גָּזָם
𐤂𐤆𐤌
gâzâm
H1501 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A kind of locust known for consuming vegetation, especially in swarms that destroy crops; denotes a specific species or stage of locust distinguished by its voracious eating. The term is primarily used to refer to one of several types of destructive insects in biblical lists of agricultural plagues.
Semantic Range
a kind or stage of locust, crop-devouring insect, palmerworm; figuratively, agent of agricultural destruction or divine judgment
Root / Etymology
Root/Etymology uncertain. The word גָּזָם (gâzâm) does not occur in verb form in the Hebrew Bible, and only the noun is attested. The traditional derivation from an unused root meaning 'to devour' is not confirmed by attested Hebrew verbs. There is no secure evidence connecting it to other Semitic roots; the etymology remains uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
גָּזָם appears only in poetic or oracular passages (notably Joel 1:4, 2:25; Amos 4:9; Nahum 3:15), nearly always as part of a sequence with other types of locusts or crop-devouring insects (such as אַרְבֶּה, יֶלֶק, חָסִיל). The precise entomological identification is unclear; it refers to a stage, kind, or species of locust. English translations range from 'palmerworm' to 'cutter' or 'shearer,' but these are interpretive guesses based on the probable meaning of the root and context. Ancient Greek (LXX) translates with βροῦχος or related terms, also lacking specificity. The word does not refer to a generic locust but to a member of a destructive sequence—perhaps emphasizing the devastating effect on agriculture. Usage is limited to texts reflecting agrarian and prophetic concerns about national disaster or divine judgment through agricultural blight. The term had little traction in later Hebrew or post-biblical usage, and its exact nuance may have been lost by the Second Temple period, as suggested by varying ancient translations.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to devour; a kind of locust; palmer-worm.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גזם (g-z-m) — cutting, shearing, trimming (uncertain); associated with destructive consumption
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1502 | גַּזָּם | Cut-Off One |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1501-01 |
הַ/גָּזָם֙ | hagazam | HTd/Ncmsa |
of the gnawing locust | the cutting-locust | 2 |
H1501-02 |
וְ/הַ/גָּזָ֑ם | vehagazam | HC/Td/Ncmsa |
and-the-cutter | and the cutting-locust | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1501-01 |
Joel 1:4 | הַ/גָּזָם֙ | hagazam | HTd/Ncmsa |
of the gnawing locust | the cutting-locust |
H1501-02 |
Joel 2:25 | וְ/הַ/גָּזָ֑ם | vehagazam | HC/Td/Ncmsa |
and-the-cutter | and the cutting-locust |
H1501-01 |
Amos 4:9 | הַ/גָּזָ֑ם | hagazam | HTd/Ncmsa |
the locust | the cutting-locust |