גָּהָה
𐤂𐤄𐤄
gâhâh
H1455 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To remove or heal a wound, typically through the act of taking away a binding or wrapping; by extension, to restore to health. The verb often conveys an active or causative sense of bringing about physical healing or a return to a sound state after injury.
Semantic Range
to remove a bandage, to draw off (from a wound), to heal, to cure, to restore to health
Root / Etymology
Likely from the root גָּהָה (g-h-h), whose core idea relates to drawing off, removal, or restoration. The term appears sparsely in biblical texts and is regarded as a denominative verb—possibly arising from the imagery of unbinding a wound to facilitate healing. The relationship between the root meaning ('to remove') and the derived sense ('to heal') indicates a movement from the action of taking away impediment to the result of health being restored.
Historical & Contextual Notes
גָּהָה is a rare term, found only a handful of times in the Hebrew scriptures (such as Prov 17:22). The primary nuance emphasizes a literal act of removing a binding to facilitate healing, distinct from the more general term רָפָא (to heal, cure) that refers to a wider range of restorative acts, both physical and metaphorical. Its usage reflects a medical or caregiving context, likely relating to basic first aid practices in ancient Israelite society. There is little evidence of significant semantic development across the periods in which it is attested, as the contexts do not shift from the core sense of physical healing or restoration. Later translations sometimes render it as 'heal,' which can obscure the specific nuance of unbinding; thus, English translations tend to generalize the word beyond its original, technical sense.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to remove (a bandage from a wound, i.e. heal it); cure.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גּהה (g-h-h) — remove, take away, restore
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1455-01 |
יִגְהֶ֥ה | yigeheh | HVqi3ms |
cure | he will restore to health | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1455-01 |
Hosea 5:13 | יִגְהֶ֥ה | yigeheh | HVqi3ms |
cure | he will restore to health |