H1369 H1369
Strength, might, power; heroic valor; mighty deeds or acts of power, especially of God or warriors.
Gevurah is the Hebrew Bible's premier noun for concentrated, active power — the kind that accomplishes things. Unlike koach, which often denotes raw capacity or potential energy, gevurah emphasizes demonstrated strength, whether in God's mighty acts, a warrior's battlefield valor, or the sheer physical force of a horse or crocodile. The word is built on the root g-b-r ('to be strong, prevail'), and its sense of triumph pervades every usage. In the royal annals of Kings and Chronicles, the formulaic phrase 'the rest of his acts and his gevurah' enshrines a king's military accomplishments alongside his other deeds. In the Psalms, gevurah becomes the word for God's awe-inspiring acts of salvation and creation (Ps 20:6; 71:16; 106:2). Arabic jabarut and Korean neungnyeok both capture the active, forceful quality that sets this word apart from quieter terms for strength.
Senses
1. might, power, strength — The core abstract sense: might, power, or strength as an attribute of God, a king, or any mighty being — 41 of 62 occurrences. This is gevurah as a quality or possession: the strength of the sun going forth in its might (Judg 5:31), the physical vigor of a mature man versus old age (Ps 90:10; Eccl 10:17), the might of the crocodile's limbs (Job 41:12), and above all the power of God himself (Isa 11:2 — 'the spirit of counsel and gevurah'). Arabic jabarut/quwwa, Korean him/neungnyeok, Hindi shakti/samarthya, and Spanish poder all converge on abstract personal power. The Kings formula 'and the rest of his acts and his gevurah' (1 Kgs 16:5, 27; 22:45 etc.) belongs here — it refers to the king's might as a general attribute. 41×
AR["جَبَروتِكَ","جَبَرُوتَكَ","جَبَرُوتِهِمْ","جَبَرُوتِي","وَ-بَطْشِهِ","وَ-جَبَروتُهُ","وَ-قُوَّةٌ","وَالْجَبَرُوتُ","وَجَبَروتٌ","وَجَبَرُوتٌ","وَجَبَرُوتُهُ","وَقُوَّةٌ"]·ben["-আমার-পরাক্রম","আপনার-পরাক্রম","আমার-পরাক্রম","আর-পরাক্রম","এবং-তাঁর-বীরত্ব","এবং-তার-পরাক্রম","এবং-শক্তি","ও-বীরত্ব","তাদের-শক্তির","তোমার-পরাক্রম।","তোমার-শক্তি"]·DE["Staerke","[גבורתם]","[וגבורה]","dein-Heldenstärke","und-Staerke","und-koennte","und-sein-koennte"]·EN["My-might","Your-might","and-his-might","and-might","and-the-power","their-might","your-might"]·FR["et-force","et-pourrait","et-puissance","et-son-pourrait","force","puissance"]·heb["גבורתי","גבורתך","גבורתם","ו-גבורה","ו-גבורתו","ו-ה-גבורה"]·HI["अपनी-शक्ति","अपनी-शक्ति-के","उनकी-शक्ति","और-उसकी-शूरवीरता","और-गवूरातो-उसकी","और-पराक्रम","और-पराक्रम-उस-का","और-शक्ति","और-शूरवीरता","तेरा-सामर्थ्य","पराक्रम-तेरे-का","मेरी-शक्ति","मेरी-शक्ति-को"]·ID["dan-kekuatan","dan-keperkasaan","dan-keperkasaannya","dan-kuasa","keperkasaan-Ku","keperkasaan-Mu","keperkasaan-mereka"]·IT["e-forza","e-potenza","e-potrebbe","e-suo-potrebbe","forza","potenza"]·jav["kakiyatan","kakiyatan-Kula","kakiyatanipun","kaprawiran-Panjenengan","lan-kadigdayanipun","lan-kakiyatan","lan-kaprawiran","lan-kaprawiranipun","lan-piyambakipun-badhé-mangertos","pangwaos-Panjenengan"]·KO["그리고-권능","그리고-그-권능과","그리고-그의-능력","그리고-그의-용맹과","그리고-그의-용맹함","그리고-능력이","그리고-능력이다","그리고-용력-이","그리고-힘이","나의-힘을","내-힘을","능력-그들의","능력-을","당신-의-능력-을","주의-능력을","힘의-그들의"]·PT["Meu-poder;","Minha-força","e-força","e-o-poder","e-poder","e-seu-poder","e-sua-valentia","e-valentia-sua","seu-poder","sua-valentia","teu-poder"]·RU["и-геройство-его","и-доблесть-его","и-могущество","и-могущество-его","и-сила","могущество-Моё","могущество-Твое","могущество-Твоё","силу-Мою","силу-Твою","силы-их"]·ES["mi-poder","poder-de-ti","poder-mi","su-poder","tu-poder","tu-poderío","y-el-poder;","y-fuerza","y-la-fuerza","y-poder","y-su-poder","y-su-poderío","y-su-valentía"]·SW["na-nguvu","na-nguvu-zake","na-ushujaa-wake","na-uweza","nguvu-yako","nguvu-yangu","nguvu-zao","uweza-wako"]·TR["gucumu","gücünü","gücünün","güçlerinin-onların","kudretimi","kudretini","ve-gucu","ve-güç","ve-kahramanlıkları","ve-kahramanlığı-onun","ve-kudret","ve-kuvvet","ve-yığitliği"]·urd["اور-اُس-کی-بہادری","اور-اُس-کی-طاقت","اور-بہادری-اُس-کی","اور-طاقت","اور-قدرت","اور-قوت","اپنی-طاقت","اپنی-قدرت","تیری-قدرت-کی","تیری-قوت","طاقت-اُن-کی","میری-طاقت"]
Judg 5:31, Judg 8:21, 1 Kgs 16:5, 1 Kgs 16:27, 1 Kgs 22:45, 2 Kgs 13:8, 2 Kgs 13:12, 2 Kgs 14:15, 2 Kgs 14:28, 2 Kgs 18:20, 1 Chr 29:11, 1 Chr 29:12 (+29 more)
2. mighty deeds, acts of power — Concrete mighty deeds or acts of power, typically in the plural gevurot — 12 occurrences where abstract might becomes countable historical actions. Moses prays 'you have begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand' (Deut 3:24); Job asks 'who can understand the thunder of his gevurot?' (Job 26:14); the Psalmist resolves 'I will come with the gevurot of the Lord GOD' (Ps 71:16). Spanish proezas/hazañas ('feats/exploits'), Swahili matendo makuu ('great deeds'), and Korean neungnyeok-deul (pluralized) all shift to countable-event vocabulary, confirming this as a distinct sense from the abstract quality. Psalm 106:2 ('who can declare all his mighty acts?') and 145:4 anchor this sense in doxological language. 12×
AR["(جَبَرُوتاتِهِ)","[جَبَروتِهِ]","بِ-جَبَروتِ","بِ-جَبَرُوتِهِ","بِجَبَروت","بِجَبَرُوتِ","جَبَرُوتَهُ","جَبَرُوتِهِ","وَ-جَبَرُوتُكَ","وَجَبَرُوتِكَ","وَكَجَبَرُوتِكَ"]·ben["(তাঁর-পরাক্রমের)","-এবং-তোমার-পরাক্রম","[তাঁর-পরাক্রমের]","এবং-তোমার-বীরত্বের-মত","ও-তোমার-শক্তি","ও-তোমার-শক্তিশালী-কাজগুলি-কে","তাঁর-শক্তিশালী-কাজগুলি","তাঁর-শক্তিশালী-কাজে","পরাক্রমগুলি","পরাক্রমে","শক্তির"]·DE["Heldenstärke-","[(גבורותיו)]","[[גבורתו]]","[גבורות]","mit-der-Heldenstärke-","sein-Heldenstärke","und-Staerke","und-dein-Heldenstärke","und-wie-Dein-maechtig-acts","zu-sein-Heldenstärke"]·EN["His-mighty-deeds","[K]","and-Your-mighty-deeds","and-like-Your-mighty-acts","and-your-might","and-your-mighty-deeds","for-his-mighty-deeds","his-might","his-mighty-deeds","mighty-acts-of","with-the-mighty-acts-of","with-the-mighty-deeds-of"]·FR["dans-puissance","et-comme-Ton-puissant-acts","et-force","et-puissance","puissance","son-puissance-lui"]·heb["ב-גבורות","ב-גבורותיו","גבורות","גבורותיו","גבורתו","ו-גבורותיך","ו-גבורתך","ו-כ-גבורותיך"]·HI["उसकी-शक्तियाँ","उसकी-शक्तियों-का","उसके-पराक्रमों-के-लिए","उसके-पराक्रमों-को","और-तेरे-पराक्रम-को","और-तेरे-पराक्रमों-को","और-शक्ति-तेरी","तेरे","पराक्रमों-को","में-शक्ति","शक्तियों-की","सामर्थ्य-में"]·ID["K","dalam-perbuatan-perkasa-Nya","dan-keperkasaan-Mu","dan-perbuatan-perkasa-Mu","dan-seperti-keperkasaan-Mu","dengan-keperkasaan","dengan-perbuatan-perbuatan-perkasa","kekuatan","keperkasaan","kuasa-kuasa-Nya","perbuatan-perkasa-Nya"]·IT["e-come-Tuo-potente-acts","e-potenza","potenza","potenza-suo"]·jav["(kakiyatan-Ipun)","[kakiyatan-Ipun]","ing-kakuwatan-kakuwatan-ipun","kakiyatanipun","kakuwatan-kakuwatan-ipun","kalayan-kakiyatan","lan-kados-kasaenan-Panjenengan","lan-kakiyatan-Panjenengan","lan-kakuwatan-Panjenengan","lan-kakuwatan-kakuwatan-Panjenengan","pakaryan-agung","sarana-pangwaos"]·KO["(그의-용맹들의)","[그의-용맹의]","강한-힘들의","그리고-너의-능력이","그리고-주의-능력-같이","그리고-주의-능력들을","그리고-주의-능력을","그의-능력들을","능력-을","능력들-로","능력들-안에서","에-그의-능력들로"]·PT["(de-seus-poderes)","[de-seu-poder]","as-poderosas-obras","com-a-força","e-como-tuas-proezas","e-de-teu-poder","e-poderes-teus","e-teus-feitos-poderosos","nas-proezas","os-seus-feitos-poderosos","pelos-seus-feitos-poderosos","proezas"]·RU["(могуществ-Его)","[могущества-Его]","в-силах","за-могущество-Его","и-как-могущество-Твоё","и-могущества-Твои","и-могущество-Твоё","и-о-могуществе-Твоём","могущество","могущество-Его","о-силе","силами"]·ES["(sus-poderes)","[sus-poderes]","con-poderío-de","con-poderíos-de","hazañas","las-hazañas-de","por-sus-proezas","sus-poderíos","y-como-tus-proezas?","y-tu-poder","y-tus-poderíos","y-tus-proezas?"]·SW["kwa-matendo-yake-makuu","kwa-nguvu","kwa-nguvu-za","matendo-makuu-ya","na-kama-nguvu-zako","na-nguvu-zako","nguvu-zake"]·TR["[gücü]","güçlerin","güçlerini","güçlü-işlerinde","güçlü-işlerini","güçlü-işleriyle-","kudretli-işlerle-","ve-gucleirin","ve-gücünü","ve-güçlerini-gibi","ve-güçlü-işlerini"]·urd["-قدرت-سے","اور-تیری-طاقت","اور-تیری-طاقت-کی-طرح","اور-تیری-قوت-کو","اور-تیرے-قوی-کاموں-کو","اُس-کے-قوی-کام","بِ-اُس-کے-قوی-کاموں-میں","بِ-طاقتوں","طاقت-کی","قدرت-اُس-کی","قدرتوں","قدرتوں-اُس-کی"]
3. valor, martial prowess — Valor, martial prowess, or heroic courage in a warfare context — 7 occurrences where the emphasis falls on battlefield bravery and warrior prowess rather than general strength. Micah 3:8 declares 'I am filled with power... and with gevurah,' in a martial prophetic context; 2 Kings 10:34 and 20:20 pair gevurah with military campaigns; Esther 10:2 records Mordecai's gevurah in a courtly-heroic register. Arabic ba's/batsh ('martial force'), Korean yongmaeng/yongryeok ('valor/prowess'), and Hindi virta/shurvirta ('heroism') all select courage-and-combat vocabulary distinct from the general 'power' words used for sense 1. The distinction matters: this is strength proven in conflict, not strength as a possession. 7×
AR["بَطْشِهِ","بِ-جِبُورَه","جَبَرُوتِهِ","وَ-بَأْسًا","وَجَبَرُوتِهِ","وَ‒جَبَرُوتِهِ"]·ben["আর-তাঁর-পরাক্রমের","এবং-বীরত্বে","ও-তাঁর-পরাক্রমের","তাঁর-পরাক্রম","তাঁর-বীরত্ব","তাঁর-শক্তি","বীরত্বে"]·DE["[בגבורה]","[וגבורה]","[וגבורתו]","sein-koennte","und-Staerke"]·EN["and-his-might","and-might","his-might","in-strength"]·FR["dans-puissance","et-force","et-puissance","son-pourrait"]·heb["ב-גבורה","גבורתו","ו-גבורה","ו-גבורתו-ו"]·HI["उसकी-वीरता","और-उसकी-शूरवीरता","और-उसके पराक्रम","और-वीरता","गवूरातो","पराक्रम-उस-का","वीरता-से"]·ID["-kepahlawanannya","dan-kepahlawanannya","dan-keperkasaan","dan-keperkasaannya","keperkasaannya","makan"]·IT["e-forza","in-potenza","suo-potrebbe"]·jav["kanthi-kakiyatan","kaprawiran","kaprawiraning","kaprawiranipun","lan-kakendelan","lan-kaprawiranipun"]·KO["그리고-그의-권능과","그리고-그의-용맹과","그리고-용기","그의-능력","그의-용력과","그의-용맹과","힘-으로"]·PT["comem","e-poder","e-seu-poder","e-valentia-sua","sua-força","sua-valentia","valentia-sua"]·RU["в-силе","геройство-его","доблесть-его","и-мужеством","и-силой-его","и-силы-его","сила-его"]·ES["con-fortaleza","su-poderío","su-valentía","valentía-de-él","y-poder","y-poder-de-él","y-su-fortaleza"]·SW["kwa-nguvu","na-nguvu-zake","na-uwezo","na-uwezo-wake","nguvu-zake","ushujaa-wake"]·TR["guc-icin","kahramanlıkları","kahramanlıkları-onun","kahramanlığı","ve-gücü","ve-kahramanlığının","ve-yığıtlık"]·urd["اور-اُس-کی-طاقت","اور-بہادری-سے","اور-طاقت-اپنی","اُس-کی-بہادری","بہادری-اُس-کی","میں-طاقت"]
4. sense 4 — An occurrence at Isaiah 3:25 where gevurah appears in a personified or collective context: 'your men shall fall by the sword and your gevurah in battle.' Here the word may function as a collective noun — 'your mighty ones' or 'your military strength' — rather than abstract might per se. Spanish tu poderio ('your military power') and English 'your mighty men' both interpret this as metonymy: the noun stands for the warriors who embody the quality. The singular form used for a collective referent distinguishes this from the standard abstract sense. 1×
AR["وَ-أَبطَالُكِ"]·ben["ও-তোমার-বীরেরা"]·DE["und-Staerke"]·EN["and-your-mighty-men"]·FR["et-force"]·heb["ו-גבורתך"]·HI["और-तेरे-वीर"]·ID["dan-pahlawan-pahlawanmu"]·IT["e-potenza"]·jav["lan-prawira-panjenengan"]·KO["네-용사들이"]·PT["e-valentes-teus"]·RU["и-сила-твоя"]·ES["y-tu-poderío"]·SW["na-mashujaa-wako"]·TR["ve-kahramanlarin"]·urd["اور-تیرے-سورمے"]
5. sense 5 — A single occurrence at Exodus 32:18 in a disputed and textually difficult passage: Moses hears 'the sound of anoth gevurah' — variously rendered as 'the noise of war,' 'the sound of singing of strength/victory,' or 'the shout of those who prevail.' Spanish victoria ('victory') and German Stärke ('strength') diverge, reflecting genuine uncertainty about whether gevurah here means 'victory,' 'strength in battle,' or something closer to 'triumph-shouting.' The phrase may represent an archaic military idiom preserved only in this passage from the early E source. 1×
AR["غَلَبَةٍ"]·ben["বিজয়ের"]·DE["Staerke"]·EN["strength"]·FR["force"]·heb["גבורה"]·HI["शक्ति"]·ID["kemenangan"]·IT["forza"]·jav["kamenangan,"]·KO["강함의"]·PT["vitória"]·RU["победы"]·ES["victoria"]·SW["ushindi"]·TR["zafer"]·urd["فتح-کی"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† גְּבוּרָה61 n.f. strength, might—Ex 32:18 + 16 times; cstr. גְּבוּרַת ψ 147:10; sf. גְּבוּרָתוֹ + (sfs. 32 times); pl. גְּבוּרוֹת Jb 41:4 + 3 times; גְּבֻרוֹת ψ 71:16; גְּבוּרֹתֶיךָ Dt 3:24 + (sfs. 6 times);— 1. strength, cf. horse Jb 39:19 ψ 147:10, crocodile Jb 41:4, sun Ju 5:31, body of man ψ 90:10 Ec 9:16; 10:17. 2. might, valour, of warriors Ju 8:21 Pr 8:14 Is 3:25; 28:6; 30:15 Je 9:22;…