Lexical Summary gor: Nation, people, Gentile Original Word: גּוֹר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance whelp Or (feminine) gorah {go-raw'}; a variation of guwr -- whelp. see HEBREW guwr NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom gur Definition a whelp NASB Translation cubs (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [גּוֺר] noun [masculine] whelp (as quarrelsome? or onomatopoeia? perhaps = Assyrian giru ZehnpfBAS i. 504) of lion; — גּוֺרֵי אֲרָיוֺת Jeremiah 51:38 ("" כְּפִרִים) simile of Babylonians; compare גֹּרֹתָיו Nahum 2:13 ("" id. Nahum 2:14) figurative of Assyrians. Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrencesגּוֹר appears only twice in the Hebrew canon—Jeremiah 51:38 and Nahum 2:12—each time rendered “whelps” (young lions) in the Berean Standard Bible. Both contexts are oracles of imminent judgment: Babylon (Jeremiah) and Nineveh (Nahum). The image of young lions accentuates ruthless vigor, appetite, and unchecked predatory power just before divine retribution cuts it short. Historical Background Jeremiah 51 announces the fall of Babylon at the close of Judah’s exile. Verse 38 likens the Chaldeans to roaring lions and their “whelps,” a picture of a proud dynasty raising a next generation of oppressors, yet destined to be silenced. Nahum 2 addresses Nineveh roughly a century earlier. Assyrian kings styled themselves as lions; royal reliefs from Nineveh depict lion-hunting as proof of sovereignty. Nahum reverses the imagery: “Where is the lions’ den… the lion’s whelp?” (Nahum 2:12–13). The Lord of Hosts becomes the ultimate hunter, tearing down what seemed invincible. Thus גּוֹר functions as a prophetic taunt against empires drunk on youthful strength. Prophetic Significance 1. Impermanence of worldly might The strongest empires foster “whelps”—new cadres of power—but God decrees their extinction (Jeremiah 51:39, Nahum 2:13). 2. Divine reversal The very symbol of dominance (young lions) becomes an emblem of helplessness when confronted by the Lord (compare Isaiah 31:4–5). 3. Typological contrast Scripture later presents Jesus Christ as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5). Earthly whelps pale before the rightful, eternal Lion. Theological Themes • Sovereignty of God over nations (Psalm 33:10–11; Daniel 4:35). Intertextual Connections • Young-lion imagery in Genesis 49:9 (“Judah is a young lion”) forecasts messianic kingship. Practical Ministry Applications 1. Preaching against pride Nations, churches, or individuals cultivating self-confidence in youthful vigor must recall that “the young lions suffer want and hunger” (Psalm 34:10). 2. Encouragement for the persecuted Just as Babylon’s and Nineveh’s whelps were silenced, today’s oppressive systems will answer to God. “He rescues and delivers” (Daniel 6:27). 3. Discipleship and character formation Spiritual “whelps” in the Church—new believers—must channel zeal under the Lordship of Christ, avoiding the predatory instincts judged in Jeremiah and Nahum. 4. Mission focus The contrast between destructive whelps and the redeeming Lion of Judah fuels evangelism: proclaim Christ’s kingdom where temporal powers parade their strength. Summary גּוֹר serves as a vivid prophetic metaphor: youthful, predatory energy that seems unstoppable yet collapses under God’s verdict. The term invites readers to trust divine justice, reject arrogant power, and look to the true Lion whose reign brings both righteous judgment and everlasting peace. Forms and Transliterations גֹֽרוֹתָ֔יו גרותיו כְּגוֹרֵ֥י כגורי ḡō·rō·w·ṯāw goroTav ḡōrōwṯāw kə·ḡō·w·rê kegoRei kəḡōwrêLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 51:38 HEB: יִשְׁאָ֑גוּ נָעֲר֖וּ כְּגוֹרֵ֥י אֲרָיֽוֹת׃ NAS: They will growl like lions' cubs. KJV: they shall yell as lions' whelps. INT: will roar will growl cubs lions' Nahum 2:12 2 Occurrences |
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