גֶּיא֙

𐤂𐤉𐤀

gey

valley

or (shortened) גַּי; probably (by transmutation) from the same root as גֵּוָה (abbreviated); a gorge (from its lofty sides; hence, narrow, but not a gully or winter-torrent); valley.

H1516

Isaiah 40:4 · Word #2

Lexicon H1516

Lemmaגַּיְא
Lemma (Paleo)𐤂𐤉𐤀
Transliterationgayʼ
Strong'sH1516
In-contextvalley

Morphology HNcbsa All morphology codes

Part of Speech N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea
Subtype c — Common — Common noun
Gender b — Both — Both (masculine and feminine)
Number s — Singular — Singular
State a — Absolute — The noun stands independently

SIBI-P1 H1516-05

gorge-of

Rootגיא (g-y-ʾ)
Core Meaningsheight, elevation, swelling, lofty rise
Semantic Rangegorge, ravine, steep valley, narrow valley between elevated sides
Conceptual SignificanceOften used in geographical and prophetic contexts, especially in named locations such as the Gorge of Hinnom, which became associated with judgment imagery. The term evokes contrast between height and depth, reinforcing themes of descent, humility, danger, or divine judgment within the biblical landscape.
Morphological NotesMasculine (common) singular noun in construct state; shortened poetic form גֵּי also attested. Occurs frequently in place names (e.g., גֵּיא בֶן־הִנֹּם, Gorge of Ben-Hinnom).
Rendering RationaleThe noun גַּיְא denotes a steep-sided gorge or valley, likely related to a root conveying elevation or swelling, highlighting the lofty sides enclosing it. The form is masculine singular in the construct state (HNcbsc), so the rendering "gorge-of" preserves both the singular number and the construct relationship, indicating possession or specification.

AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)

Words from Root גיא (height, elevation, swelling, lofty rise)

SILEX Code Transliteration SIBI-P1
H1516-04 geayot steep-sided gorges
H1516-11 uvegey and in the lofty-sided gorge of
H1516-12 vagaye in the gorge

Word Usage (62 occurrences of H1516)

Location Form Transliteration Meaning
Numbers 21:20 הַ/גַּיְא֙ hagaye the valley
Deuteronomy 3:29 בַּ/גָּ֔יְא bagaye in the valley
Deuteronomy 4:46 בַּ/גַּ֗יְא bagaye in the valley