גָּרַד (ga.rad)
ga.rad
to scrape
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb garad carries a sharp, physical sense: to scrape or scratch the surface of something. It appears only once in the Old Testament, in Job 2:8, where it describes Job’s intense suffering. The text says he took a shard of broken pottery and scraped himself with it.
This single usage highlights the word’s raw, visceral nature. It is not a gentle touch but a harsh action against the skin. The Hithpael form, used here, emphasizes the reflexive act—Job scraping his own body. This detail underscores the depth of his affliction and his attempt to relieve the pain or perhaps express his anguish through physical means.
Because garad is so rare, its meaning is tightly bound to this specific moment in Job’s story. It paints a vivid picture of human suffering, where even simple acts like scratching an itch become significant markers of distress. The word reminds readers that biblical language often captures the gritty reality of physical pain alongside spiritual struggle.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word garad appears only once in Scripture, in Job 2:8. It describes a raw, physical act of scraping oneself with a broken piece of pottery. This is not a gentle soothing but a harsh response to intense pain. Job uses the shard to relieve the burning sores that cover his body, sitting in ashes as he endures profound suffering.
When you face seasons where your health or circumstances feel unbearable, this word reminds you that God sees the gritty reality of your pain. He does not ignore the physical ache or the desperate need for relief. Even when words fail and comfort seems distant, your struggle is visible to Him. You are not alone in your distress.
This passage invites us to bring our rawest moments to God. It validates that suffering can be visceral and difficult, yet it also shows Job’s persistence in faith despite his agony. May you find peace knowing that your pain is known and held by a God who cares deeply for every detail of your life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ scrape himself1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לְ/הִתְגָּרֵ֖ד1×
Key Verses
-
Job 2:8
He took for himself a potsherd to scrape himself with, and he sat among the ashes.
This verse uniquely uses the Hithpael form to show Job actively scraping his own body with pottery, highlighting the visceral nature of his physical affliction.