a primitive root; to drag off roughly; by implication, to bring up the cud (i.e. ruminate); by analogy, to saw; catch, chew, [idiom] continuing, destroy, saw.
### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **gârar**, represented by `{{H1641}}`, is a primitive root with a range of meanings centered on the idea of dragging or repetitive motion. Its definitions include to drag off roughly, to bring up the cud (ruminate), to saw, and to catch. It appears 5 times in 5 unique verses, demonstrating its versatility in describing actions from construction and animal behavior to divine judgment.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H1641}}` is applied across several distinct contexts. In construction, it describes stones being **sawed** with saws for a building project [[1 Kings 7:9]]. In the context of dietary law, it refers to an unclean animal because it does not **chew** the cud [[Leviticus 11:7]]. Metaphorically, it is used to describe enemies who **catch** people in their net [[Habakkuk 1:15]]. It also conveys the idea of persistence, as seen in the "continuing" whirlwind of the LORD's fury that will fall upon the wicked [[Jeremiah 30:23]]. Finally, it illustrates a principle of consequence, where the robbery of the wicked shall **destroy** them [[Proverbs 21:7]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help illuminate the contexts in which `{{H1641}}` is found:
* `{{H4050}}` **mᵉgêrâh** (a saw): This word for the tool is used directly alongside `{{H1641}}` in its sense of being "sawed," highlighting the physical act of cutting stone [[1 Kings 7:9]].
* `{{H2764}}` **chêrem** (a net): In Habakkuk, `{{H1641}}` is the action of "catching," while `{{H2764}}` is the "net" used for the capture, linking the verb to an instrument of entrapment [[Habakkuk 1:15]].
* `{{H5591}}` **çaʻar** (a hurricane; storm(-y), tempest, whirlwind): The word `{{H1641}}` describes the "continuing" nature of this whirlwind, emphasizing its relentless and sustained force as an expression of God's fury [[Jeremiah 30:23]].
* `{{H7701}}` **shôd** (violence, ravage; desolation, destruction, oppression, robbery): This term for "robbery" is the subject that performs the action of "destroying" the wicked, tying `{{H1641}}` to the theme of self-inflicted consequences for sin [[Proverbs 21:7]].
### Theological Significance
The thematic weight of `{{H1641}}` is seen in its application to both mundane and divine activities.
* **Divine Judgment:** The word is connected to divine judgment through the image of a **continuing** whirlwind of fury directed at the wicked [[Jeremiah 30:23]]. It also underscores the principle that the **robbery** of the wicked will ultimately **destroy** them [[Proverbs 21:7]].
* **Human Hostility:** In Habakkuk's lament, the word is used to describe the actions of enemies who **catch** people in nets, illustrating a theme of predatory and hostile human action [[Habakkuk 1:15]].
* **Ceremonial Distinction:** The simple, repetitive action of an animal that **cheweth** the cud becomes a significant marker in the Mosaic Law for distinguishing between clean and unclean, grounding a theological concept in a physical observation [[Leviticus 11:7]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H1641}}` is a dynamic verb whose core meaning of a dragging or repetitive action is applied in remarkably different ways. It can signify the literal work of being **sawed** [[1 Kings 7:9]], the biological process of an animal that **cheweth** the cud [[Leviticus 11:7]], the aggressive act to **catch** people [[Habakkuk 1:15]], the relentless nature of a **continuing** storm [[Jeremiah 30:23]], and the inevitable consequence that will **destroy** the wicked [[Proverbs 21:7]]. Its varied usage illustrates how a single Hebrew root can convey a wide spectrum of meaning, from physical labor to theological consequence.
TRV