:** The act does not end with shaving. God commands Ezekiel to "take thee balances `{{H3976}}` to weigh `{{H4948}}`, and divide `{{H2505}}` the hair" [[Ezekiel 5:1]]. This detail shows that the coming judgment, symbolized by the work of the **barber**, is not chaotic but is precisely measured and apportioned by God.
### Summary
In summary, while **gallâb** `{{H1532}}` is one of the rarest words in the Old Testament, its single use is theologically rich. It is central to a key prophetic sign in Ezekiel, where the ordinary profession of a **barber** and the tools of his trade are used to illustrate the coming, thorough, and precisely measured judgment of God upon Jerusalem. It shows how a mundane role can become a powerful symbol of divine action in the biblical narrative.
TRV