Lexical Summary gadar: To wall up, to build a wall, to enclose, to fence Original Word: גָּדַר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance close up, fence up, hedge, enclose, make up a wall, mason, repairer A primitive root; to wall in or around -- close up, fence up, hedge, inclose, make up (a wall), mason, repairer. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to wall up or off, to build a wall NASB Translation blocked (1), build (2), build the wall (1), masons (2), repairer (1), wall (1), walled (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs גָּדַר verb wall up or off, build a wall (denominative? Late Hebrew id., Arabic ![]() Qal Perfect גָּדַר Job 19:8 2t., וְגָדַרְתִּ֫י Hosea 2:8; Amos 9:11; Imperfect2masculine plural וַתִּגְדְּרוּ Ezekiel 13:5; Participle גֹּדֵר Isaiah 58:12; Ezekiel 22:30; plural גֹּדְרִים 2 Kings 12:13; 2 Kings 22:6; — wall up, shut off, literal only Participle, absolute = masons (wall-builders) 2 Kings 12:13; 2 Kings 22:6; also Isaiah 58:12 (object מֶּרֶץ); figurative of Yahweh's dealings with men, object אֹרַה Job 19:8, דֶּרֶך Lamentations 3:9; compare Hosea 2:8 (accusative of congnate meaning with verb גָּדֵר), in all = obstructing path of life, compare also Lamentations 3:7 (with בַּעֲדִי); of restoring fallen booth of David Amos 9:11 (object פרצים); of repairing fortunes of Israel, a work neglected by prophets Ezekiel 13:5, and by all in power Ezekiel 22:30 (both with accusative of congnate meaning with verb) Topical Lexicon Overview The root גָּדַר (Strong’s Hebrew 1443) gathers its meaning around the acts of enclosing, fencing, repairing, and hedging. The contexts of its ten appearances range from literal masonry to vivid metaphors of divine restraint or protection. Together they form a rich biblical motif: the wall that guards, the breach that endangers, and the call to restore what sin has broken. Construction and Restoration of Physical Walls 1. Royal building projects. In 2 Kings 12:12 and 2 Kings 22:6 the word describes craftsmen “repairing the damage to the temple of the LORD.” Temple walls symbolize covenant order; their mending under Joash and Josiah mirrors moments of reform, reminding modern readers that material stewardship can serve spiritual renewal. Obstruction and Limitation in Personal Suffering Job 19:8 voices the lament, “He has walled up my way so I cannot pass.” Lamentations 3:7, 9 echoes the anguish: “He has walled me in so I cannot escape… He has walled in my ways with hewn stone.” Here גָּדַר portrays adversity as an impenetrable barrier. Yet even this wall is under divine sovereignty, pushing the sufferer toward humble appeal rather than despair. Divine Hedge of Protection and Discipline Hosea 2:6 intertwines mercy and judgment: “Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her way with thorns and wall her in, so she cannot find her paths.” The hedge disciplines a wayward nation while ultimately shielding her from deeper ruin. Pastoral application sees believers sometimes “hemmed in” for redemptive correction. Prophetic Calls to Stand in the Breach Ezekiel 13:5 rebukes false prophets who “did not go up to the breaches or build a wall for the house of Israel.” Ezekiel 22:30 records God’s search for “a man… who would build up the wall and stand in the gap.” גָּדַר thus underlines intercessory responsibility. When leadership fails to fortify moral boundaries, judgment advances unchecked. Theological and Ministry Insights • Walls signify ordered worship, moral boundaries, and covenant security. Their repair is an act of both engineering and repentance. In every occurrence גָּדַר presents the same divine initiative: what has been broken must be mended, what has been exposed must be secured, and what threatens to imprison can, by grace, become a fortress of hope. Forms and Transliterations גָ֭דַר גָּדַ֤ר גָּדַ֧ר גֹּֽדֵר־ גֹּדֵ֣ר גדר גדר־ וְגָֽדַרְתִּי֙ וְגָדַרְתִּ֣י וְלַגֹּֽדְרִ֑ים וְלַגֹּֽדְרִים֙ וַתִּגְדְּר֥וּ וגדרתי ולגדרים ותגדרו gā·ḏar ḡā·ḏar Gadar gāḏar ḡāḏar gō·ḏêr gō·ḏêr- goDer gōḏêr gōḏêr- vattigdeRu vegadarTi velaggodeRim wat·tiḡ·də·rū wattiḡdərū wə·ḡā·ḏar·tî wə·lag·gō·ḏə·rîm wəḡāḏartî wəlaggōḏərîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 12:12 HEB: וְלַגֹּֽדְרִים֙ וּלְחֹצְבֵ֣י הָאֶ֔בֶן NAS: and to the masons and the stonecutters, KJV: And to masons, and hewers of stone, INT: the masons and hewers stone 2 Kings 22:6 Job 19:8 Isaiah 58:12 Lamentations 3:7 Lamentations 3:9 Ezekiel 13:5 Ezekiel 22:30 Hosea 2:6 Amos 9:11 10 Occurrences |