Word Study for H1633 (גָּרַם)

gâram /gaw-ram'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto be spare or skeleton-like; used only as a denominative from גֶּרֶם; (causative) to bone, i.e. denude (by extensive, craunch) the bones

KJV usagegnaw the bones, break.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of gâram — 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 Hebrew word gâram, represented by H1633, is a primitive root defined as to be spare or skeleton-like. It is used causatively to mean to bone, gnaw the bones, or break. This specific term appears 3 times in 3 unique verses within the Bible, indicating its focused and intense application.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H1633 is used to depict acts of complete and often violent consumption or destruction. In the prophecy concerning Israel, it is said that the nation will break the bones of its enemies as part of a total victory Numbers 24:8. The word also appears metaphorically to describe the corrupt judges of Jerusalem, who are compared to evening wolves that leave nothing behind, not even bones to gnaw on until the next day Zephaniah 3:3. In a vivid image of judgment, Ezekiel uses the term to describe a person who will drink a cup of wrath and then break its sherds, an act of utter desolation Ezekiel 23:34.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the intense actions associated with H1633:

H398 ʼâkal (to eat): Often used alongside H1633, this word describes consumption that can be literal or figurative, from eating fruit to devouring enemies Numbers 24:8. It signifies the initial act that leads to the bone-gnawing of H1633.
H4272 mâchats (to dash asunder): This term denotes violent destruction, crushing, and piercing. It is paired with H1633 to describe the complete overthrow of enemies, where bones are broken and bodies are pierced through Numbers 24:8.
H4680 mâtsâh (to suck out): This word implies draining something completely. In a prophecy of judgment, it is used with H1633 to illustrate the act of drinking a cup of wrath to the very dregs and then breaking the vessel itself Ezekiel 23:34.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H1633 is found in its portrayal of ultimate consequences and judgment.

Irreversible Judgment: The word is used to illustrate the severity of divine judgment. In Zephaniah, the rapacious leaders who act like wolves are judged, and in Ezekiel, the act of breaking the sherds of a cup of wrath symbolizes a final, self-inflicted desolation from which there is no recovery (Zephaniah 3:3, Ezekiel 23:34).
Complete Annihilation of Enemies: In the context of conquest, H1633 signifies the total destruction of God's enemies by His people. The act of breaking bones is not just about victory, but about the complete and utter eradication of an opposing force Numbers 24:8.
Symbol of Utter Consumption: The imagery of gnawing or breaking bones serves as a powerful symbol for complete consumption. Whether it describes the greed of corrupt judges or the desperation of one facing judgment, it conveys an action taken to its absolute limit, leaving nothing behind (Zephaniah 3:3, Ezekiel 23:34).

Summary

In summary, H1633 gâram is a highly specific and potent word. Though used only three times, it consistently conveys a sense of finality and utter destruction. Whether describing the breaking of an enemy's bones in conquest, the rapaciousness of corrupt leaders, or the desolate end of one facing divine judgment, it paints a vivid picture of an action carried to its most extreme conclusion, leaving nothing but a skeleton-like emptiness.

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 3 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

תְּגָרֵמִי
יְגָרֵם
גָרְמוּ

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

Appears in 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Numbers, Ezekiel, and Zephaniah (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

Numbers

Ezekiel

Zephaniah

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.