גּוּז (guz)
guz
to cut off
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb guz is rare, appearing only twice in the Old Testament: in Numbers 31:8 and Psalm 58:8. Its core meaning involves cutting off or passing away. In Numbers, it describes the death of a Midianite king, emphasizing a decisive end to life. In Psalms, it paints a vivid image of wickedness vanishing like a snail’s slime or an untimely birth that never sees the sun.
This word carries a sense of abrupt removal. It is not merely natural decline but a forceful termination. The imagery in Psalm 58:8 suggests something dissolving or being swept away, highlighting the fleeting nature of evil. Translators often render it as "pass away" or "vanish," capturing this sudden disappearance from existence.
Its scarcity makes each occurrence significant. Both uses focus on the end of a life or a state, often with a negative connotation for the subject. The word underscores the finality of divine judgment or the inevitable fate of those opposed to God’s order. It serves as a stark reminder of mortality and the transient nature of worldly power.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word guz appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, carrying a sharp sense of finality. It describes something cut off or passing away abruptly. In Numbers, it marks the death of a king, ending his reign and life with decisive force. This is not a gentle fade but a sudden removal from existence.
In Psalm 58, the imagery shifts to wickedness vanishing like snail slime or an untimely birth. It suggests that evil has no lasting place in God’s world. These rare uses remind us that worldly power and opposition are fleeting. What seems permanent is often just passing through.
This perspective offers comfort. We do not need to fear the strength of those who oppose right. Their end is certain, while God’s justice remains steady. Trusting in this truth helps us focus on what lasts forever rather than what disappears quickly.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it passes away1×
- and/ it brought1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/יָּ֣גָז1×
- גָ֥ז1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 90:10
The days of our years are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty years; yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for it passes quickly, and we fly away.
The phrase 'passes quickly' reflects the abrupt removal implied by guz, showing how human life and pride vanish without lasting impact.