גָּרַע

gâraʻ /gaw-rah'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto scrape off; by implication, to shave, remove, lessen, withhold
KJV usageabate, clip, (di-) minish, do (take) away, keep back, restrain, make small, withdraw.
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Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word gâraʻ, represented by H1639, is a primitive root meaning to scrape off. It appears 21 times across 20 unique verses in the Bible. By implication, its meaning extends to concepts such as to shave, remove, lessen, withhold, diminish, take away, restrain, and withdraw.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H1639 is used in several key contexts. It conveys a strict prohibition against altering God's commands, as seen in the command, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it" Deuteronomy 4:2. The word is also used to describe physical actions, such as the signs of mourning where "every beard" shall be clipped Jeremiah 48:37. It is used to express divine judgment, as when God warns, "I will also diminish thee" Ezekiel 5:11, and in more abstract terms, it can mean to hold back, as when Job is accused of restrainest prayer before God Job 15:4.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concepts of taking away or adding to:

  • H3254 yâçaph (a primitive root; to add or augment): This word often appears as a direct antonym to H1639, creating a parallel structure that forbids both adding to and taking away from God's perfect word (Deuteronomy 4:2, Deuteronomy 12:32).
  • H6565 pârar (a primitive root; to break up, violate, frustrate): This term relates to H1639 in the context of nullifying or obstructing something. In Job's accusation, he is said to "cast off" (pârar) fear and at the same time "restrainest" (gâraʻ) prayer, linking the two destructive actions Job 15:4.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H1639 is significant, particularly in defining boundaries and consequences.

  • Sanctity of God's Word: The word is central to the principle that divine revelation is complete and must not be altered. God's work is eternal, and nothing can be taken from it Ecclesiastes 3:14, a command given directly to prophets like Jeremiah, who was told "diminish not a word" Jeremiah 26:2.
  • Divine Sovereignty and Judgment: The act of diminishing or taking away is often an expression of God's sovereign power. He can diminish a nation's food as punishment Ezekiel 16:27 or take away an inheritance Numbers 36:4. In contrast, He shows favor when He withdraweth not His eyes from the righteous Job 36:7.
  • Human Responsibility: The term is also applied to human obligations. The Israelites were commanded not to minish their daily quota of bricks Exodus 5:19, and a man was forbidden to diminish the food and clothing of his first wife if he took another Exodus 21:10.

Summary

In summary, H1639 is far more than a simple verb for reduction. It functions as a critical term defining the integrity of God's law, the execution of divine judgment, and the fulfillment of human duties. From the tangible act of clipping a beard to the absolute command not to diminish Scripture, gâraʻ illustrates how the concept of "taking away" carries profound weight in legal, physical, and spiritual contexts throughout the Bible.

Grammatical Forms

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 22 occurrences, inflected in 14 grammatical forms.

  • Niphal Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 3×
  • Qal Imperfect 2nd Plural Masculine 3×
  • Qal Conjunction+Imperfect 2nd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Qal Imperfect 2nd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Qal Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Qal Participle Passive Singular Feminine Absolute 2×
  • Niphal Consecutive Perfect 3rd Singular Feminine 1×
  • Niphal Consecutive Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Niphal Imperfect 1st Plural common gender 1×
  • Niphal Participle Singular Masculine Absolute 1×
  • Piel Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Qal Consecutive Imperfect 1st Singular common gender 1×

+ 2 rarer forms

Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine
Feminine grammatical gender.
common gender
Either gender — the form does not distinguish.
1st
First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
2nd
Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd
Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect
Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Perfect
A completed act whose results continue.
Passive
The subject is acted upon.
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Qal
The simple, basic stem — plain action in the active voice.
Niphal
Simple passive or reflexive of the Qal.
Piel
The intensive stem — strengthened or emphatic action.
Consecutive Imperfect
Imperfect with vav — carries narrative forward ("and he…").
Consecutive Perfect
Perfect with vav — continues a sequence into the future.
Conjunction+Imperfect
Imperfect joined by a simple "and".
Absolute
The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).

Theographic Context

Biblical Distribution

Appears in 20 verses across 8 books. Most frequent in Exodus (4 verses).

4
Exodus
1
Leviticus
4
Numbers
2
Deuteronomy
4
Job
1
Ecclesiastes
2
Jeremiah
2
Ezekiel

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