1401. gibbar

Lexical Summary

gibbar: Mighty man, strong man, warrior

Original Word: גִּבָר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: gibbar
Pronunciation: ghib-BAHR
Phonetic Spelling: (ghib-bawr')
KJV: mighty
NASB: warriors
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) intensive of H140 (אֲדוֹנִיקָם - Adonikam)0]

1. valiant, or warrior

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

mighty

(Aramaic) intensive of gbar; valiant, or warrior -- mighty.

see HEBREW gbar

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
(Aramaic) from the same as gebar
Definition
mighty one
NASB Translation
warriors (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[גִּבָּר] noun masculine mighty one; — plural construct חַיִל גִּבָּרֵיֿ Daniel 3:20 (= Biblical Hebrew גִּבּוֺרֵי חַיִל).

Topical Lexicon

Definition and Essence

גִּבָר describes a man distinguished by strength, valor, and military prowess. Though it appears only once (Daniel 3:20), the term evokes the wider biblical portrait of warriors whose physical capability is pressed into service of a king’s command—whether unrighteous, as in Babylon, or righteous, as among David’s “mighty men.”

Old Testament Occurrence

Daniel 3:20: “And he commanded mighty men of valor in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing fiery furnace”.

Here, Nebuchadnezzar selects elite soldiers—גִּבָר—to carry out a public act of terror meant to enforce idolatry. Their strength stands in stark contrast to the apparent weakness of the three Judean exiles, yet the narrative quickly overturns assumptions about true power.

Historical Setting

• Sixth-century B.C. Babylon.
• Nebuchadnezzar’s empire relied on specialized troops drawn from conquered peoples; the king’s “mighty men” formed an inner corps tasked with critical, often brutal assignments.
• The furnace scene likely took place during a grand dedication of a golden image on the Dura plain, a political rally cementing loyalty through compulsory worship.

Theological Significance

1. Apparent versus ultimate strength
• Human might (גִּבָר) proves powerless against the God who “rescues and saves; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth” (Daniel 6:27).
2. Sovereignty of God over empires
• Babylon’s strongest cannot hinder divine deliverance. The episode anticipates the ultimate subjugation of every earthly power beneath the Messiah’s reign (Psalm 2; Revelation 11:15).
3. Faith under fire
• The three Hebrews’ refusal to bow illustrates the primacy of worship. Physical force marshaled by the state is no match for covenant loyalty empowered by the Spirit.

Typological and Christological Insights

• The bound yet preserved Hebrews prefigure the crucified yet risen Christ—delivered through, not from, suffering.
• The “fourth man” walking in the flames (Daniel 3:25) foreshadows Immanuel’s presence with His people, rendering the might of גִּבָר irrelevant when the “Lord strong and mighty” (Psalm 24:8) stands with them.

Practical and Ministry Applications

• Courage in opposition: Believers facing cultural or governmental pressure may recall that the world’s “mighty men” operate only by divine permission.
• Spiritual warfare: The church relies not on human strength but on “the weapons of our warfare” that “have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).
• Leadership: True greatness is measured by obedience and faith, not by coercive power. Pastors and ministry leaders cultivate spiritual valor rather than outward force.

Related Biblical Concepts

• גִּבּוֹר (gibbor) – mighty man/warrior (e.g., 2 Samuel 23)
• Chayil – valor, strength, often used of both warriors and the virtuous woman (Proverbs 31:10)
• Dunamis (Greek) – power, inherent strength (Acts 1:8)

See Also

Psalm 33:16-17; Jeremiah 9:23-24; Ephesians 6:10-18

Forms and Transliterations

גִּבָּֽרֵי־ גברי־ gib·bā·rê- gibbārê- gibbarei

Englishman's Concordance

Daniel 3:20
HEB: וּלְגֻבְרִ֤ין גִּבָּֽרֵי־ חַ֙יִל֙ דִּ֣י
NAS: valiant warriors who
KJV: the most mighty men
INT: certain warriors valiant who

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 1401
1 Occurrence

gib·bā·rê- — 1 Occ.