גַּת
𐤂𐤕
Gat
H1661 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Gath – a proper noun referring to a city, notably a major Philistine city located in the southern coastal region of ancient Canaan. The term is used almost exclusively as a place name in the Hebrew Bible. While the lexical root means 'winepress,' in this usage Gath functions as a toponym and does not indicate an actual winepress but rather the name of a settlement.
Semantic Range
winepress (literal root meaning); proper noun: city name, specifically the Philistine city Gath
Root / Etymology
From the root גת meaning 'winepress'; in this instance, it is used nominally as a place name, possibly metaphorically designating a location where grape pressing or viticulture was prominent. The form is identical to the common noun for 'winepress.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the biblical text, גַּת (Gath) is consistently identified as one of the five principal Philistine city-states, alongside Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gaza, and Ekron. It appears in narratives related to Samson (Judges), Samuel, David, and the Philistine wars (Samuel, Kings, Chronicles), and is most famously associated with Goliath (described as 'Goliath of Gath'). Gath's prominence in the early monarchic period is notable, but its use as a toponym does not imply Israelite or Judahite identity for its residents; rather, it was a major urban center of the coastal Philistine polity. Archaeological evidence (commonly associated with Tell es-Safi) suggests continuous occupation through the Iron Age. English translations retain the transliterated 'Gath,' and while the root relates to 'winepress,' the significance as a city name overshadows the literal meaning in biblical usage. The term does not refer to an ethnic identity; it is a geographic designation. In later tradition, 'Gath' occasionally became a symbolic name denoting Philistine power or enmity, but is not used generically for a 'winepress' outside the toponym.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as גַּת; Gath, a Philistine city; Gath.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גת (g-t) — to press, to squeeze, to extract liquid
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1660 | גַּת | in the grape-press |
| H1663 | גִּתִּי | the man of Gath |
| H1664 | גִּתַּיִם | toward Two-Winepresses |
| H1665 | גִּתִּית | the Gath-melody |
| H1897 | הָגָה | the man from Gath |
Word Forms
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1661-02 |
גַּ֣ת | gat | HNp |
Gath | Gath | 17 |
H1661-01 |
בְּ/גַ֥ת | begat | HR/Np |
in Gath | in Gath | 9 |
H1661-05 |
מִ/גַּ֑ת | migat | HR/Np |
from Gath | from Gath | 4 |
H1661-03 |
גַּ֨תָ/ה֙ | gatah | HNp/Sd |
to Gath | toward Gath | 1 |
H1661-04 |
לְ/גַ֥ת | legat | HR/Np |
for Gath | to Gath | 1 |
H1661-06 |
בְ/גַ֔ת | vegat | HR/Np |
in Gath | Gath | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
33 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1661-01 |
Joshua 11:22 | בְּ/גַ֥ת | begat | HR/Np |
in-Gath | in Gath |
H1661-02 |
1 Samuel 5:8 | גַּ֣ת | gat | HNp |
Gath | Gath |
H1661-04 |
1 Samuel 6:17 | לְ/גַ֥ת | legat | HR/Np |
for Gath | to Gath |
H1661-02 |
1 Samuel 7:14 | גַּ֔ת | gat | HNp |
Gath | Gath |
H1661-05 |
1 Samuel 17:4 | מִ/גַּ֑ת | migat | HR/Np |
from Gath | from Gath |
H1661-05 |
1 Samuel 17:23 | מִ/גַּת֙ | migat | HR/Np |
from-Gath | from Gath |
H1661-02 |
1 Samuel 17:52 | גַּ֖ת | gat | HNp |
Gath | Gath |
H1661-02 |
1 Samuel 21:11 | גַּֽת | gat | HNp |
of Gath | Gath |
H1661-02 |
1 Samuel 21:13 | גַּֽת | gat | HNp |
of Gath | Gath |
H1661-02 |
1 Samuel 27:2 | גַּֽת | gat | HNp |
of Gath | Gath |