Lexical Summary gviyah: Body, corpse Original Word: גְּוִיָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dead body, carcass, corpse Prolonged for gevah; a body, whether alive or dead -- (dead) body, carcase, corpse. see HEBREW gevah Brown-Driver-Briggs גְּוִיָּה noun feminine body, corpse — absolute ׳ג Nahum 3:3; construct גְּוִיַּת Judges 14:8 2t.; suffix גְּוִיָּתוֺ 1 Samuel 31:10; Daniel 10:6, גְּוִיָּתֵנוּ Genesis 47:18, גְּוִיָּתָם Nahum 3:3; plural absolute גְּוִיּוֺת Psalm 110:6; suffix גְּוִיֹּתֵנוּ Nehemiah 9:37, גְּוִיֹּתֵיהֶם Ezekiel 1:23, גְּוִיֹּתֵיהֶ֑נָֿה Ezekiel 1:11; — 1 living human body Genesis 47:18 (singular, of many persons), compare plural Nehemiah 9:37; of man in Daniel's vision Daniel 10:6 (body apart from extremities); also of the living creatures in Ezekiel's vision Ezekiel 1:11,28. 2 dead body, corpse, carcass: a. of man 1 Samuel 31:10 (so originally in "" 1 Chronicles 10:10 see WeSm compare Dr) 1 Chronicles 10:12; 1 Chronicles 10:12 (singular of several persons), Psalm 110:6; collective Nahum 3:3 (twice in verse); b. of lion Judges 14:8,9. Topical Lexicon Range of Meaning and Distribution גְּוִיָּה appears thirteen times and moves flexibly between “living body” and “corpse.” Context alone defines whether vigor or death is in view, yet in every setting the word anchors the scene in concrete, physical reality. From Joseph’s Egypt (Genesis 47:18) to Nahum’s vision of Nineveh’s fall (Nahum 3:3), it calls attention to the destiny of human flesh under God’s sovereign dealings. Human Vulnerability and Social Power In Genesis 47:18 and Nehemiah 9:37 a population brought to desperation confesses, “There is nothing left before my lord but our bodies and our land” (Genesis 47:18). גְּוִיָּה underscores that when resources fail, even the human frame can be claimed by another. Scripture thus exposes the fragility of physical life under political oppression, preparing the soil for later calls to compassion and justice (Proverbs 31:8–9; James 5:4). Dignity Shown in Burial The men of Jabesh-gilead risked everything to retrieve the fallen Saul: “They took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons… and burned them there” (1 Samuel 31:12). The term intensifies the contrast between Philistine desecration and Israelite honor. Respect for the גְּוִיָּה of the deceased affirms that the body, even in death, bears witness to the divine image (Genesis 1:27) and anticipates bodily resurrection (Isaiah 26:19; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44). Warning through Corpse Imagery Poetic and prophetic passages employ גְּוִיָּה to shock complacent hearers. Psalm 110:6 foretells Messiah’s judgment: “He will judge the nations, heaping up corpses.” Nahum 3:3 piles up the horror: “Hosts of the slain, heaps of corpses, dead bodies without end.” The word’s raw literalness strips away euphemism, pressing home the certainty and severity of divine retribution against persistent rebellion. Wonder of Living Form in Apocalyptic Vision By contrast, in Ezekiel 1:11, 23 and Daniel 10:6 גְּוִיָּה describes the radiant bodies of heavenly beings. The cherubim veil their גְּוִיָּה with wings; Daniel sees a messenger whose “body was like beryl.” These visions affirm that corporeality is not merely earthly or fallen; glorified bodies can serve in the very presence of God, foreshadowing the redeemed physicality promised to the saints (Philippians 3:21). Moral Lessons from Narrative Detail Samson’s detour to the lion’s carcass (Judges 14:8-9) reveals how proximity to death can tempt and test. Honey in the גְּוִיָּה yields an illicit sweetness that later forms Samson’s riddle. The episode warns against casual contact with defilement, yet also hints at God’s ability to draw nourishment out of decay, a theme later fulfilled when the cross—an instrument of death—becomes the source of eternal life. Ministry Implications 1. The sanctity of the body: Whether vibrant or lifeless, the גְּוִיָּה is treated as significant. Christian ministry likewise upholds bodily dignity in life (health care, protection of the vulnerable) and in death (honorable burial, comfort for the bereaved). Christological and Eschatological Trajectory The Hebrew Scriptures climax in the incarnation, where “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14). Jesus’ own גְּוִיָּה lay in Joseph’s tomb, only to rise immortal. The term’s dual sense—living form and corpse—finds ultimate resolution in the risen Lord, guaranteeing that every believer’s body, now offered as a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1), will be raised imperishable. Forms and Transliterations בִּגְוִיַּ֥ת בִּגְוִיָּתָֽם׃ בגוית בגויתם׃ גְּ֠וִיֹּתֵינוּ גְּוִיַּ֣ת גְּוִיָּתֵ֖נוּ גְּוִיָּתוֹ֙ גְּוִיֹּ֣ת גְּוִיֹּתֵיהֶֽם׃ גְּוִיֹתֵיהֶֽנָה׃ גְוִיּ֑וֹת גויות גוית גויתו גויתיהם׃ גויתיהנה גויתינו גויתנו וּגְוִיָּת֣וֹ וגויתו לַגְּוִיָּ֔ה לגויה מִגְּוִיַּ֥ת מגוית biḡ·wî·yā·ṯām biḡ·wî·yaṯ bigviYat bigviyaTam biḡwîyaṯ biḡwîyāṯām gə·wî·yā·ṯê·nū gə·wî·yā·ṯōw gə·wî·yaṯ gə·wi·yō·ṯê·he·nāh gə·wî·yō·ṯê·hem gə·wî·yō·ṯê·nū ḡə·wî·yō·wṯ gə·wî·yōṯ geviYat geviyaTenu geviyaTo geviYot geviyoteiHem geviyoteiHenah Geviyoteinu gəwîyaṯ gəwîyāṯênū gəwîyāṯōw gəwîyōṯ gəwîyōṯêhem gəwiyōṯêhenāh gəwîyōṯênū ḡəwîyōwṯ lag·gə·wî·yāh laggeviYah laggəwîyāh mig·gə·wî·yaṯ miggeviYat miggəwîyaṯ ū·ḡə·wî·yā·ṯōw ugeviyaTo ūḡəwîyāṯōwLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 47:18 HEB: בִּלְתִּ֥י אִם־ גְּוִיָּתֵ֖נוּ וְאַדְמָתֵֽנוּ׃ NAS: except our bodies and our lands. KJV: of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands: INT: because lo our bodies and our lands Judges 14:8 Judges 14:9 1 Samuel 31:10 1 Samuel 31:12 1 Samuel 31:12 Nehemiah 9:37 Psalm 110:6 Ezekiel 1:11 Ezekiel 1:23 Daniel 10:6 Nahum 3:3 Nahum 3:3 13 Occurrences |
    |