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גְּבִירָה

𐤂𐤁𐤉𐤓𐤄

gᵉbîyrâh

H1377 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A woman of high status, commonly used for the mother of a king (queen mother), or a consort of great rank in the royal court. The term specifically refers to a female figure holding authority or dignity, and is not a general term for 'queen' in the sense of the reigning monarch's wife, but rather for a senior royal woman, predominantly the queen mother.

Semantic Range

lady of rank, mistress, queen mother, high-ranking female courtier, consort of authority

Root / Etymology

From the root גבר (g-b-r), meaning 'to be strong, powerful.' The term גְּבִירָה derives as the feminine form of גְּבִיר ('lord, master'), thus indicating 'lady, mistress,' particularly one of authority or honor in the royal context.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Historically, גְּבִירָה most frequently designates the queen mother (i.e., the mother of the reigning king) within the monarchic period of Israelite and Judahite history, rather than the king's consort. This usage is best exemplified in texts describing the royal court, such as 1 Kings 15:13; 2 Kings 10:13; Jeremiah 13:18; 29:2. The position carried significant influence and was distinct from the status of the king's wives, reflecting Near Eastern political structures where the king's mother often played an important role in matters of succession and counsel. In English translations, the word is sometimes rendered as 'queen,' but this can be misleading, as the term does not typically refer to a reigning female sovereign or the king's wife. Instead, it highlights a dynastic and authoritative status connected with motherhood. By the later biblical period, direct references to the role diminish as monarchical structures change, but the usage remains tied to female authority and dignity within the royal household.

Translation Consistency

primary "queen" 3 occurrences

’Queen’ is the most natural, widely recognized English term that conveys a high-ranking royal woman (including the queen mother). It matches the majority of existing renderings and keeps the translation simple and readable. Alternatives like ‘queen mother’ are more precise but less flexible; ‘lady’ or ‘mistress’ are too general or ambiguous. Using ‘queen’ ensures consistent, natural wording across all forms of this lemma.

Alternatives (3 occurrences):
"ruling lady" (2x) "ruling-lady" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of גְּבִיר; a mistress; queen.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

גבר (g-b-r) — to be strong, to prevail, to have power

Root גבר to be strong, to prevail, to have power
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1368 גִּבּוֹר the mighty ones
H1369 גְּבוּרָה in mighty strength
H1370 גְּבוּרָה and the might
H1376 גְּבִיר mighty master
H1396 גָּבַר he prevailed

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1377-02 מִ/גְּבִירָ֔ה migevirah HR/Ncfsa from queen mother from a high-ranking lady from the queen mother 2
H1377-01 הַ/גְּבִירָֽה hagevirah HTd/Ncfsa the queen the ruling lady the ruling lady 2
H1377-04 וְ/לַ/גְּבִירָ֖ה velagevirah HC/Rd/Ncfsa and to the queen mother and to the ruling-lady and to the ruling-lady 1
H1377-03 וְ/הַ/גְּבִירָ֨ה vehagevirah HC/Td/Ncfsa and the queen mother and the ruling lady and the queen mother 1

Occurrences in Scripture

6 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1377-01 1 Kings 11:19 הַ/גְּבִירָֽה hagevirah HTd/Ncfsa the queen the ruling lady the ruling lady
H1377-02 1 Kings 15:13 מִ/גְּבִירָ֔ה migevirah HR/Ncfsa from queen mother from a high-ranking lady from the queen mother
H1377-01 2 Kings 10:13 הַ/גְּבִירָֽה hagevirah HTd/Ncfsa the queen mother the ruling lady the ruling lady
H1377-04 Jeremiah 13:18 וְ/לַ/גְּבִירָ֖ה velagevirah HC/Rd/Ncfsa and to the queen mother and to the ruling-lady and to the ruling-lady
H1377-03 Jeremiah 29:2 וְ/הַ/גְּבִירָ֨ה vehagevirah HC/Td/Ncfsa and the queen mother and the ruling lady and the queen mother
H1377-02 2 Chronicles 15:16 מִ/גְּבִירָ֔ה migevirah HR/Ncfsa from queen mother from a high-ranking lady from the queen mother
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