1497. gazal

Lexical Summary

gazal: To seize, rob, plunder, take by force

Original Word: גָּזַל
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: gazal
Pronunciation: gah-ZAHL
Phonetic Spelling: (gaw-zal')
KJV: catch, consume, exercise (robbery), pluck (off), rob, spoil, take away (by force, violence), tear
NASB: robbed, rob, commit, robs, seize, seized, snatched
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to pluck off
2. specifically to flay, strip or rob

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

catch, consume, exercise robbery, pluck off, rob, spoil, take away by force, violence,

A primitive root; to pluck off; specifically to flay, strip or rob -- catch, consume, exercise (robbery), pluck (off), rob, spoil, take away (by force, violence), tear.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to tear away, seize, rob
NASB Translation
carried away (1), commit (2), commits (1), committed (1), consume (1), force (1), rob (3), robbed (6), robs (2), seize (2), seized (2), snatch (1), snatched (2), steal (1), take (1), taken by robbery (1), tear off (1), took by robbery (1), torn away (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. גָּזַל verb tear away, seize, rob (Late Hebrew id., Phoenician גזל Niph`al, Aramaic גְּזַל, & (Nas.) ; Arabic cut off) —

Qal Perfect גָּזַל Job 20:19; Ezekiel 18:18, גָּזָ֑ל Leviticus 5:23 2t., גָּזַלְתִּי Psalm 69:5 etc.; Imperfect יִגְזֹל Ezekiel 18:7, וַיִּגְזֹל 2 Samuel 23:21; 1 Chronicles 11:23 etc.; Infinitive גְּזֹל Isaiah 10:2; Participle active גּוֺזֵל Proverbs 28:24; suffix גֹּזְלוֺ Psalm 35:10; plural construct גֹּזְלֵי Micah 3:2; passive גָּזוּל Deuteronomy 28:29 4t.; — tear away, rob, with object of thing (movable), flock (עֵדֶר) Job 24:2, ass Deuteronomy 28:31, women Judges 21:23 compare Genesis 31:31 (E), tear away orphan child from breast Job 24:9 יתום מִשֹּׁד, snatch a spear from enemy's hand 2 Samuel 23:21 = 1 Chronicles 11:23; figurative of drying up snow-water Job 24:19; (object stationary) take violent possession of, well of water Genesis 21:25 (E), house Job 20:19, fields Micah 2:2; (hyperb.) the skin Micah 3:2; with accusative of congnate meaning with verb = seize, plunder, object גְּזֵלָה Leviticus 5:23 (P) Ezekiel 18:7,12,16, גָּזֵל Ezekiel 18:18; Ezekiel 22:29; indefinite Psalm 69:5; figurative, object מִשְׁמָּט Isaiah 10:2; with object person robbed Psalm 35:10; Proverbs 22:22; Proverbs 28:24, probably also Judges 9:25 compare Leviticus 19:13 (H; absolute); compare also passive Deuteronomy 28:29 ("" עָשׁוּק); הציל גָּזוּל מיד עושׁק Jeremiah 21:12; compare Jeremiah 22:3; Malachi 1:13 גָּזוּל ("" מִּסֵּחַ lame and חוֺלֶה sick), probably that rescued after seizure by wild beasts, therefore mutilated.

Niph`al Perfect3feminine singular וְנִגְזְלָה, subject sleep Proverbs 4:16 לא "" (יִ˜שְׁנוּׅ.

Topical Lexicon

Meaning and Range of Imagery

גָּזַל pictures forceful taking: robbery, plunder, seizure of people, property, or rights. It conveys violence against both persons and social order, whether through open assault, covert fraud, or judicial corruption.

Key Old Testament Occurrences

• Genesis 21:25 – Abraham confronts Abimelech because servants “seized” (גָּזַל) his well, revealing that unrighteous taking predates Israel’s national life.
• Leviticus 19:13 – “You must not defraud your neighbor or rob him.” God roots societal ethics in His own character.
• Job 20:19; 24:2-9 – Job’s discourses expose systemic exploitation: moving boundary stones, taking pledges from widows, snatching the orphan.
• Psalms 35:10 – David praises the LORD “who delivers the poor… from those who rob them,” grounding hope for the oppressed in divine intervention.
• Proverbs 28:24 – Familial theft is placed on the same moral plane as outright destruction.
• Isaiah 42:22 – Israel herself becomes “plundered and looted” when she abandons covenant faithfulness.
• Ezekiel 18:7-18; 22:29 – True righteousness rejects robbery; national decay is marked by extortion.
• Micah 2:2 – Covenant-breaking leaders “seize” fields, illustrating how private greed metastasizes into public injustice.

Legal Framework in the Torah

The Mosaic statutes treat גָּזַל as both sin and civil crime requiring restitution (Leviticus 6:2-5). Robbery violates the eighth commandment, but Scripture heightens accountability by linking it to faithlessness against the LORD Himself: to rob a neighbor is to trespass against God (Leviticus 6:2).

Prophetic Condemnations

Prophets repeatedly indict rulers and merchants who enrich themselves through גָּזַל. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, and Micah portray robbery as covenant apostasy that invites national judgment. Yet restoration oracles promise relief to those “plundered” once repentance occurs (Isaiah 42:22-23).

Wisdom Perspective

Proverbs treats robbery as folly that invites divine curse (Proverbs 22:22-23; 29:24). The sage portrays violence against the weak not merely as social evil but as an affront to the Creator who defends them (Proverbs 14:31).

Theological Themes

1. God’s Justice: The LORD sees every act of גָּזַל and will repay (Psalm 62:10-12).
2. Human Dignity: Stealing from image-bearers desecrates God’s likeness.
3. Covenant Ethics: Israel’s social laws embody God’s redemptive intent; robbery undermines community shalom.
4. Judgment and Mercy: God uses foreign powers to chastise a plundering nation, yet offers salvation to the repentant robbed and robber alike (Isaiah 53:5 where the Servant bears the iniquity).

Christological and Redemptive Connections

While the noun never appears in the New Testament, the principle is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. On the cross He suffers the fate of the plundered (Isaiah 53:8), yet triumphs so that “thieves” like Zacchaeus repent and make fourfold restitution (Luke 19:8), echoing Leviticus 6. In Him, robbers are transformed into generous stewards (Ephesians 4:28).

Practical Ministry Implications

• Preaching: Call believers to reflect God’s justice by refusing all forms of exploitation—wage withholding, dishonest business, predatory lending.
• Discipleship: Cultivate restitution where wrongs have been committed; biblical repentance is tangible.
• Social Engagement: Defend the vulnerable. Advocacy against trafficking, corruption, and systemic theft is not optional but flows from covenant loyalty.
• Worship: Celebrate the Lord who “delivers the poor and needy from those who rob them” (Psalm 35:10). This fuels hope amid modern oppression.

גָּזַל thus confronts every generation with the holiness of God, the seriousness of taking what is not given, and the gospel power that turns plunderers into servants of righteousness.

Forms and Transliterations

גָ֝זַ֗לְתִּי גָּ֝זְל֗וּ גָּ֝זַ֗ל גָּז֗וּל גָּז֣וּל גָּזְל֖וּ גָּזַל֙ גָּזָ֑לוּ גָּזָ֔ל גָּזָ֗ל גָז֖וּל גָזָ֑ל גֹּזְלֵ֤י גּוֹזֵ֤ל ׀ גוזל גזול גזל גזלו גזלי גזלתי הַגְּזֵלָ֜ה הגזלה וְֽנִגְזְלָ֥ה וְגָז֛וּל וְגָזְל֖וּ וְגָזָ֔לוּ וְלִגְזֹ֕ל וַיִּגְזְל֗וּ וַיִּגְזֹ֤ל וגזול וגזלו ויגזל ויגזלו ולגזל ונגזלה יִ֭גְזְלוּ יִגְזְל֥וּ יִגְזֹ֑ל יגזל יגזלו מִגֹּזְלֽוֹ׃ מגזלו׃ תִּגְזָל־ תִּגְזֹ֥ל תִגְזֹ֑ל תגזל תגזל־ gā·zā·lū gā·zal gā·zāl ḡā·zāl ḡā·zal·tî gā·zə·lū gā·zūl ḡā·zūl gaZal gāzal gāzāl ḡāzāl gaZalti ḡāzaltî gaZalu gāzālū gazeLu gāzəlū gaZul gāzūl ḡāzūl gō·w·zêl gō·zə·lê gōwzêl goZel gōzəlê gozeLei hag·gə·zê·lāh haggezeLah haggəzêlāh mig·gō·zə·lōw miggozeLo miggōzəlōw tiḡ·zāl- tiḡ·zōl ṯiḡ·zōl tiḡzāl- tigZol tiḡzōl ṯiḡzōl vaiyigzeLu vaiyigZol vegaZalu vegazeLu vegaZul veligZol venigzeLah way·yiḡ·zə·lū way·yiḡ·zōl wayyiḡzəlū wayyiḡzōl wə·ḡā·zā·lū wə·ḡā·zə·lū wə·ḡā·zūl wə·liḡ·zōl wə·niḡ·zə·lāh wəḡāzālū wəḡāzəlū wəḡāzūl wəliḡzōl wəniḡzəlāh yiḡ·zə·lū yiḡ·zōl Yigzelu yiḡzəlū yigZol yiḡzōl

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 21:25
HEB: הַמַּ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר גָּזְל֖וּ עַבְדֵ֥י אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃
NAS: the servants of Abimelech had seized.
KJV: servants had violently taken away.
INT: of water which had seized the servants of Abimelech

Genesis 31:31
HEB: אָמַ֔רְתִּי פֶּן־ תִּגְזֹ֥ל אֶת־ בְּנוֹתֶ֖יךָ
NAS: for I thought that you would take your daughters
KJV: Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters
INT: thought Peradventure take your daughters is yours

Leviticus 6:4
HEB: וְהֵשִׁ֨יב אֶת־ הַגְּזֵלָ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר גָּזָ֗ל
NAS: what he took by robbery
KJV: that which he took violently away, or the thing
INT: and becomes shall restore took what robbery

Leviticus 6:4
HEB: הַגְּזֵלָ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר גָּזָ֗ל א֤וֹ אֶת־
NAS: what he took by robbery or what
INT: took what robbery or extortion

Leviticus 19:13
HEB: רֵֽעֲךָ֖ וְלֹ֣א תִגְזֹ֑ל לֹֽא־ תָלִ֞ין
NAS: nor rob [him]. The wages
KJV: thy neighbour, neither rob [him]: the wages
INT: your neighbor nor rob nor to remain

Deuteronomy 28:29
HEB: אַ֣ךְ עָשׁ֧וּק וְגָז֛וּל כָּל־ הַיָּמִ֖ים
NAS: be oppressed and robbed continually,
KJV: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore,
INT: shall only be oppressed and robbed all manner evermore

Deuteronomy 28:31
HEB: מִמֶּנּוּ֒ חֲמֹֽרְךָ֙ גָּז֣וּל מִלְּפָנֶ֔יךָ וְלֹ֥א
NAS: of it; your donkey shall be torn away from you, and will not be restored
KJV: thereof: thine ass [shall be] violently taken away from before thy face,
INT: of it your donkey shall be torn face not

Judges 9:25
HEB: רָאשֵׁ֣י הֶהָרִ֔ים וַיִּגְזְל֗וּ אֵ֛ת כָּל־
NAS: of the mountains, and they robbed all
KJV: of the mountains, and they robbed all that came
INT: the tops of the mountains robbed all who

Judges 21:23
HEB: הַמְּחֹלְל֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר גָּזָ֑לוּ וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙
NAS: whom they carried away. And they went
KJV: of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went
INT: danced whom carried went and returned

2 Samuel 23:21
HEB: אֵלָ֖יו בַּשָּׁ֑בֶט וַיִּגְזֹ֤ל אֶֽת־ הַחֲנִית֙
NAS: to him with a club and snatched the spear
KJV: to him with a staff, and plucked the spear
INT: to him A club and snatched the spear hand

1 Chronicles 11:23
HEB: אֵלָ֖יו בַּשָּׁ֑בֶט וַיִּגְזֹ֤ל אֶֽת־ הַחֲנִית֙
NAS: to him with a club and snatched the spear
KJV: to him with a staff, and plucked the spear
INT: to him A club and snatched the spear hand

Job 20:19
HEB: דַּלִּ֑ים בַּ֥יִת גָּ֝זַ֗ל וְלֹ֣א יִבֶנֵֽהוּ׃
NAS: the poor; He has seized a house
KJV: the poor; [because] he hath violently taken away an house
INT: the poor A house has seized has not built

Job 24:2
HEB: יַשִּׂ֑יגוּ עֵ֥דֶר גָּ֝זְל֗וּ וַיִּרְעֽוּ׃
NAS: the landmarks; They seize and devour
KJV: the landmarks; they violently take away flocks,
INT: remove flocks seize and devour

Job 24:9
HEB: יִ֭גְזְלוּ מִשֹּׁ֣ד יָת֑וֹם
NAS: Others snatch the orphan
KJV: They pluck the fatherless
INT: snatch the breast the orphan

Job 24:19
HEB: גַם־ חֹ֗ם יִגְזְל֥וּ מֵֽימֵי־ שֶׁ֗לֶג
NAS: and heat consume the snow
KJV: and heat consume the snow
INT: again and heat consume waters the snow

Psalm 35:10
HEB: וְעָנִ֥י וְ֝אֶבְי֗וֹן מִגֹּזְלֽוֹ׃
NAS: and the needy from him who robs him?
KJV: and the needy from him that spoileth him?
INT: and the afflicted and the needy robs

Psalm 69:4
HEB: אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־ גָ֝זַ֗לְתִּי אָ֣ז אָשִֽׁיב׃
NAS: What I did not steal, I then
KJV: then I restored [that] which I took not away.
INT: What did not steal then restore

Proverbs 4:16
HEB: לֹ֣א יָרֵ֑עוּ וְֽנִגְזְלָ֥ה שְׁ֝נָתָ֗ם אִם־
NAS: they do evil; And they are robbed of sleep
KJV: and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause [some] to fall
INT: cannot do are robbed of sleep for

Proverbs 22:21
HEB: פ אַֽל־ תִּגְזָל־
INT: sent nay catch

Proverbs 28:24
HEB: גּוֹזֵ֤ל ׀ אָ֘בִ֤יו וְאִמּ֗וֹ
NAS: He who robs his father or his mother
KJV: Whoso robbeth his father
INT: robs his father his mother

Isaiah 10:2
HEB: מִדִּין֙ דַּלִּ֔ים וְלִגְזֹ֕ל מִשְׁפַּ֖ט עֲנִיֵּ֣י
NAS: of justice And rob the poor
KJV: from judgment, and to take away the right
INT: of justice the needy and rob of rights the poor

Jeremiah 21:12
HEB: מִשְׁפָּ֔ט וְהַצִּ֥ילוּ גָז֖וּל מִיַּ֣ד עוֹשֵׁ֑ק
NAS: And deliver the [person] who has been robbed from the power
KJV: and deliver [him that is] spoiled out of the hand
INT: justice and deliver has been robbed the power of oppressor

Jeremiah 22:3
HEB: וּצְדָקָ֔ה וְהַצִּ֥ילוּ גָז֖וּל מִיַּ֣ד עָשׁ֑וֹק
NAS: and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power
KJV: and deliver the spoiled out of the hand
INT: and righteousness and deliver has been robbed the power of oppressor

Ezekiel 18:7
HEB: גְּזֵלָ֖ה לֹ֣א יִגְזֹ֑ל לַחְמוֹ֙ לְרָעֵ֣ב
NAS: his pledge, does not commit robbery,
KJV: his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence,
INT: robbery does not commit his bread to the hungry

Ezekiel 18:12
HEB: הוֹנָ֔ה גְּזֵל֣וֹת גָּזָ֔ל חֲבֹ֖ל לֹ֣א
NAS: and needy, commits robbery,
KJV: and needy, hath spoiled by violence,
INT: oppresses robbery commits A pledge does not

31 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 1497
31 Occurrences

gā·zāl — 5 Occ.
ḡā·zal·tî — 1 Occ.
gā·zā·lū — 1 Occ.
gā·zə·lū — 2 Occ.
gā·zūl — 4 Occ.
gō·w·zêl — 1 Occ.
gō·zə·lê — 1 Occ.
hag·gə·zê·lāh — 1 Occ.
mig·gō·zə·lōw — 1 Occ.
tiḡ·zōl — 3 Occ.
way·yiḡ·zə·lū — 1 Occ.
way·yiḡ·zōl — 2 Occ.
wə·ḡā·zā·lū — 1 Occ.
wə·ḡā·zə·lū — 1 Occ.
wə·ḡā·zūl — 1 Occ.
wə·liḡ·zōl — 1 Occ.
wə·niḡ·zə·lāh — 1 Occ.
yiḡ·zə·lū — 2 Occ.
yiḡ·zōl — 1 Occ.