גֵּרוּת
𐤂𐤓𐤅𐤕
gêrûwth
H1628 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A period or state of residing temporarily in a land or among a people not one's own; the status or condition of sojourning as a foreigner, often carrying legal and social implications of limited rights, outsider status, and dependence on hospitality.
Semantic Range
sojourn, temporary residence, state of being a resident alien, alien status, period of sojourning
Root / Etymology
From the root גּוּר (gûr), meaning 'to sojourn, reside temporarily, live as an alien.' The noun גֵּרוּת (gêrûwth) is derived by adding the feminine abstract ending -ות, forming a noun of action or state referring to the act or state of being a sojourner or foreign resident.
Historical & Contextual Notes
גֵּרוּת occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible, found notably in Leviticus 25:23 where it describes the Israelite condition as 'sojourners' with respect to the land belonging ultimately to YHWH. The concept of גֵּרוּת presumes a distinction between native-born (אֶזְרָח) and non-native residents (גֵּר), with the latter having different legal and social status, often dependent on hospitality and subject to distinct legal protections and obligations (cf. Exodus 22:20, Leviticus 19:34). In later periods, especially in Rabbinic Hebrew, גֵּרוּת shifted semantically to signify 'conversion' (the process of becoming a proselyte), but in biblical usage it always refers to the state of alienage or sojourning, not religious adoption. English translations such as 'habitation' or 'dwelling' flatten important nuances concerning outsider status and legal standing. The term is used primarily in communal and legal contexts, rather than describing an individual's physical dwelling.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from גּוּר; a (temporary) residence; habitation.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גור (g-w-r) — to sojourn, reside temporarily, dwell as a foreigner
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1481 | גּוּר | I will sojourn |
| H1482 | גּוּר | Sojourn! |
| H1483 | גּוּר | Gur |
| H1484 | גּוֹר | his den-dwelling cubs |
| H1616 | גֵּר | in the resident-foreigner |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1628-01 |
בְּ/גֵר֣וּת | begerut | HR/Ncfsc |
in Geruth | in sojourning-of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1628-01 |
Jeremiah 41:17 | בְּ/גֵר֣וּת | begerut | HR/Ncfsc |
in Geruth | in sojourning-of |