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הָגוּת

𐤄𐤂𐤅𐤕

hâgûwth

H1900 noun

SILEX Entry

Root הגה to utter, mutter, meditate, muse

Definition

A thoughtful or concentrated act of reflection, pondering, or contemplation; the process or result of intense inward musing, often directed at something read or spoken, especially with an implication of sustained attention or rumination. In biblical contexts, often denotes silent or vocal meditation focused on instruction, law, or divine matters, but not restricted to religious contemplation.

Semantic Range

meditation, musing, pondering, reflection, inward contemplation, thoughtful consideration, rumination

Root / Etymology

Root: הגה (h-g-h). The root's core meaning pertains to muttering, murmuring, uttering in a low voice, or reflecting; from this root, הָגוּת (hâgûwth) is derived as an abstract noun, signifying the act or state of meditating, pondering, or musing. The noun formation emphasizes the process or activity itself, distinct from vocalized speech per se.

Historical & Contextual Notes

הָגוּת appears only once in the Hebrew Bible (Psalm 39:4 [MT 39:3]), where it denotes the movement from inward reflection to expressive speech, capturing the transition from silent musing to articulating one's thoughts. The nuance is broader than mere 'meditation': it includes internal deliberation, consideration, and sometimes audible murmuring. While later Hebrew and post-biblical usage of cognates tend toward emphases on philosophical or religious meditation, the biblical nuance may include any deep inward pondering, not exclusively devotional or legal reflection. This distinguishes it from related nouns such as שִׂיחַ (sîaḥ, meditation, complaint) or שְׂפָתַיִם (speech), which highlight other aspects of thought and expression. Standard English translations, using 'meditation,' often narrow its meaning; the Hebrew concept encompasses broader forms of mental focus, including but not limited to religious contemplation.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from הָגָה; musing; meditation.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

הגה (h-g-h) — uttering, muttering, meditating, musing

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1897 הָגָה I murmur
H1898 הָגָה he murmured
H1899 הֶגֶה a subdued murmur
H1901 הָגִיג in my murmuring meditation
H1902 הִגָּיוֹן murmuring meditation

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1900-01 וְ/הָג֖וּת vehagut HC/Ncfsc and meditation and meditation-of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1900-01 Psalms 49:4 וְ/הָג֖וּת vehagut HC/Ncfsc and meditation and meditation-of
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