גַּת
𐤂𐤕
gath
H1660 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place or structure designed for pressing grapes to extract juice, specifically a winepress. In the Hebrew Bible, גַּת refers primarily to an apparatus or installation for treading or pressing grapes, often an excavated pit or rock-hewn vat. The term may also extend to large cisterns or troughs where juice collects. Contexts include both domestic and communal winemaking, with some references possibly indicating industrial-scale facilities. Sometimes used in poetic language to reference the winemaking process more generally.
Semantic Range
winepress, grape-press installation, vat for pressing grapes, symbolic reference to winemaking process, metaphorical use for harvest or judgment
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root נָגַת or related to נָגַן, with the basic sense of 'to press, strike, or tread.' The noun גַּת appears to derive from this notion of pressure or treading, applied specifically to the context of winemaking. The form is a common noun in Hebrew and appears in related Semitic languages with similar meanings, such as Ugaritic and Phoenician. The direct connection to the precise Hebrew root is debated, but the meaning is consistent across cognate languages.
Historical & Contextual Notes
גַּת appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, typically describing the winepress as part of agricultural practice. In earlier texts, such as the Judges and Prophets, the winepress is a communal feature and often associated with Israelite agricultural cycles, particularly vintage festivals and harvest. Proverbs and prophetic books sometimes use גַּת metaphorically to signal abundance, judgment, or joy. In post-exilic and later periods, the term continues to appear but may refer to larger or more developed installations, reflecting changes in viticultural technology. Unlike מִקְבֶּה (winevat) or פּוּרָה (a separate pressing device), גַּת is the general term for the entire pressing installation. In Greek and later translations, Γαθ is sometimes transliterated and sometimes rendered as ληνός (winepress), but later English renderings such as 'fat' are archaic and obscure the technological context. The term also appears in place names (e.g., Gath), but in those cases likely preserves reference to local viticultural practices rather than the common noun's meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably from נָגַן (in the sense of treading out grapes); a wine-press (or vat for holding the grapes in pressing them); (wine-) press (fat).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גת (g-t) — pressing, treading, exerting pressure
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1661 | גַּת | in Gath |
| H1663 | גִּתִּי | the man of Gath |
| H1664 | גִּתַּיִם | toward Two-Winepresses |
| H1665 | גִּתִּית | the Gath-melody |
| H1897 | הָגָה | the man from Gath |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1660-03 |
גַּ֔ת | gat | HNcfsa |
the winepress | Gath | 2 |
H1660-04 |
גִּתּ֣וֹת | gitot | HNcfpa |
winepresses | grape-presses | 1 |
H1660-01 |
בַּ/גַּ֔ת | bagat | HRd/Ncfsa |
in the winepress | in the grape-press | 1 |
H1660-02 |
בְּ/גַֽת | begat | HR/Ncfsa |
in the winepress | in Gath | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1660-01 |
Judges 6:11 | בַּ/גַּ֔ת | bagat | HRd/Ncfsa |
in the winepress | in the grape-press |
H1660-02 |
Isaiah 63:2 | בְּ/גַֽת | begat | HR/Ncfsa |
in the winepress | in Gath |
H1660-03 |
Joel 4:13 | גַּ֔ת | gat | HNcfsa |
the winepress | Gath |
H1660-03 |
Lamentations 1:15 | גַּ֚ת | gat | HNcfsa |
winepress | Gath |
H1660-04 |
Nehemiah 13:15 | גִּתּ֣וֹת | gitot | HNcfpa |
winepresses | grape-presses |