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גְּבוּל

𐤂𐤁𐤅𐤋

gᵉbûwl

H1366 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A fixed boundary, border, or limit demarcating a specific area—commonly a territorial border between regions, tribes, or nations; by extension, the area or territory enclosed by such a boundary. Also includes conceptual boundaries, such as limits for individuals or activities.

Semantic Range

boundary, border, marked limit, frontier (of land or territory), territory within set borders, allotment, property boundary, figurative limit, restriction, demarcation

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root גבל, meaning 'to border, to bound, to delineate'. The noun גְּבוּל originally referred to a physical or marked boundary, evolving to signify any type of border or limit, whether territorial, social, or functional.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early Israelite contexts (e.g., Torah and early historical books), גְּבוּל most frequently refers to the marked boundaries between territories allocated to specific tribes, settlements, or nations (e.g. Numbers 34, Joshua 13-21). Such boundaries were often determined by natural features (rivers, mountains), marked stones, or other physical indicators. The word also appears in reference to property boundaries and individual land allotments (Proverbs 15:25; Deuteronomy 19:14), where the inviolability of the גְּבוּל is a matter of legal and religious significance—removing or moving boundary markers is considered a grave transgression. In poetic and prophetic texts (Psalms, Isaiah), גְּבוּל can be used metaphorically for the limitation or extent of divine power, human life, or historical domains (e.g., Psalm 74:17). The Septuagint commonly translates גְּבוּל as ὅριον (horion), 'boundary'. English translations sometimes obscure the distinction between geographic borders and legal/property limits. Contrast with other Hebrew terms such as קָצֶה (qāṣeh, 'extremity, end, edge') and פֵּאָה (pe'ah, 'corner, edge'), both of which describe edges or limits but lack the connotation of formal or legal demarcation found in גְּבוּל. The semantic range broadens in later biblical periods to encompass conceptual or legal limits as well as geographic ones.

Translation Consistency

primary "boundary" 44 occurrences

'Boundary' is the most frequent English rendering in the P2 data and naturally covers both physical/territorial borders and figurative limits or allotments. It fits the full SILEX range (border, property limit, demarcation, restriction) more broadly than 'border' or 'territory', so it will yield consistent, natural-sounding English across all occurrences.

Alternatives (6 occurrences):
"boundary-of" (4x) "territory of" (1x) "border" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or גְּבֻל; (shortened) from גָּבַל; properly, a cord (as twisted), i.e. (by implication) a boundary; by extension the territory inclosed; border, bound, coast, [idiom] great, landmark, limit, quarter, space.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

גבל (Geval) — to border, to set a boundary, to demarcate

Root גבל to border, to set a boundary, to demarcate
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1367 גְּבוּלָה in boundary-lines of
H1379 גָּבַל they bounded
H1380 גְּבַל Gebal
H1381 גְּבָל Gebal Borderland
H1382 גִּבְלִי the Gebalite

Word Forms

27 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1366-07 גְּב֣וּל gevul HNcmsc border boundary of boundary of 100
H1366-19 הַ/גְּב֔וּל hagevul HTd/Ncmsa the border the boundary the boundary 47
H1366-25 וּ/גְבֻ֑ל ugevul HC/Ncmsa and-border and boundary-of and boundary-of 18
H1366-09 גְבוּלָ֔/ם gevulam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their border their boundary their boundary 15
H1366-12 גְּבֽוּלְ/ךָ֮ gevulekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your border your boundary your boundary 11
H1366-01 בִּ/גְב֣וּל bigevul HR/Ncmsc in the border in boundary of in boundary of 7
H1366-18 גְּבוּל֤/וֹ gevulo HNcmsc/Sp3ms of its border his boundary his boundary 6
H1366-08 גְּבוּלָ֖/הּ gevulah HNcmsc/Sp3fs its territory her boundary her boundary 5
H1366-21 לִ/גְב֥וּל ligevul HR/Ncmsc boundary to boundary of to boundary of 4
H1366-23 מִ/גְּב֥וּל migevul HR/Ncmsc from-border from boundary of from boundary of 4

Occurrences in Scripture

241 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1366-07 Genesis 10:19 גְּב֤וּל gevul HNcmsc the border boundary of boundary of
H1366-18 Genesis 23:17 גְּבֻל֖/וֹ gevulo HNcmsc/Sp3ms its borders his boundary his boundary
H1366-07 Genesis 47:21 גְבוּל gevul HNcmsc of the border boundary of boundary of
H1366-12 Exodus 7:27 גְּבוּלְ/ךָ֖ gevulekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your territory your boundary your boundary
H1366-04 Exodus 10:4 בִּ/גְבֻלֶֽ/ךָ bigevulekha HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms into your borders within your boundary within your boundary
H1366-07 Exodus 10:14 גְּב֣וּל gevul HNcmsc borders boundary of boundary of
H1366-07 Exodus 10:19 גְּב֥וּל gevul HNcmsc borders boundary of territory of
H1366-12 Exodus 13:7 גְּבֻלֶֽ/ךָ gevulekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your borders your boundary your boundary
H1366-12 Exodus 23:31 גְּבֻלְ/ךָ֗ gevulekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms border your boundary your boundary
H1366-12 Exodus 34:24 גְּבוּלֶ֑/ךָ gevulekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your border your boundary your boundary
H1366-12 Numbers 20:16 גְבוּלֶֽ/ךָ gevulekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms of your border your boundary your boundary
H1366-12 Numbers 20:17 גְּבוּלֶֽ/ךָ gevulekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your border your boundary your boundary
H1366-06 Numbers 20:21 בִּ/גְבֻל֑/וֹ bigevulo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms through his border within his boundary in his boundary
H1366-07 Numbers 20:23 גְּב֥וּל gevul HNcmsc border boundary of boundary of
H1366-23 Numbers 21:13 מִ/גְּב֣וּל migevul HR/Ncmsc from the border of from boundary of from boundary of
H1366-07 Numbers 21:13 גְּב֣וּל gevul HNcmsc border boundary of boundary of
H1366-21 Numbers 21:15 לִ/גְב֥וּל ligevul HR/Ncmsc to the border to boundary of to boundary of
H1366-12 Numbers 21:22 גְּבֻלֶֽ/ךָ gevulekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your border your boundary your boundary
H1366-06 Numbers 21:23 בִּ/גְבֻל/וֹ֒ bigevulo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms through his border within his boundary in his boundary
H1366-07 Numbers 21:24 גְּב֖וּל gevul HNcmsc border boundary of boundary of
H1366-07 Numbers 22:36 גְּב֣וּל gevul HNcmsc border boundary of boundary of
H1366-19 Numbers 22:36 הַ/גְּבֽוּל hagevul HTd/Ncmsa the border the boundary the boundary
H1366-01 Numbers 33:44 בִּ/גְב֥וּל bigevul HR/Ncmsc on the border in boundary of in boundary of
H1366-07 Numbers 34:3 גְּב֣וּל gevul HNcmsc border boundary of boundary of
H1366-19 Numbers 34:4 הַ/גְּב֨וּל hagevul HTd/Ncmsa the border the boundary the boundary
H1366-19 Numbers 34:5 הַ/גְּב֛וּל hagevul HTd/Ncmsa the border the boundary the boundary
H1366-25 Numbers 34:6 וּ/גְב֣וּל ugevul HC/Ncmsc and-border and boundary-of and boundary-of
H1366-25 Numbers 34:6 וּ/גְב֑וּל ugevul-2 HC/Ncmsa and-border and boundary-of and boundary-of
H1366-07 Numbers 34:6 גְּב֥וּל gevul HNcmsc border boundary of boundary of
H1366-07 Numbers 34:7 גְּב֣וּל gevul HNcmsc border boundary of boundary of
H1366-19 Numbers 34:8 הַ/גְּבֻ֖ל hagevul HTd/Ncmsa of the border the boundary the boundary
H1366-19 Numbers 34:9 הַ/גְּבֻל֙ hagevul HTd/Ncmsa the-border the boundary the boundary
H1366-07 Numbers 34:9 גְּב֥וּל gevul HNcmsc border boundary of a border
H1366-21 Numbers 34:10 לִ/גְב֣וּל ligevul HR/Ncmsa boundary to boundary of to boundary of
H1366-19 Numbers 34:11 הַ/גְּבֻ֧ל hagevul HTd/Ncmsa the border the boundary the boundary
H1366-19 Numbers 34:11 הַ/גְּב֔וּל hagevul-2 HTd/Ncmsa the border the boundary the boundary
H1366-19 Numbers 34:12 הַ/גְּבוּל֙ hagevul HTd/Ncmsa the border the boundary the boundary
H1366-07 Numbers 35:26 גְּבוּל֙ gevul HNcmsc border boundary of boundary of
H1366-21 Numbers 35:27 לִ/גְב֖וּל ligevul HR/Ncmsc of the border to boundary of to boundary of
H1366-01 Deuteronomy 2:4 בִּ/גְבוּל֙ bigevul HR/Ncmsc territory in boundary of in boundary of
H1366-07 Deuteronomy 2:18 גְּב֥וּל gevul HNcmsc border boundary of boundary of
H1366-07 Deuteronomy 3:14 גְּב֥וּל gevul HNcmsc border boundary of boundary of
H1366-25 Deuteronomy 3:16 וּ/גְבֻ֑ל ugevul HC/Ncmsa and-border and boundary-of and boundary-of
H1366-07 Deuteronomy 3:16 גְּב֖וּל gevul HNcmsc border boundary of boundary of
H1366-25 Deuteronomy 3:17 וּ/גְבֻ֑ל ugevul HC/Ncmsa and its border and boundary-of and boundary-of
H1366-14 Deuteronomy 11:24 גְּבֻלְ/כֶֽם gevulekhem HNcmsc/Sp2mp your border your boundary your boundary
H1366-12 Deuteronomy 12:20 גְּבֽוּלְ/ךָ֮ gevulekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your border your boundary your boundary
H1366-12 Deuteronomy 16:4 גְּבֻלְ/ךָ֖ gevulekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your territory your boundary your boundary
H1366-07 Deuteronomy 19:3 גְּב֣וּל gevul HNcmsc the border boundary of boundary of
H1366-12 Deuteronomy 19:8 גְּבֻ֣לְ/ךָ֔ gevulekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms border-your your boundary your boundary
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