גָּג
𐤂𐤂
gâg
H1406 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A flat or accessible roof or housetop, typically the uppermost part of a building in ancient Israelite architecture; by extension, the upper platform or surface of an altar. In common usage, refers to the flat area on top of dwellings or temples, used for various domestic, social, or ritual activities.
Semantic Range
roof, flat roof, housetop, top of a building, top surface of an altar
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root גָּאָה (to rise, be high, be exalted), likely by reduplication to indicate 'the elevated place'. The derived noun גָּג refers specifically to the raised or upper surface. Root and lexical meanings are related but not identical: while the root indicates being elevated, the noun refers to a built structure's elevated, flat top.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, גָּג refers predominantly to the flat, usable roofs characteristic of ancient Near Eastern architecture, as opposed to pitched or inaccessible roofs common in later periods. Roofs functioned practically (e.g. for drying produce, sleeping, or as spaces of privacy), and publicly (as settings for proclamation, mourning, or in some cases, illicit acts). In ritual contexts, 'gâg' may refer to the uppermost surface of altars (cf. Lev 21:20; Ezek 43:15), likening the altar's structure to a house. The term is distinct from words denoting more generalized 'heights' or 'upper parts' (such as רֹאשׁ, 'head, top'), and from references to upper chambers or attics (עֲלִיָּה), which are enclosed spaces above the main floor. In later periods, and especially in English translations, the word 'housetop' or 'roof' may not fully capture the social and ritual functions embedded in the ancient role of the גָּג. In Second Temple and post-exilic periods, architectural styles shifted, but the semantic field largely remained.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably by reduplication from גָּאָה; a roof; by analogy, the top of an altar; roof (of the house), (house) top (of the house).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גאה (g-ʾ-h) — to rise, be high, be exalted
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1341 | גֵּא | proud one |
| H1342 | גָּאָה | he rose high |
| H1343 | גֵּאֶה | lofty |
| H1344 | גֵּאָה | self-exaltation |
| H1345 | גְּאוּאֵל | El has exalted |
Word Forms
13 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1406-06 |
הַ/גָּֽג | hagag | HTd/Ncmsa |
the roof | the elevated roof | 7 |
H1406-01 |
גַּ֥ג | gag | HNcmsc |
roof | elevated roof of | 6 |
H1406-03 |
גַּגּ֔וֹת | gagot | HNcmpa |
rooftops | raised rooftops | 4 |
H1406-02 |
גַּגּ֧/וֹ | gago | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
its top | his elevated roof | 3 |
H1406-07 |
הַ/גָּ֑גָ/ה | hagagah | HTd/Ncmsa/Sd |
the roof | to the elevated rooftop | 2 |
H1406-05 |
גַּגֹּֽתֵי/הֶם֙ | gagoteyhem | HNcmpc/Sp3mp |
roofs of them | their raised roofs | 2 |
H1406-12 |
לְ/גַגּ֔/וֹ | legago | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
to its roof | to his elevated roof | 1 |
H1406-08 |
הַ/גַּגּ֖וֹת | hagagot | HTd/Ncmpa |
the roofs | the flat roofs | 1 |
H1406-10 |
לַ/גַּגּֽוֹת | lagagot | HRd/Ncmpa |
to the roofs | to the elevated rooftops | 1 |
H1406-09 |
ה/גג | hgg | HTd/Ncmsa |
the roof | the elevated roof | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
31 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1406-02 |
Exodus 30:3 | גַּגּ֧/וֹ | gago | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
its top | his elevated roof |
H1406-02 |
Exodus 37:26 | גַּגּ֧/וֹ | gago | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
its top | his elevated roof |
H1406-11 |
Deuteronomy 22:8 | לְ/גַגֶּ֑/ךָ | legagekha | HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms |
for your roof | your elevated roof |
H1406-07 |
Joshua 2:6 | הַ/גָּ֑גָ/ה | hagagah | HTd/Ncmsa/Sd |
to the roof | to the elevated rooftop |
H1406-06 |
Joshua 2:6 | הַ/גָּֽג | hagag | HTd/Ncmsa |
the roof | the elevated roof |
H1406-06 |
Joshua 2:8 | הַ/גָּֽג | hagag | HTd/Ncmsa |
the roof | the elevated roof |
H1406-01 |
Judges 9:51 | גַּ֥ג | gag | HNcmsc |
roof | elevated roof of |
H1406-06 |
Judges 16:27 | הַ/גָּ֗ג | hagag | HTd/Ncmsa |
the-roof | the elevated roof |
H1406-06 |
1 Samuel 9:25 | הַ/גָּֽג | hagag | HTd/Ncmsa |
the roof | the elevated roof |
H1406-09 |
1 Samuel 9:26 | ה/גג | hgg | HTd/Ncmsa |
the roof | the elevated roof |