Lexical Summary guph: shut Original Word: גּוּף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance shut A primitive root; properly, to hollow or arch, i.e. (figuratively) close; to shut -- shut. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to shut, close NASB Translation shut (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [גּוּף] verb shut, close (Late Hebrew id., see NHWBi. 314, 352) — Hiph`il Imperfect jussive יָגִ֫יפוּ Nehemiah 7:3 close (door, דלתות). Topical Lexicon Canonical Occurrence Nehemiah 7:3 is the unique Old-Testament setting where גּוּף (Strong’s H1479) appears. In the completed walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah commands, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot, and while the guards are standing by, let them shut the doors and bar them” (Nehemiah 7:3). The verb translated “shut” or “bar” conveys decisive, protective closure. Historical Setting in Nehemiah After the exile, Judah’s remnant had rebuilt the wall (Nehemiah 6:15), but the city was sparsely populated and vulnerable. Nehemiah’s order positions security as the next covenant priority. By barring the gates, he safeguards both the physical city and the re-gathered worship of Yahweh centered at the temple mount (Nehemiah 7:1). The use of גּוּף underscores the governor’s concern that the renewed community not relapse into exposure or compromise. Meaning within the Narrative 1. Deliberate timing: Gates stay closed “until the sun is hot,” preventing dawn raids. The Security Motif in Scripture Though גּוּף itself is rare, its idea harmonizes with wider biblical teaching: Physical gate-keeping models spiritual vigilance later urged by Jesus (“Watch and pray,” Matthew 26:41) and reinforced by apostolic exhortation (“Be sober-minded; be watchful,” 1 Peter 5:8). Typological and Christological Reflections Nehemiah’s barred gates foreshadow the final security promised in the New Jerusalem: “Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there” (Revelation 21:25). Until that consummation, the church lives in the already-and-not-yet tension, called to active safeguarding while anticipating perfect safety in Christ. Practical Ministry Lessons • Local leadership ought to set clear boundaries that protect worship and community integrity. Related Hebrew Concepts חָזַק (ḥāzaq, “strengthen”) and שָׁמַר (shāmar, “guard”) frequently accompany restoration narratives, showing that fortification involves both physical strength and covenant obedience. גּוּף accents the moment when resolve translates into concrete action: bolting the opening. Ministry Significance Today Congregations rebuilding after moral failure, cultural pressure, or catastrophe find a model in Nehemiah 7:3. Real security is achieved neither by isolation nor by lax inclusion, but by wisely timed, community-wide commitment to close what endangers worship and open what advances God’s mission. Summary גּוּף in Nehemiah 7:3 captures a single, decisive act of shutting Jerusalem’s gates. It symbolizes protective zeal that preserves God’s people for faithful service, resonating through Scripture as an enduring call to diligent watchfulness until the ultimate city of God stands forever secure. Forms and Transliterations יָגִ֥יפוּ יגיפו yā·ḡî·p̄ū yaGifu yāḡîp̄ūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Nehemiah 7:3 HEB: הֵ֥ם עֹמְדִ֛ים יָגִ֥יפוּ הַדְּלָת֖וֹת וֶאֱחֹ֑זוּ NAS: they are standing [guard], let them shut and bolt KJV: and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, INT: they are standing shut the doors and bolt 1 Occurrence |
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