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Hebrew verb · H1396

גָּבַר

gabargaw-bar'

to prevail

25 uses in the Hebrew text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key

Concordance spelling: gâbar

Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's H1396is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.

  • 13 of 39
    Old Testament books
  • 24
    spellings

The definition in full

Strong's key (1890) · H1396

to be strong; by implication, to prevail, act insolently

The King James renders it: exceed, confirm, be great, be mighty, prevail, put to more (strength), strengthen, be stronger, be valiant.

James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.

Summary

gabar is rendered "to prevail". It stands 25 times in the Hebrew text, across thirteen books.

  • Five of the uses stand in Genesis, more than in any other book.
  • Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Genesis 7:18So the waters continued to surge and rise greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the waters.
  • The Greek text spells it twenty-four different ways.

The first use

So the waters continued to surge and rise greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the waters.

Genesis 7:18וַיִּגְבְּר֥וּ

The first use, in the order of the Old Testament's books.

Where the word stands

The word stands in thirteen of the 39 Old Testament books.

The other 26 Old Testament books never use the word.

What the word means

Each meaning, and the words it is translated by

How the Greek text is glossed, word by word

  • and it prevailed2
  • and they increased2
  • he will prevail2
  • it is strong2
  • they are strong2
  • they increased2
  • and he will make strong1
  • and I will make strong1
  • and I will make strong them1
  • do they become strong1
  • he behaves proudly1
  • he has prevailed1

and 7 more, 25 uses in all

The words built on the same word-part

Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.

גָּבֹהַּgaboahhhighUses41
גָּבַהּgabahhto exultUses34
גָּבַלgabalto borderUses5
גָּבִישׁgabishcrystalUses1
גָּבָהּgabahhhighUsesnot recorded

The words it stands beside

All 25, in canonical order

Every use, in order

Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.

24 spellings and their grammar

STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.

How it is spelled

  • וַיִּגְבְּר֥וּ2
  • גָ֘בַ֤ר1
  • גָבַ֖ר1
  • גָּבַ֥ר1
  • גָּבַ֣ר1
  • גָבְר֤וּ1
  • גָּֽבְר֛וּ1
  • גָּבְר֖וּ1
  • גָּֽבְרוּ֙1
  • גָּ֣בְרוּ1
  • גָּ֥בְרוּ1
  • גָּבְר֣וּ1

and 12 more spellings in the ledger below.

The grammar of each form

  • verb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common plural8HVqp3cp
  • verb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singular4HVqp3ms
  • Hc/Vqq3ms2Hc/Vqq3ms
  • Hc/Vqw3mp2Hc/Vqw3mp
  • verb · reflexive (hithpael), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singular2HVti3ms
  • Hc/Vhq3ms1Hc/Vhq3ms
  • Hc/Vpq1cs1Hc/Vpq1cs
  • Hc/Vpq1cs/Sp3mp1Hc/Vpq1cs/Sp3mp
  • verb · causative (hiphil), yiqtol (imperfect) · 1st person common plural1HVhi1cp
  • verb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singular1HVpi3ms
  • verb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singular1HVqi3ms
  • verb · reflexive (hithpael), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine plural1HVti3mp

Genesis

five uses
  • So the waters continued to surge and rise greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the waters.

    Genesis 7:18

    • וַיִּגְבְּר֥וּvaiyigberuHc/Vqw3mptagged: and they increased
  • Finally, the waters completely inundated the earth, so that all the high mountains under all the heavens were covered.

    Genesis 7:19

    • גָּֽבְר֛וּgaveruverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common pluraltagged: they increased
  • The waters rose and covered the mountaintops to a depth of fifteen cubits.

    Genesis 7:20

    • גָּבְר֖וּgaveruverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common pluraltagged: they increased
  • And the waters prevailed upon the earth for 150 days.

    Genesis 7:24

    • וַיִּגְבְּר֥וּvaiyigberuHc/Vqw3mptagged: and they increased
  • The blessings of your father have surpassed the blessings of the ancient mountains and the bounty of the everlasting hills. May they rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince of his brothers.

    Genesis 49:26

    • גָּֽבְרוּ֙gaveruverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common pluraltagged: they have prevailed

Exodus

two uses
  • As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed.

    Exodus 17:11

    • וְגָבַ֣רvegavarHc/Vqq3mstagged: and it prevailed
    • וְגָבַ֥רvegavarHc/Vqq3mstagged: and it prevailed

1 Samuel

one use
  • He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness; for by his own strength shall no man prevail.

    1 Samuel 2:9

    • יִגְבַּר־yigbar-verb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he will prevail

2 Samuel

two uses
  • Saul and Jonathan, beloved and delightful in life, were not divided in death. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

    2 Samuel 1:23

    • גָּבֵֽרוּ׃gaveruverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common pluraltagged: they were strong
  • The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate.

    2 Samuel 11:23

    • גָבְר֤וּgaveruverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common pluraltagged: they prevailed

1 Chronicles

one use
  • And though Judah prevailed over his brothers and a ruler came from him, the birthright belonged to Joseph.

    1 Chronicles 5:2

    • גָּבַ֣רgavarverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he was strong

Job

three uses
  • For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,

    Job 15:25

    • יִתְגַּבָּֽר׃yitgabarverb · reflexive (hithpael), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he behaves proudly
  • Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?

    Job 21:7

    • גָּ֥בְרוּgaveruverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common pluraltagged: do they become strong
  • then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed.

    Job 36:9

    • יִתְגַּבָּֽרוּ׃yitgabaruverb · reflexive (hithpael), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: they were behaving proudly

Psalms

four uses
  • They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”

    Psalms 12:4

    • נַ֭גְבִּירnagbirverb · causative (hiphil), yiqtol (imperfect) · 1st person common pluraltagged: we will make strong
  • When iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our transgressions.

    Psalms 65:3

    • גָּ֣בְרוּgaveruverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common pluraltagged: they are strong
  • For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him.

    Psalms 103:11

    • גָּבַ֥רgavarverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: it is strong
  • For great is His loving devotion toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Hallelujah!

    Psalms 117:2

    • גָ֘בַ֤רgavarverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: it is strong

Ecclesiastes

one use
  • If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.

    Ecclesiastes 10:10

    • יְגַבֵּ֑רyegaberverb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he will make strong

Isaiah

one use
  • The LORD goes forth like a mighty one; He stirs up His zeal like a warrior. He shouts; yes, He roars in triumph over His enemies:

    Isaiah 42:13

    • יִתְגַּבָּֽר׃ סyitgabarverb · reflexive (hithpael), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he will prevail

Jeremiah

one use
  • “They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD.

    Jeremiah 9:3

    • גָּבְר֣וּgaveruverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common pluraltagged: they are strong

Lamentations

one use
  • For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears. For there is no one nearby to comfort me, no one to revive my soul. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed.

    Lamentations 1:16

    • גָבַ֖רgavarverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he has prevailed

Daniel

one use
  • And he will confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of the temple will come the abomination that causes desolation, until the decreed destruction is poured out upon him.”

    Daniel 9:27

    • וְהִגְבִּ֥ירvehigbirHc/Vhq3mstagged: and he will make strong

Zechariah

two uses
  • I will strengthen the house of Judah and save the house of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them, and they will be as though I had not rejected them. For I am the LORD their God, and I will answer them.

    Zechariah 10:6

    • וְגִבַּרְתִּ֣י׀vegibartiHc/Vpq1cstagged: and I will make strong
  • I will strengthen them in the LORD, and in His name they will walk,” declares the LORD.

    Zechariah 10:12

    • וְגִבַּרְתִּים֙vegibartimHc/Vpq1cs/Sp3mptagged: and I will make strong them

The letters

Where it leads

How the numbers are counted

Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.

Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.

The words it stands beside are the nouns, verbs and adjectives immediately before or after it, counted in every verse where the word stands. The article, the conjunctions and the prepositions are left out, because they stand beside every word.

The family is read from the lexicon by the stem the two words share, with the accents off, and a person or a place named on the stem is left out.

Hebrew and Greek text, word tagging and grammar: STEP Bible (www.STEPBible.org), Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0. Their grammar codes are written out in English here and shown as tagged beside each one.

Meaning and senses: STEP Bible TBESH gloss (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary key: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890, public domain). English verse text: Berean Standard Bible (public domain, 2023).

Revised 2026-09-05. Every cited work, the sources registry →