גּוּף
𐤂𐤅𐤐
gûwph
H1479 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To enclose or shut up, primarily expressing the act of closing off, barring entrance, or sealing; used in a context of preventing movement or access, often with a connotation of physical or spatial confinement. The sense relates to shutting or sealing off something, without necessarily conveying punitive or hostile intent.
Semantic Range
to shut, to close off, to enclose, to confine, to bar from passage, to arch over
Root / Etymology
From the root גּוּף, which may be related to an onomatopoeic or imitative sense of enclosing or arching over; however, its root relationship to similar Semitic terms is debated. The core sense is 'to enclose, shut, confine.' Derivatives are extremely rare and the root is not widely found outside of the Hebrew Bible. Some have connected the root to Akkadian or Aramaic parallels, but evidence is limited.
Historical & Contextual Notes
גּוּף (gûwph) is attested only in very limited contexts, making it a rare or archaic term even within the Hebrew Bible. Its use is primarily poetic or figurative, rather than technical; the sense of physically shutting, arching over, or enclosing may reflect architectural metaphors (such as the arching of a doorway or a lid) or figurative language about being barred in or prevented from exit. In later periods, the root does not appear to be productive in Hebrew, and it does not develop the broader range or frequency that related terms (such as סגר 'to shut' or סתם 'to close/seal') attain. Modern Hebrew does not utilize this root in everyday vocabulary, and the English word 'shut' or 'enclose' only partially captures the nuance, as the biblical term more often connotes being closed in as a result of being encircled or covered. No direct connection exists with the later Hebrew noun גוּף (guf, 'body'), despite some phonetic similarity.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; properly, to hollow or arch, i.e. (figuratively) close; to shut; shut.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גוף (g-w-ph) — to enclose, to shut, to confine
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1480 | גּוּפָה | corpse of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1479-01 |
יָגִ֥יפוּ | yagifu | HVhi3mp |
let them shut | they will enclose | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1479-01 |
Nehemiah 7:3 | יָגִ֥יפוּ | yagifu | HVhi3mp |
let them shut | they will enclose |