Lexical Summary gush: Clod, lump, mass Original Word: גּוּשׁ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance clod, mass of earth Or rather (by permutation) giysh {gheesh}; of uncertain derivation; a mass of earth -- clod. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition a clod, lump NASB Translation crust (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs גּוּשׁ noun [masculine] clod, lump (Late Hebrew id., Aramaic גּוּשָׁה; compare Arabic  etc., rough ground, also ice) — וְגיּשׁ עָפָר Job 7:5, Qr ׳וְגוּשׁ ע. גֵּז see below גזז. below גישׁ Job 7:5 Kt, see גּוּשׁ Topical Lexicon Occurrence The word appears once in the Old Testament—Job 7:5—where Job laments, “My body is clothed with maggots and encrusted with dirt; my skin is cracked and festers” (Job 7:5). Biblical context in Job Job 7 records Job’s response to the miserable condition that has overtaken him. The “encrusted dirt” (גּוּשׁ) intensifies the image of physical corruption: Job’s once-honored body is now reduced to something more fitting for the grave than the living. The verse forms part of Job’s broader complaint (Job 6–7) in which he wrestles with the apparent disconnect between his righteous life and his present suffering. Literary imagery and symbolism 1. Tangible mortality. A clod of packed earth evokes burial soil. Job perceives himself as already half-entombed, underscoring human frailty (Genesis 3:19; Psalm 103:14). Historical background Ancient Near-Eastern medical texts mention dirt or clay adhered to infected skin as both symptom and attempted remedy. Regardless of the medical cause, Job’s audience would have recognized the condition as incurable apart from divine intervention, magnifying the perceived distance between Job and God. Connections with other Scriptures • Genesis 2:7; 3:19 – Humanity formed from and returning to dust. Theology of suffering and hope Job’s experience highlights the mystery of righteous suffering while preserving God’s justice and sovereignty (Job 42:1-6). The imagery of clods of dust accentuates human helplessness, setting the stage for divine vindication. Ultimately, Job’s restoration (Job 42:10-17) foreshadows the final redemption when “the perishable puts on the imperishable” (1 Corinthians 15:54). Pastoral and ministry significance 1. Compassionate ministry: Job’s description equips believers to empathize with those experiencing chronic illness or social isolation. Summary Though גּוּשׁ surfaces only once, its vivid portrayal of Job’s decaying flesh serves as a theological signpost. It exposes human vulnerability, underscores the need for divine redemption, and ultimately directs attention to God’s power to restore the dust of mortality into glorified life. Forms and Transliterations וְג֣וּשׁ וגוש veGush wə·ḡūš wəḡūšLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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