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Hebrew verb · H1497

גָּזַל

gazalgaw-zal'

to plunder

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

Concordance spelling: gâzal

Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's H1497is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.

  • 14 of 39
    Old Testament books
  • 28
    spellings

The definition in full

Strong's key (1890) · H1497

to pluck off; specifically to flay, strip or rob

The King James renders it: catch, consume, exercise (robbery), pluck (off), rob, spoil, take away (by force, violence), tear.

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

gazal is rendered "to plunder". It stands 30 times in the Hebrew text, across fourteen books.

  • Five of the uses stand in Ezekiel, more than in any other book.
  • Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Genesis 21:25But when Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had seized,
  • The Greek text spells it twenty-eight different ways.

The first use

But when Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had seized,

Genesis 21:25גָּזְל֖וּ

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

Where the word stands

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

The other 25 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

  • he has robbed3
  • has been robbed2
  • he robbed2
  • a stolen1
  • and he seized1
  • and he tore away1
  • and it is taken away1
  • and robbed1
  • and they have robbed1
  • and they robbed1
  • and they seize1
  • and to take away1

and 14 more, 30 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.

גָּזַרgazarto cutUses13
גָּזִיתgazithcuttingUses11
גָּזַּהgazzahfleeceUses7
גָּזֵלgazelrobberyUses6
גָּזָםgazamlocustUses3
גָּזָהgazahto cutUses1

The words it stands beside

All 30, in canonical order

Every use, in order

Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.

28 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

  • גָז֖וּל2
  • וַיִּגְזֹ֤ל2
  • גּוֹזֵ֤ל׀1
  • גָּז֣וּל1
  • גָּז֗וּל1
  • גָזָ֑ל1
  • גָּ֝זַ֗ל1
  • גָּזַל֙1
  • גָּזָ֗ל1
  • גָּזָ֔ל1
  • גָּזְל֖וּ1
  • גָּ֝זְל֗וּ1

and 16 more spellings in the ledger below.

The grammar of each form

  • verb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singular5HVqp3ms
  • verb · simple (qal), passive participle · masculine singular4HVqsmsa
  • verb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common plural3HVqp3cp
  • Hc/Vqq3cp2Hc/Vqq3cp
  • Hc/Vqw3ms2Hc/Vqw3ms
  • verb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 2nd person masculine singular2HVqi2ms
  • verb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine plural2HVqi3mp
  • conjunction (“and”) + preposition + verb · simple (qal), infinitive (“to…”)1HC/R/Vqcc
  • Hc/VNq3fs1Hc/VNq3fs
  • conjunction (“and”) + verb · simple (qal), passive participle · masculine singular1HC/Vqsmsa
  • Hc/Vqw3mp1Hc/Vqw3mp
  • preposition + verb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singular1HR/Vqrmsc/Sp3ms

Genesis

two uses
  • But when Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had seized,

    Genesis 21:25

    • גָּזְל֖וּgazeluverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common pluraltagged: they had seized
  • “I was afraid,” Jacob answered, “for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.

    Genesis 31:31

    • תִּגְזֹ֥לtigzolverb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: you should tear away

Leviticus

two uses
  • once he has sinned and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or the deposit entrusted to him, or the lost property he found,

    Leviticus 6:4

    • גָּזָ֗לgazalverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he robbed
  • You must not defraud your neighbor or rob him. You must not withhold until morning the wages due a hired hand.

    Leviticus 19:13

    • תִגְזֹ֑לtigzolverb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: you will rob

Deuteronomy

two uses
  • and at noon you will grope about like a blind man in the darkness. You will not prosper in your ways. Day after day you will be oppressed and plundered, with no one to save you.

    Deuteronomy 28:29

    • וְגָז֛וּלvegazulconjunction (“and”) + verb · simple (qal), passive participle · masculine singulartagged: and robbed
  • Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat any of it. Your donkey will be taken away and not returned to you. Your flock will be given to your enemies, and no one will save you.

    Deuteronomy 28:31

    • גָּז֣וּלgazulverb · simple (qal), passive participle · masculine singulartagged: seized

Judges

two uses
  • The leaders of Shechem set up an ambush against Abimelech on the hilltops, and they robbed all who passed by them on the road. So this was reported to Abimelech.

    Judges 9:25

    • וַיִּגְזְל֗וּvaiyigzeluHc/Vqw3mptagged: and they robbed
  • The Benjamites did as instructed and carried away the number of women they needed from the dancers they caught. They went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and settled in them.

    Judges 21:23

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

2 Samuel

one use
  • He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear.

    2 Samuel 23:21

    • וַיִּגְזֹ֤לvaiyigzolHc/Vqw3mstagged: and he seized

1 Chronicles

one use
  • He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man five cubits tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s beam in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear.

    1 Chronicles 11:23

    • וַיִּגְזֹ֤לvaiyigzolHc/Vqw3mstagged: and he tore away

Job

four uses
  • For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build.

    Job 20:19

    • גָּ֝זַ֗לgazalverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he has seized
  • Men move boundary stones; they pasture stolen flocks.

    Job 24:2

    • גָּ֝זְל֗וּgazeluverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common pluraltagged: they seize
  • The fatherless infant is snatched from the breast; the nursing child of the poor is seized for a debt.

    Job 24:9

    • יִ֭גְזְלוּyigzeluverb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: people tear away
  • As drought and heat consume the melting snow, so Sheol steals those who have sinned.

    Job 24:19

    • יִגְזְל֥וּyigzeluverb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: they snatch away

Psalms

two uses
  • All my bones will exclaim, “Who is like You, O LORD, who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor, the poor and needy from the robber?”

    Psalms 35:10

    • מִגֹּזְלֽוֹ׃migozelopreposition + verb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: from robs him
  • Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those who would destroy me— my enemies for no reason. Though I did not steal, I must repay.

    Psalms 69:4

    • גָ֝זַ֗לְתִּיgazaltiverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 1st person common singulartagged: I stole

Proverbs

three uses
  • For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.

    Proverbs 4:16

    • וְֽנִגְזְלָ֥הvenigzelahHc/VNq3fstagged: and it is taken away
  • Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate,

    Proverbs 22:22

    • תִּגְזָל־tigzol-verb · simple (qal), jussive (“let him”) · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: you rob
  • He who robs his father or mother, saying, “It is not wrong,” is a companion to the man who destroys.

    Proverbs 28:24

    • גּוֹזֵ֤ל׀gozelverb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singulartagged: robs

Isaiah

one use
  • to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder.

    Isaiah 10:2

    • וְלִגְזֹ֕לveligzolconjunction (“and”) + preposition + verb · simple (qal), infinitive (“to…”)tagged: and to take away

Jeremiah

two uses
  • O house of David, this is what the LORD says: ‘Administer justice every morning, and rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor, or My wrath will go forth like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it because of their evil deeds.

    Jeremiah 21:12

    • גָז֖וּלgazulverb · simple (qal), passive participle · masculine singulartagged: has been robbed
  • This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place.

    Jeremiah 22:3

    • גָז֖וּלgazulverb · simple (qal), passive participle · masculine singulartagged: has been robbed

Ezekiel

five uses
  • He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.

    Ezekiel 18:7

    • יִגְזֹ֑לyigzolverb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he robbed
  • He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations.

    Ezekiel 18:12

    • גָּזָ֔לgazalverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he has robbed
  • He does not oppress another, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.

    Ezekiel 18:16

    • גָזָ֑לgazalverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he has robbed
  • As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people.

    Ezekiel 18:18

    • גָּזַל֙gazalverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he has robbed
  • The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy and have exploited the foreign resident without justice.

    Ezekiel 22:29

    • וְגָזְל֖וּvegazeluHc/Vqq3cptagged: and they have robbed

Micah

two uses
  • They covet fields and seize them; they take away houses. They deprive a man of his home, a fellow man of his inheritance.

    Micah 2:2

    • וְגָזָ֔לוּvegazaluHc/Vqq3cptagged: and they seize
  • You hate good and love evil. You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones.

    Micah 3:2

    • גֹּזְלֵ֤יgozeleiverb · simple (qal), participle · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: tearers away of

Malachi

one use
  • You also say: ‘Oh, what a nuisance!’ And you turn up your nose at it,” says the LORD of Hosts. “You bring offerings that are stolen, lame, or sick! Should I accept these from your hands?” asks the LORD.

    Malachi 1:13

    • גָּז֗וּלgazulverb · simple (qal), passive participle · masculine singulartagged: a stolen

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 →