גִּר
𐤂𐤓
gir
H1615 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A soft white stone material, specifically lime, chalk, or gypsum, generally in powdered or lump form, used primarily in construction (mortar, plaster, whitewash) or burned for lime in kilns. The term may denote either the raw, natural mineral (chalkstone/gypsum) or the processed lime resulting from burning (quicklime) depending on context.
Semantic Range
lime, chalkstone, gypsum, lime powder, burned stone
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root כּוּר (kûr), meaning 'to burn, smelt, heat intensely,' referencing a process of heating in a kiln; the noun גִּר reflects the product resulting from this burning process, namely lime or chalkstone. However, direct connection to כּוּר is debated, and some suggest the etymology is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term גִּר appears only in Isaiah 27:9, within a context describing the destruction of pagan altars and sacred stones, stating they shall be made 'like chalkstones crushed to pieces.' The meaning is drawn from the context of lime being a material left over from burned altars or as stones easily reduced to powder and scattered. While later interpreters sometimes associate the term with modern 'lime' (CaO) used in mortars and plasters, in the biblical period it often referred to types of soft, calcareous stone or gypsum naturally occurring or processed by burning. Greek and Latin translations reflect the concepts of chalk, lime, or gypsum, but these categories often overlapped in antiquity and do not always map precisely to modern distinctions. The singular occurrence in Isaiah may signify a poetic or idiomatic usage, and the nuance of being 'burned' or easily crumbled is primary. English translations vary ('chalkstone,' 'lime,' 'crushed stone'), reflecting this lexical ambiguity.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
perhaps from כּוּר; lime (from being burned in a kiln); chalk(-stone).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כור (k-w-r) — to burn, smelt, heat intensely
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3564 | כּוּר | in smelting-furnace of |
| H3565 | כּוֹר עָשָׁן | in Furnace-of-Smoke |
| H3595 | כִּיּוֹר | the hollowed basin |
| H3600 | כִּיר | pair of cooking-stones |
| H3734 | כֹּר | the large dry-measure vessel |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1615-01 |
גִר֙ | gir | HNcmsa |
of chalk | burned lime | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1615-01 |
Isaiah 27:9 | גִר֙ | gir | HNcmsa |
of chalk | burned lime |