Lexical Summary
gav: midst, within
Original Word:גַּו
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:gav
Pronunciation:gav
Phonetic Spelling:(gav)
KJV: midst, same, there-(where-) in
NASB:midst, within
Word Origin:[(Aramaic) corresponding toH1460 (גֵּו - Back)]
1. the middle
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
midst, therein
(Aramaic) corresponding togev; the middle -- midst, same, there- (where-) in.
see HEBREWgev
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to
gevDefinitionmidst, middle
NASB Translationmidst (9), within (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (Egyptian Aramaic, Nabataean, Palmyrene ; ; especially construct , , ; so Syriac
; compare Biblical Hebrew ); — construct (so Nabataen Cooke
No. 94)
Daniel 3:26 +,
Daniel 7:15 editions, Gi (Baer , see on
Daniel 3:6); suffix 3masculine singular
Ezra 5:7, 3feminine singular
Ezra 4:15;
Ezra 6:2; —
midst, always with prepositions:
(= Hebrew ),Daniel 3:25 ,Daniel 4:7;Daniel 7:15;Ezra 4:15;Ezra 5:7 ,Ezra 6:2.
Daniel 3:6,11,15,21,23,24.
Daniel 3:26.
see .
Topical Lexicon
Overview of OccurrencesThirteen Aramaic uses, all in Ezra and Daniel, employ גַּו to describe what is “inside,” “within,” or “in the midst.” Whether the center of a royal archive, a blazing furnace, the earth itself, or a prophet’s own body, the word constantly draws attention to an interior space where decisive divine action takes place.
Administrative and Archival Settings (Ezra 4:15; 5:7; 6:2)
Persian officials searched “inside the archives” to verify Judah’s legal standing. “A scroll was found in the fortress of Ecbatana” (Ezra 6:2), preserving Cyrus’ decree that authorized the temple’s rebuilding. Hidden paperwork in a pagan stronghold turned out to be the instrument by which God’s earlier promise (Isaiah 44:28) emerged into public policy. גַּו thus underlines providence that reaches into bureaucratic recesses to uphold covenant purposes.
The Fiery Furnace Narrative (Daniel 3:6, 11, 15, 21, 23–26)
Eight occurrences concentrate on the “midst of the burning fiery furnace.” Nebuchadnezzar threatens to throw the faithful “into the midst of a burning fiery furnace” (Daniel 3:11), and he keeps his word—only to witness a greater Presence:
“Look! … I see four men, unbound and unharmed, walking about in the fire—and the fourth looks like a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:25).
Deliverance does not occur outside the fire but within it. גַּו becomes a spatial proclamation of divine immanence: God joins His servants at the center of their trial, overturning imperial arrogance and vindicating faith that refuses idolatry.
Cosmic Center in Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream (Daniel 4:10)
“I saw a tree in the middle of the earth, and its height was great”. The tree’s central placement (“in the midst of the earth”) symbolizes Babylon’s perceived world dominance. Yet the tree is felled at heaven’s command, teaching that even the globe’s apparent hub lies under God’s ultimate sovereignty.
Inner Agitation of the Prophet (Daniel 7:15)
“I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit, and the visions in my mind alarmed me”. Literally, Daniel is distressed “within my body.” Revelation penetrates the prophet’s core; truth received affects the innermost person. Ministry that handles divine mysteries can expect similar inward upheaval, compelling dependence on the God who speaks.
Doctrinal Emphases
• Immanence—The Lord stands inside the furnace with His people.
• Providence—Records hidden deep in imperial vaults serve God’s redemptive plan.
• Sovereignty—The world’s very center is subject to heaven’s decree.
• Transformation—Revelation works from the inside out, stirring the spirit before shaping behavior.
Practical Ministry Implications
1. Pastoral Assurance: Remind sufferers that the Lord meets them “in the midst,” not merely at the exit of trials (cf.Psalm 46:5).
2. Preaching: The furnace episode models unwavering confession amid coercive culture, ideal for messages on courage and worship fidelity.
3. Apologetics: Ezra’s archival evidence supports Scripture’s historical reliability, encouraging confidence in biblical testimony.
4. Discipleship: Foster internalization of God’s word so that, like Daniel, believers process revelation at the deepest level and live accordingly.
Christological Foreshadowing
The mysterious fourth figure “in the midst” of the fire anticipates the incarnate Son who dwells “in the midst” of His people (Revelation 1:13). Just as גַּו locates Him inside the flames, the Gospel locates Him inside human history and flesh (John 1:14), assuring the church that no furnace of affliction can sever the abiding presence of Christ.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּג֣וֹא בְּג֥וֹא בְּגַוֵּ֔הּ בְּגַוַּ֔הּ בְּגַוַּ֖הּ בְּגֽוֹא־ בגוא בגוא־ בגוה גּ֥וֹא גוא לְגֽוֹא־ לְגוֹא־ לגוא־ bə·ḡaw·wah bə·ḡaw·wêh bə·ḡō·w bə·ḡō·w- begavVah begavVeh bəḡawwah bəḡawwêh beGo bəḡōw bəḡōw- begoy Go gō·w gōw lə·ḡō·w- ləḡōw- legoy
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