Lexical Summary
gizrah: Portion, district, cut-off place
Original Word:גִּזְרָה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:gizrah
Pronunciation:ghiz-raw'
Phonetic Spelling:(ghiz-raw')
KJV: polishing, separate place
NASB:separate area, polishing, separate areas
Word Origin:[feminine ofH1506 (גֶּזֶר - asunder)]
1. the figure or person (as if cut out)
2. also an inclosure (as separated)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
polishing, separate place
Feminine ofgezer; the figure or person (as if cut out); also an inclosure (as separated) -- polishing, separate place.
see HEBREWgezer
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfem. of
gezerDefinitiona cutting, separation
NASB Translationpolishing (1), separate area (6), separate areas (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
—
Ezekiel 41:12 6t.; suffix
Lamentations 4:7; —
cutting, i.e.polishing (AV RV orcarving, i.e. beauty of from, shape, compare VB)Lamentations 4:7; theirpolishing, (orbeauty of form) was assapphire.
separation,Ezekiel 41:12,13,14,15;Ezekiel 42:1,10,13, separate place AV RV compare Da; i.e. yard, or space adjoining temple on three sides.
Topical Lexicon
Definition and conceptual backgroundgizrah (Strong’s Hebrew 1508) derives from the idea of “cutting off” or “separating.” In Scripture the noun speaks either of an individual’s “physique” (Lamentations 4:7) or, more commonly, of a “separate precinct” within the temple complex (Ezekiel 41–42). In both settings the underlying thought is the same: something set apart from what surrounds it.
Scriptural occurrences
1.Lamentations 4:7 – The word appears in a poetic description of the princes of Zion before the fall of Jerusalem: “Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance was like lapis lazuli”. Here gizrah conveys the physical form or complexion of the nobles, testifying to their former vigor and dignity.
2–8.Ezekiel 41:12, 41:13, 41:14, 41:15, 42:1, 42:10, 42:13 – In the prophet’s temple vision, gizrah designates the large western building and the court areas that flank it. These structures are constantly distinguished from the main sanctuary and the outer court, underscoring graded zones of holiness within the future temple.
Temple architecture and significance in Ezekiel
Ezekiel’s detailed measurements (Ezekiel 41–42) outline three concentric bands of sanctity: the outer court for the people, the inner court for ministering priests, and, at the center, the Most Holy Place. The gizrah lies beyond the sanctuary proper, yet it remains within the sacred complex. It is described as:
• Vast in size (Ezekiel 41:12–15), indicating ample provision for priestly activity.
• Flanked by priestly chambers where “the priests who approach the LORD will eat the most holy offerings” (Ezekiel 42:13).
• Ringed by substantial walls five cubits thick (Ezekiel 41:12), reinforcing the theme of protection and separation.
The precinct therefore embodies two inseparable truths: access and restriction. It welcomes consecrated servants while preserving the awe due to the holy presence of God. In the millennial context of Ezekiel’s vision, the gizrah foreshadows a restored order in which worship is both intimate and reverent.
Separation as a theological motif
Throughout Scripture holiness is expressed by boundaries that God Himself establishes (Genesis 2:3;Exodus 19:12;2 Corinthians 6:17). Gizrah gives concrete form to that principle. Just as Levitical priests were required to distinguish between clean and unclean, the physical precinct in Ezekiel teaches the faithful to discern between what is common and what is consecrated. Simultaneously, the use of gizrah for the bodies of Zion’s princes in Lamentations reminds readers that personal life and character are also to be kept distinct, reflecting God’s purity.
Historical resonance
Lamentations portrays the tragic collapse of Israel’s leadership; Ezekiel, written to exiles, promises a future purification of worship. The single word gizrah brackets both realities—human failure and divine restoration—by highlighting what was lost through sin and what will be graciously re-established.
Ministry insights
1. Guarded sanctity. Churches and families need wisely defined spaces—physical, relational, and theological—that foster reverence.
2. Priestly service. The chambers adjoining the gizrah provide for the priests’ nourishment, suggesting that those who serve must themselves be fed from holy things (1 Timothy 5:17–18).
3. Embodied testimony. Lamentations shows that moral and spiritual health often manifest in visible ways. When holiness departs, even outward beauty fades.
Christological perspective
In Jesus Christ the ultimate “separate place” and the perfect “body” converge. He “was made holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26) yet, through His crucified body, became the new and living way into God’s presence (Hebrews 10:20). The gizrah motif therefore points forward to the One who is both distinct from creation and intimately present within it.
Practical application
Believers are called “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). The careful boundaries of the ancient gizrah urge the modern church to cultivate corporate worship that is distinct from worldliness, while the healthy bodies of Zion’s former princes encourage personal consecration. Such separation is never isolation; rather, it equips God’s people to serve Him effectively in the midst of a needy world.
Forms and Transliterations
גִּזְרָתָֽם׃ גזרתם׃ הַגִּזְרָ֛ה הַגִּזְרָ֜ה הַגִּזְרָה֒ הגזרה וְהַגִּזְרָ֛ה וְהַגִּזְרָ֤ה והגזרה giz·rā·ṯām gizraTam gizrāṯām hag·giz·rāh haggizRah haggizrāh vehaggizRah wə·hag·giz·rāh wəhaggizrāh
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