גִּר (gir)
gir
chalk
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun gir refers to chalk or lime, a substance known for its bright white color and abrasive texture. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, within Isaiah 27:9, where it serves as a concrete image in a prophecy about purification. The word is closely related to the Aramaic gir, which carries the sense of plaster, highlighting the material’s use in construction and whitewashing.
In its single occurrence, the term helps describe the removal of guilt through a process that strips away impurity, much like lime or chalk might be used to clean or cover a surface. This rare usage anchors the abstract concept of spiritual cleansing in a tangible, everyday material familiar to ancient readers. The scarcity of the word underscores its specific function here: to evoke the stark, visible result of divine judgment and subsequent restoration.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word gir, translated as chalk or lime, appears only once in the Hebrew Bible within Isaiah 27:9. It describes stones that have been beaten into powder, stripping away their former shape and identity. This image paints a picture of radical purification, where the remnants of idolatry are reduced to dust, leaving no trace of past worship.
For your faith, this offers a profound hope. God’s forgiveness is not merely a covering over sin but a thorough cleansing that removes the very structures built around it. When guilt is forgiven, the old markers of rebellion are broken down completely. You can trust that His work in you is deep and lasting, restoring you to a state of purity that reflects His grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- chalk1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- גִר֙1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 27:9
Therefore by this the iniquity of Jacob will be forgiven, and this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: that he makes all the stones of the altar as chalk stones that are beaten in pieces, so that the Asherah poles and the incense altars shall rise no more.
This verse uses the image of chalk stones being beaten to pieces to illustrate how God removes the physical remnants of idolatry as part of forgiving Jacob's iniquity.