גַּזָּם
𐤂𐤆𐤌
Gazam
H1502 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Gazzam: a personal name referring to an individual clan or ancestor among the Nethinim—temple assistants or servants—mentioned in post-exilic returnee lists. The name is possibly derived from a root meaning 'to cut, shear, or destroy,' but its exact referent in context is a clan or house associated with post-exilic temple service.
Semantic Range
personal or clan name among the Nethinim, possibly 'the one cut off,' 'shearer,' or 'devourer'; does not carry active verbal force in context of the proper name
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root גזם (to cut off, shear, destroy), גַּזָּם is structured as a personal or group name. The root itself points to something that is cut off or devoured.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Gazzam appears in post-exilic lists of Nethinim returning from exile (Ezra 2:48; Nehemiah 7:51). The Nethinim were a group responsible for various forms of temple service; evidence suggests they were not of Israelite descent but were attached to temple duties, possibly remnants of earlier subjugated peoples. As a personal or clan name, Gazzam reflects this semi-servile status. English translations often simply reproduce the name as 'Gazzam.' The root connection to 'cut off' is echoed in other Hebrew words for locusts or devouring insects (e.g., גָּזָם in Joel 1:4), but here the link is primarily lexical and not descriptive of the clan's function.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as גָּזָם; devourer; Gazzam, one of the Nethinim; Gazzam.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גזם (g-z-m) — cut off, shear, destroy, devour
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1501 | גָּזָם | the cutting-locust |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1502-01 |
גַזָּֽם | gazam | HNp |
Gazzam | Cut-Off One | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1502-01 |
Ezra 2:48 | גַזָּֽם | gazam | HNp |
Gazzam | Cut-Off One |
H1502-01 |
Nehemiah 7:51 | גַזָּ֥ם | gazam | HNp |
Gazzam | Cut-Off One |