Lexical Summary
gabar: To prevail, to be strong, to be mighty
Original Word:גָּבַר
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:gabar
Pronunciation:gah-VAHR
Phonetic Spelling:(gaw-bar')
KJV: exceed, confirm, be great, be mighty, prevail, put to more (strength), strengthen, be stronger, be valiant
NASB:prevailed, prevail, great, strengthen, become, conducts himself arrogantly, exert
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to be strong
2. (by implication) to prevail, act insolently
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
exceed, confirm, be great, be mighty, prevail, put to more strength, strengthen, be stronger,
A primitive root; to be strong; by implication, to prevail, act insolently -- exceed, confirm, be great, be mighty, prevail, put to more (strength), strengthen, be stronger, be valiant.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto be strong, mighty
NASB Translationbecome (1), conducts himself arrogantly (1), exert (1), great (2), magnified (1), make a firm (1), prevail (5), prevailed (9), strengthen (2), stronger (1), surpassed (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(Late Hebrew
id. Aramaic ; Arabic
(conjugation I. dialect; usually in derived conjugation)
compel, force;
overbearing behaviour,
constraint; Ethiopic
: I, 1,
subigere; II, 2,
cogere; Syriac
play the man, is denominative from
man) —
PerfectPsalm 103:11 5t.;Genesis 7:19 6t.;2 Samuel 1:23;Imperfect1 Samuel 2:9;Genesis 7:18,24; —
be strong, mighty, absolutemighty in powerJob 21:7; withstronger than2 Samuel 1:24;Psalm 65:4; withmighty among1 Chronicles 5:2.
prevail: —
absolute e.g. enemiesExodus 17:11 (twice in verse) (E)1 Samuel 2:9;Lamentations 1:16, watersGenesis 7:18,19,20,24 (P), powerJeremiah 9:2;
withprevail over, subject enemies2 Samuel 11:23, blessingsGenesis 49:26(J), mercy of GodPsalm 103:11;Psalm 117:2.
PerfectZechariah 10:6; suffixZechariah 10:12;ImperfectEcclesiastes 10:10make strong, strengthen.
Perfectconfirm a covenantDaniel 9:27;Imperfectwe will confirm covenant with our tongue Ew Ol Che (or, to our tongue will we give strength Hi De)Psalm 12:5.
ImperfectJob 15:25;Isaiah 42:13;Job 36:9: — of ,shew himself a mighty one against ()Isaiah 42:13; of wicked,behave proudly toward ()Job 15:25; of erring righteous (aba.)Job 36:9.
see following.
(√ of following;be strong, so ; Biblical Hebrew ).
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Semantic Rangeגָּבַר (gāvar) portrays the idea of gaining superiority, exerting strength, or prevailing over an opposing force. While the term can describe sheer physical might, it also carries moral, spiritual, national, and even covenantal connotations, depending on context.
Key Scenes of Prevailing Strength
1. Flood Narrative (Genesis 7:18-24)
Four rapid-fire uses emphasize the unstoppable power of the waters: “The waters prevailed and increased greatly upon the earth” (Genesis 7:18). The repetition dramatizes a total, inescapable triumph—divine judgment overwhelming human wickedness.
2. Patriarchal Blessing (Genesis 49:26)
Jacob blesses Joseph that his blessings would “surpass the blessings of my fathers,” underscoring how covenant favor can out-match every previous measure of grace.
3. Israel versus Amalek (Exodus 17:11)
“When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and when he lowered it, Amalek prevailed.” Victory is not credited to military prowess but to intercessory dependence on God.
4. David’s Refrain of Heroism (2 Samuel 1:23; 11:23)
Among David’s warriors the verb underscores battlefield advantage. Yet in2 Samuel 11:23 Joab describes how “the men prevailed against us,” exposing how reliance on human schemes (David’s plot against Uriah) leads to moral defeat.
5. Skies and Sovereignty (Psalm 103:11)
“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion toward those who fear Him.” Here gāvar declares the immeasurable magnitude of covenant love—grace prevailing over sin.
6. Prophetic Combat (Isaiah 42:13)
“The LORD will march out like a mighty man… He will prevail against His enemies.” The divine Warrior guarantees final victory, assuring exiles that restoration rests on God’s invincible power.
7. Eschatological Triumph (Daniel 9:27;Zechariah 10:6-12)
InDaniel 9:27 the “one who causes desolation” seems to prevail only temporarily; Zechariah counters by promising Judah and Ephraim will “walk in His name… declares the LORD,” because He will “strengthen” (gāvar) them. Apparent setbacks yield to God’s ultimate dominance.
Human Strength: A Double-Edged Sword
Job’s dialogues illustrate both abuse and futility of self-exalting power (Job 15:25; 21:7; 36:9).Ecclesiastes 10:10 warns that brute force without wisdom merely multiplies toil. Jeremiah laments “they have grown strong in the land, but not for truth” (Jeremiah 9:3), exposing societal decay when might is divorced from righteousness.
Divine Strength: Covenant Loyalty Prevailing
Psalm 117:2 encapsulates the Gospel in miniature: “For great is His loving devotion toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.” The same verb that marked flood judgment now celebrates steadfast love out-matching human failure.
Thematic Contrast: Prevailing Grace over Prevailing Sin
Psalm 65:3 sets the pastoral pattern: “When iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our transgressions.” Wherever sin appears to gain the upper hand, sacrificial grace exceeds it. This anticipatesRomans 5:20, where “grace abounded all the more.”
Christological Foreshadowing
InIsaiah 42:13 the Servant-Warrior prevails; Revelation echoes, “The Lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed” (Revelation 5:5). The verb’s Old-Testament pedigree finds fulfillment at the cross and empty tomb, where Christ’s power over sin and death is decisive.
Pastoral and Ministry Implications
• Intercession is vital to victory (Exodus 17).
• Leaders must depend on covenant faithfulness, not mere strategy (2 Samuel 11).
• Preaching should magnify grace that “prevails” over guilt (Psalm 65:3).
• Discipleship calls believers to walk in the prevailing name of the LORD (Zechariah 10:12).
• Suffering saints gain assurance that apparent evil triumphs are temporary (Daniel 9:27;Lamentations 1:16).
Conclusion
גָּבַר charts a biblical arc from overwhelming judgment to overwhelming mercy, from human presumption to divine perseverance. Whether waters, warriors, or wickedness seem to dominate, Scripture consistently proclaims that the LORD alone ultimately prevails.
Forms and Transliterations
גָ֘בַ֤ר גָּ֣בְרוּ גָּ֥בְר֛וּ גָּ֥בְרוּ גָּֽבְרוּ֙ גָּבְר֖וּ גָּבְר֣וּ גָּבֵֽרוּ׃ גָּבַ֣ר גָּבַ֥ר גָבְר֤וּ גָבַ֖ר גבר גברו גברו׃ וְגִבַּרְתִּ֣י ׀ וְגִבַּרְתִּים֙ וְגָבַ֣ר וְגָבַ֥ר וְהִגְבִּ֥יר וַיִּגְבְּר֥וּ וגבר וגברתי וגברתים והגביר ויגברו יְגַבֵּ֑ר יִגְבַּר־ יִתְגַּבָּֽר׃ יִתְגַּבָּֽרוּ׃ יגבר יגבר־ יתגבר׃ יתגברו׃ נַ֭גְבִּיר נגביר gā·ḇar ḡā·ḇar gā·ḇê·rū gā·ḇə·rū ḡā·ḇə·rū gāḇar ḡāḇar gāḇêrū gāḇərū ḡāḇərū gaVar gaveRu naḡ·bîr Nagbir naḡbîr vaiyigbeRu vegaVar vegibbarTi vegibbarTim vehigBir way·yiḡ·bə·rū wayyiḡbərū wə·ḡā·ḇar wə·ḡib·bar·tî wə·ḡib·bar·tîm wə·hiḡ·bîr wəḡāḇar wəḡibbartî wəḡibbartîm wəhiḡbîr yə·ḡab·bêr yegabBer yəḡabbêr yiḡ·bar- yigbar yiḡbar- yiṯ·gab·bā·rū yiṯ·gab·bār yitgabBar yiṯgabbār yitgabBaru yiṯgabbārū
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