גָּזִית
𐤂𐤆𐤉𐤕
gâzîyth
H1496 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Worked stone prepared by being cut or shaped by tools, primarily referring to dressed or hewn stones as distinct from rough fieldstones or unworked material. The term designates masonry or individual building stones shaped for use in construction, often for important structures such as altars or monumental buildings. Semantic range includes hewn or dressed stone and, more rarely, stonework as a class of material distinct from natural, unshaped stones.
Semantic Range
hewn stone, dressed stone, worked stone, masonry, stones shaped for construction
Root / Etymology
From the root גזה (ג-ז-ה), meaning 'to cut' or 'to shear,' with the derived form גָּזִית functioning as a noun indicating a thing that has been cut, specifically stone. The lexical development is from the root action 'to cut' to the result, a cut (worked) stone.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, גָּזִית typically refers to stones that have been carefully shaped or worked for use in significant construction projects, most notably in contexts forbidden for altars or shrines according to Torah regulations (e.g., Exodus 20:25; Deuteronomy 27:5-6), emphasizing the distinction between unworked, 'natural' stones (אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת, 'whole' or 'complete stones') and man-shaped, worked masonry (אבן גָּזִית). The use of גָּזִית is also associated with royal or cultic building projects, such as the construction of Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 5:31 [Eng: 5:17]; 6:36). The term carries no indication of the specific type of stone but rather the fact of having been physically worked by tools. Later post-biblical usage may continue or broaden the term's architectural associations. English translations as 'hewn stone' or 'dressed stone' are broadly accurate, although 'dressed' better communicates the notion of deliberate shaping rather than simply being cut.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from גָּזָה; something cut, i.e. dressed stone; hewed, hewn stone, wrought.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גזה (g-z-h) — to cut, to shear, to hew
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1491 | גָּזָה | my cutter |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1496-02 |
גָּזִ֑ית | gazit | HNcfsa |
hewn | hewn stone | 9 |
H1496-01 |
בְּ/גָזִ֔ית | begazit | HR/Ncfsa |
with hewn stone | in hewn stone | 1 |
H1496-03 |
וְ/גָזִ֣ית | vegazit | HC/Ncfsa |
and dressed stone | worked stone | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
11 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1496-02 |
Exodus 20:25 | גָּזִ֑ית | gazit | HNcfsa |
hewn | hewn stone |
H1496-02 |
1 Kings 5:31 | גָזִֽית | gazit | HNcfsa |
hewn | hewn stone |
H1496-02 |
1 Kings 6:36 | גָזִ֑ית | gazit | HNcfsa |
hewn stone | hewn stone |
H1496-02 |
1 Kings 7:9 | גָּזִ֔ית | gazit | HNcfsa |
hewed | hewn stone |
H1496-02 |
1 Kings 7:11 | גָּזִ֖ית | gazit | HNcfsa |
cut stone | hewn stone |
H1496-02 |
1 Kings 7:12 | גָּזִ֔ית | gazit | HNcfsa |
of-cut-stone | hewn stone |
H1496-03 |
Isaiah 9:9 | וְ/גָזִ֣ית | vegazit | HC/Ncfsa |
and dressed stone | worked stone |
H1496-02 |
Ezekiel 40:42 | גָזִ֗ית | gazit | HNcfsa |
hewn | hewn stone |
H1496-02 |
Amos 5:11 | גָזִ֛ית | gazit | HNcfsa |
of hewn stone | hewn stone |
H1496-01 |
Lamentations 3:9 | בְּ/גָזִ֔ית | begazit | HR/Ncfsa |
with hewn stone | in hewn stone |