Lexical Summary Gazez: Gazez Original Word: גָּזֵז Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Gazez From gazaz; shearer; Gazez, the name of two Israelites -- Gazez. see HEBREW gazaz NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom gazaz Definition two Isr. NASB Translation Gazez (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs גָּזֵז proper name, masculine son of עֵיפָה, concub. of Caleb 1 Chronicles 2:46 (twice in verse); vb says that חָרָן son of עיפה (and Caleb?) begat Gazez. גָּזִית see sub. גזה. above Topical Lexicon Identity and Occurrences Strong’s Hebrew 1495, גָּזֵז, designates two men named Gazez who appear in the genealogy of Judah in 1 Chronicles 2:46. Both individuals are mentioned in the same verse: “Ephah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Haran, Moza, and Gazez, and Haran fathered Gazez”. The compressed listing places the elder Gazez as a son of Ephah and the younger Gazez as his nephew, the son of Haran. Neither is mentioned elsewhere, underscoring their obscurity in the broader narrative while still granting them a permanent place in the inspired record. Historical and Tribal Context The setting is the Chronicler’s detailed catalog of Judah’s descendants after the exile. These genealogies function as legal and theological documents that re-establish tribal identity, confirm land rights, and connect post-exilic Judah to its patriarchal roots. Caleb, descendant of Hezron and celebrated for his faith in Numbers and Joshua, is central to this branch. The notice that Caleb had a concubine highlights complex family structures of the period while still demonstrating God’s providence over every household detail. Repetition within the Genealogy The recurrence of the name Gazez within a single generation is unusual and probably deliberate. Ancient families often reused a name to honor a relative or preserve a family memory. The doubling may hint at a cherished quality associated with the name, or at the desire to secure continuity for one who died prematurely. By recording both bearers, Scripture preserves the individual identity of each man while illustrating the organic way family accounts grow. Theological Observations 1. Divine Regard for the Unknown. The Spirit-inspired chronicler writes down names that history would otherwise forget, teaching that no servant of God is insignificant (compare Ruth 4:12; Romans 16:13). Practical Ministry Insights • Genealogies and Discipleship: Pastors and teachers can draw from Gazez’s obscure place in the record to affirm that every believer’s name is written before God (Luke 10:20) even when unnoticed by the world. Christological Foreshadowing From Judah proceeds David and ultimately Jesus Christ. Though Gazez himself is not in the direct royal line, his placement within Judah’s larger clan affirms the integrity of the messianic lineage. The Shepherd-King who will “shepherd My people Israel” (Matthew 2:6) arises from a real, traceable heritage filled with common men like Gazez—an incarnation anchored in history rather than myth. Summary Gazez, twice named yet otherwise unknown, occupies a small but significant niche in Scripture. His presence in the genealogical record: Even in a single verse, the Spirit breathes eternal value into hidden lives, assuring believers that the same God who preserved the name Gazez also knows and guards their own. Forms and Transliterations גָּזֵ֑ז גָּזֵֽז׃ גזז גזז׃ gā·zêz gaZez gāzêzLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 2:46 HEB: מוֹצָ֖א וְאֶת־ גָּזֵ֑ז וְחָרָ֖ן הֹלִ֥יד NAS: Moza and Gazez; and Haran KJV: and Moza, and Gazez: and Haran INT: Haran Moza and Gazez and Haran became 1 Chronicles 2:46 2 Occurrences |
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