1589. ganab

Lexical Summary

ganab: To steal

Original Word: גָּנַב
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: ganab
Pronunciation: gah-NAHV
Phonetic Spelling: (gaw-nab')
KJV: carry away, X indeed, secretly bring, steal (away), get by stealth
NASB: steal, stolen, steals, stole, actually stolen, brought to me stealthily, carries away
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. (literally or figuratively) to thieve
2. (by implication) to deceive

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

carry away, indeed, secretly bring, steal away, get by stealth

A primitive root; to thieve (literally or figuratively); by implication, to deceive -- carry away, X indeed, secretly bring, steal (away), get by stealth.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to steal
NASB Translation
actually stolen (1), brought to me stealthily (1), carries away (1), deceive (1), deceived (1), deceiving (1), fact kidnapped (1), kidnapping (1), kidnaps (1), steal (9), steal away (1), stealing (1), steals (3), steals him away (1), stealth (1), stole (3), stole away (1), stolen (8), stolen you away (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[גָּנַב] verb steal (Late Hebrew id., Aramaic גְּנַב, ; Arabic is hurt the side, or put aside, denominative from side) —

Qal Perfect3feminine singular suffix גְּנָבַתּוּ Job 21:18; Job 27:20, גְּנָבָ֫תַם Genesis 31:22; 2masculine singular גָּנַבְתּ Genesis 31:30; 1singular וְגָנַ֑בְתִּי consecutive Proverbs 30:9; גָּנְָֽבוּ Joshua 7:11; 2 Samuel 21:12; suffix גְּנָבוּךָ 2 Samuel 19:42; Imperfect יִגְנָֹֽבֿ Exodus 21:37, יִגְנוֺב Proverbs 6:30, וַיִּגְנֹב Genesis 31:20; 3feminine singular וַתִּגְנֹב Genesis 31:19 2t.; 2 masculine singular תִּגְנֹב Exodus 20:15; Deuteronomy 5:17, וַתִּגְנֹב Genesis 31:26,27, יִגְנְבוּ Obadiah 5, תִּגְנֹ֑בוּ Leviticus 19:11, נִגְנֹב Genesis 44:8; Infinitive absolute גָּנֹב Exodus 22:11 2t.; Participle גֹּנֵב Exodus 21:16 2t., גָּנוּב Genesis 30:33; feminine construct גְּנֻ˜בְתִי Genesis 31:39 (twice in verse); plural גְּנוּבִים Proverbs 9:17; in Hexateuch always J E D, except Leviticus 19:11 (H); — steal with accusative of thing Genesis 31:19,30,32; Genesis 44:8; Exodus 21:37; 2 Samuel 21:12 compare passive Genesis 30:33; Genesis 31:39; Proverbs 9:17; with object person Exodus 21:16; Deuteronomy 24:7; 2 Samuel 19:42; = take by stealth (for good purpose) 2 Kings 11:2 2Chronicles 22:11; absolute Exodus 20:15 = Deuteronomy 5:17; Leviticus 19:11; Joshua 7:11; Proverbs 6:30; Proverbs 30:9; Obadiah 5; Zechariah 5:3, compareInfinitive absolute Hosea 4:2; Jeremiah 7:9 & (c. Niph`al) Exodus 22:11; גנב לֵב = deceive Genesis 31:20,26 cf Di; אֹתִי ׳ג Genesis 31:27 id.; of sudden sweeping off by storm, in simile Job 21:18 figurative of destruction of wicked Job 27:20.

Niph`al be stolen, subject of thing גָּנֹב יִגָּנֵב Exodus 22:11.

Pi`el steal away (transitive) וַיְגַגֵּב אבשׁלום אתלֵֿב 2 Samuel 15:6; מְגַנְּבֵי דְּבָרַי Jeremiah 23:30.

Pu`al be stolen away subject person גֻּנֹּב גֻּנַּבְתִּי Genesis 40:15; subject of thing וְגֻנַּב consecutive Exodus 22:6; be brought by stealth Job 4:12. יְגֻנָּ֑ב.

Hithpa`el go by stealth, steal away יִתְגַּנֵּב 2 Samuel 19:4, וַיִּתְגַּנֵּב 2 Samuel 19:4. (Syriac steal oneself away; so Genesis 31:27.)

Topical Lexicon

Core Idea

גָּנַב (ganab) denotes taking what rightfully belongs to another by stealth, fraud, or force. Scripture treats the act not merely as a social inconvenience but as a breach of covenant fidelity against God himself, the ultimate Owner of all things.

Distribution of Occurrences

Roughly forty verses employ the verb, spanning Pentateuch, Historical Books, Wisdom Literature, and Prophets. The earliest narratives (Genesis 30–44) expose family tensions over stolen goods; the legal corpora (Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy) codify penalties; the prophets use the term to unmask national apostasy; and the sages of Proverbs explore motives and consequences. The reach is comprehensive, embedding the concept in every major section of the Old Testament.

Theft in the Decalogue and Covenant Law

“You shall not steal.” (Exodus 20:15) stands as the eighth commandment, reiterated in Deuteronomy 5:19. Detailed case law clarifies what that prohibition entails:

• Property: “If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.” (Exodus 22:1)
• Custody: When entrusted items disappear, courts determine whether “it has been stolen” (Exodus 22:7,12).
• Restitution: Exodus 22:4 and 22:9 both require a thief to pay double when caught, demonstrating that biblical justice seeks restoration, not mere retribution.

Leviticus 19:11 couples the command with honesty and neighbor-love: “You must not steal. You must not lie. You must not deceive one another.”

Kidnapping: Theft of Persons

The law treats abduction as an aggravated form of stealing. “Whoever kidnaps a man must surely be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.” (Exodus 21:16) A similar statute appears in Deuteronomy 24:7. Human life, stamped with the image of God, cannot be reduced to transferable property; to do so warrants capital punishment.

Narrative Illustrations

Genesis supplies vivid episodes:
• Rachel “stole her father’s household idols” (Genesis 31:19), provoking Laban’s pursuit and illustrating how theft fractures relationships.
• Joseph tells Pharaoh’s cupbearer, “I was stolen from the land of the Hebrews.” (Genesis 40:15), a reminder that kidnapping was already abhorrent.
• Achan “has stolen, taken some of what was devoted” (Joshua 7:11), bringing collective judgment on Israel until confession and judgment restore covenant order.
• Absalom “stole the hearts of the men of Israel” (2 Samuel 15:6). Though metaphorical, the verb underlines deceitful manipulation as another form of theft.
• Jehosheba “stole away Joash… from among the king’s sons” (2 Kings 11:2); here the same action preserves the Davidic line, showing that the moral character of ‘stealing’ depends on the context of God’s revealed will.

Prophetic Indictments

The prophets treat theft as symptomatic of deeper covenant infidelity:
• “Will you steal, murder, commit adultery… and then stand before Me in this house?” (Jeremiah 7:9)
• Hosea catalogs national sins: “There is only cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery.” (Hosea 4:2)
• Amos exposes marketplace fraud—another species of theft (Amos 8:4-6).
• Zechariah’s flying scroll goes forth: “Every thief will be banished… it will consume his house, both its timbers and stones.” (Zechariah 5:3-4)

These texts tie social injustice to divine judgment, reinforcing that theft offends not only neighbors but God.

Wisdom Literature and Moral Reflection

Proverbs probes motives and outcomes:
• Necessity: “Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.” (Proverbs 6:30) Compassion acknowledges need, yet verse 31 still demands sevenfold restitution.
• Allure: “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” (Proverbs 9:17) Illicit gain attracts, but leads to Sheol (9:18).
• Self-destruction: “Whoever is a partner to a thief hates his own soul.” (Proverbs 29:24)
• Poverty or blasphemy: “Otherwise, I may steal and profane the name of my God.” (Proverbs 30:9) The sage fears dishonoring God more than material lack.

Spiritual and Metaphorical Extensions

Jeremiah 23:30 indicts false prophets who “steal My words from one another.” Appropriating divine revelation without authorization equates to theft, showing that ganab can describe plagiarism of the sacred. Likewise, Absalom’s political subterfuge (2 Samuel 15:6) broadens the term to relational manipulation. These uses underscore that any misappropriation—material, intellectual, or emotional—violates God’s order.

Restitution, Repentance, and Redemption

Old-covenant restitution required making wrongs right plus added compensation. New-covenant transformation follows the same trajectory: “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must labor… that he may have something to share with the one in need.” (Ephesians 4:28) The apostle echoes Exodus 22, but grounds the change in union with Christ. Zacchaeus’s fourfold repayment (Luke 19:8) mirrors Mosaic restitution and illustrates gospel-produced repentance.

Ministry Implications Today

1. Integrity: Believers pursue honest labor, reject fraud, piracy, and all modern equivalents of ganab.
2. Restitution: True repentance seeks tangible repair where possible.
3. Compassion: Proverbs 6:30 balances justice with mercy toward the desperate; ministries address poverty to remove temptation.
4. Teaching: Theft is ultimately against God; proclaiming His ownership guards hearts against covetousness.
5. Warning and Hope: The prophetic curses of Zechariah 5 and the grace shown to Zacchaeus together urge sinners to flee judgment by embracing the Redeemer who “came to seek and to save the lost.”

Forms and Transliterations

גְּנָב֨וּךָ גְּנָבַ֥תּוּ גְּנָבָֽתַם׃ גְּנֻֽבְתִ֣י גְּנוּבִ֥ים גָּֽנְבוּ֙ גָּנ֥וּב גָּנְב֨וּ גָּנֹ֥ב גָנַ֖בְתָּ גֹּנֵ֨ב גֻּנַּ֔בְתִּי גֻנֹּ֣ב גנב גנבו גנבוך גנבת גנבתו גנבתי גנבתם׃ גנוב גנובים הֲגָנֹ֤ב ׀ הַגֹּנֵ֗ב הגנב וְגָנַ֑בְתִּי וְגָנֹ֖ב וְגֹנֵ֨ב וְגֻנַּ֖ב וַיְגַנֵּב֙ וַיִּגְנֹ֣ב וַיִּתְגַּנֵּ֥ב וַתִּגְנֹ֖ב וַתִּגְנֹ֣ב וַתִּגְנֹ֤ב וּגְנֻֽבְתִ֖י וגנב וגנבתי ויגנב ויתגנב ותגנב יְגֻנָּ֑ב יִגְנ֑וֹב יִגְנְב֖וּ יִגְנֹֽב־ יִגָּנֵ֖ב יִתְגַּנֵּ֗ב יגנב יגנב־ יגנבו יגנוב יתגנב מְגַנְּבֵ֣י מגנבי נִגְנֹב֙ נגנב תִּֿגְנֹֽ֔ב׃ תִּגְנֹ֑בוּ תגנב׃ תגנבו ḡā·naḇ·tā gā·nə·ḇū gā·nōḇ gā·nūḇ ḡānaḇtā gaNavta gānəḇū ganeVu gaNo gānōḇ gānūḇ gaNuv gə·nā·ḇā·ṯam gə·nā·ḇat·tū gə·nā·ḇū·ḵā gə·nū·ḇîm gə·nuḇ·ṯî gənāḇāṯam gənāḇattū gənāḇūḵā genaVatam genaVattu genaVucha gənūḇîm gənuḇṯî genuVim genuvTi gō·nêḇ gōnêḇ goNev gun·naḇ·tî ḡun·nōḇ gunnaḇtî gunNavti gunNo ḡunnōḇ hă·ḡā·nōḇ hag·gō·nêḇ hagaNo hăḡānōḇ haggōnêḇ haggoNev mə·ḡan·nə·ḇê məḡannəḇê meganneVei niḡ·nōḇ nigNo niḡnōḇ tḡə·nōḇ tgeNo tḡənōḇ tiḡ·nō·ḇū tiḡnōḇū tigNou ū·ḡə·nuḇ·ṯî ūḡənuḇṯî ugenuvTi vaiyigNo vaiyitganNev vattigNo vayganNev vegaNavti vegaNo vegoNev vegunNav wat·tiḡ·nōḇ wattiḡnōḇ way·ḡan·nêḇ way·yiḡ·nōḇ way·yiṯ·gan·nêḇ wayḡannêḇ wayyiḡnōḇ wayyiṯgannêḇ wə·ḡā·naḇ·tî wə·ḡā·nōḇ wə·ḡō·nêḇ wə·ḡun·naḇ wəḡānaḇtî wəḡānōḇ wəḡōnêḇ wəḡunnaḇ yə·ḡun·nāḇ yəḡunnāḇ yegunNav yig·gā·nêḇ yiḡ·nə·ḇū yiḡ·nō·wḇ yiḡ·nōḇ- yiggānêḇ yiggaNev yiḡnəḇū yigneVu yiḡnōḇ- yignov yiḡnōwḇ yiṯ·gan·nêḇ yiṯgannêḇ yitganNev

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 30:33
HEB: וְחוּם֙ בַּכְּשָׂבִ֔ים גָּנ֥וּב ה֖וּא אִתִּֽי׃
NAS: among the lambs, [if found] with me, will be considered stolen.
KJV: among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.
INT: and black the lambs stolen he for

Genesis 31:19
HEB: אֶת־ צֹאנ֑וֹ וַתִּגְנֹ֣ב רָחֵ֔ל אֶת־
NAS: then Rachel stole the household idols
KJV: and Rachel had stolen the images
INT: to shear his flock stole Rachel the household

Genesis 31:20
HEB: וַיִּגְנֹ֣ב יַעֲקֹ֔ב אֶת־
NAS: And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean
KJV: And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban
INT: deceived and Jacob unawares

Genesis 31:26
HEB: מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֔יתָ וַתִּגְנֹ֖ב אֶת־ לְבָבִ֑י
NAS: have you done by deceiving me and carrying away
KJV: What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares
INT: What done deceiving unawares and carrying

Genesis 31:27
HEB: נַחְבֵּ֙אתָ֙ לִבְרֹ֔חַ וַתִּגְנֹ֖ב אֹתִ֑י וְלֹא־
NAS: secretly and deceive me, and did not tell
KJV: secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell
INT: secretly flee and deceive and did not tell

Genesis 31:30
HEB: אָבִ֑יךָ לָ֥מָּה גָנַ֖בְתָּ אֶת־ אֱלֹהָֽי׃
NAS: [but] why did you steal my gods?
KJV: house, [yet] wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?
INT: your father's why steal angels

Genesis 31:32
HEB: כִּ֥י רָחֵ֖ל גְּנָבָֽתַם׃
NAS: that Rachel had stolen them.
KJV: knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
INT: that Rachel had stolen

Genesis 31:39
HEB: מִיָּדִ֖י תְּבַקְשֶׁ֑נָּה גְּנֻֽבְתִ֣י י֔וֹם וּגְנֻֽבְתִ֖י
NAS: it of my hand [whether] stolen by day
KJV: didst thou require it, [whether] stolen by day,
INT: of my hand required stolen day stolen

Genesis 31:39
HEB: גְּנֻֽבְתִ֣י י֔וֹם וּגְנֻֽבְתִ֖י לָֽיְלָה׃
NAS: by day or stolen by night.
KJV: by day, or stolen by night.
INT: stolen day stolen night

Genesis 40:15
HEB: כִּֽי־ גֻנֹּ֣ב גֻּנַּ֔בְתִּי מֵאֶ֖רֶץ
NAS: For I was in fact kidnapped
KJV: For indeed I was stolen away out of the land
INT: for fact kidnapped the land

Genesis 40:15
HEB: כִּֽי־ גֻנֹּ֣ב גֻּנַּ֔בְתִּי מֵאֶ֖רֶץ הָעִבְרִ֑ים
NAS: For I was in fact kidnapped from the land
INT: for fact kidnapped the land of the Hebrews

Genesis 44:8
HEB: כְּנָ֑עַן וְאֵ֗יךְ נִגְנֹב֙ מִבֵּ֣ית אֲדֹנֶ֔יךָ
NAS: How then could we steal silver
KJV: of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's
INT: of Canaan How steal house your lord's

Exodus 20:15
HEB: לֹ֣֖א תִּֿגְנֹֽ֔ב׃ ס
NAS: You shall not steal.
KJV: Thou shalt not steal.
INT: shall not steal

Exodus 21:16
HEB: וְגֹנֵ֨ב אִ֧ישׁ וּמְכָר֛וֹ
NAS: He who kidnaps a man,
KJV: And he that stealeth a man,
INT: kidnaps A man sells

Exodus 22:1
HEB: כִּ֤י יִגְנֹֽב־ אִישׁ֙ שׁ֣וֹר
NAS: If a man steals an ox or
KJV: If a man shall steal an ox,
INT: If steals A man an ox

Exodus 22:7
HEB: כֵלִים֙ לִשְׁמֹ֔ר וְגֻנַּ֖ב מִבֵּ֣ית הָאִ֑ישׁ
NAS: to keep [for him] and it is stolen from the man's
KJV: to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's
INT: goods to keep is stolen house the man's

Exodus 22:12
HEB: וְאִם־ גָּנֹ֥ב יִגָּנֵ֖ב מֵעִמּ֑וֹ
NAS: But if it is actually stolen
KJV: And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution
INT: if is actually stolen with

Exodus 22:12
HEB: וְאִם־ גָּנֹ֥ב יִגָּנֵ֖ב מֵעִמּ֑וֹ יְשַׁלֵּ֖ם
NAS: it is actually stolen from him, he shall make restitution
INT: if is actually stolen with shall make

Leviticus 19:11
HEB: לֹ֖א תִּגְנֹ֑בוּ וְלֹא־ תְכַחֲשׁ֥וּ
NAS: You shall not steal, nor deal falsely,
KJV: Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely,
INT: nor steal nor falsely

Deuteronomy 5:19
HEB: וְלֹ֖֣א תִּֿגְנֹֽ֔ב׃ ס
NAS: You shall not steal.
KJV: Neither shalt thou steal.
INT: shall not steal

Deuteronomy 24:7
HEB: יִמָּצֵ֣א אִ֗ישׁ גֹּנֵ֨ב נֶ֤פֶשׁ מֵאֶחָיו֙
NAS: is caught kidnapping any
KJV: be found stealing any
INT: is caught A man kidnapping any of his countrymen

Joshua 7:11
HEB: הַחֵ֔רֶם וְגַ֤ם גָּֽנְבוּ֙ וְגַ֣ם כִּֽחֲשׁ֔וּ
NAS: and have both stolen and deceived.
KJV: of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled
INT: of the things both stolen have also and deceived

2 Samuel 15:6
HEB: אֶל־ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיְגַנֵּב֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם אֶת־
NAS: so Absalom stole away the hearts
KJV: so Absalom stole the hearts
INT: to the king stole Absalom the hearts

2 Samuel 19:3
HEB: וַיִּתְגַּנֵּ֥ב הָעָ֛ם בַּיּ֥וֹם
NAS: went by stealth into the city
KJV: gat them by stealth that day
INT: stealth the people day

2 Samuel 19:3
HEB: הָעִ֑יר כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר יִתְגַּנֵּ֗ב הָעָם֙ הַנִּכְלָמִ֔ים
NAS: who are humiliated steal away when they flee
KJV: being ashamed steal away when they flee
INT: the city after steal people are humiliated

40 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 1589
40 Occurrences

ḡā·naḇ·tā — 1 Occ.
gā·nə·ḇū — 2 Occ.
gā·nōḇ — 1 Occ.
gā·nūḇ — 1 Occ.
gə·nā·ḇā·ṯam — 1 Occ.
gə·nā·ḇat·tū — 2 Occ.
gə·nā·ḇū·ḵā — 1 Occ.
gə·nū·ḇîm — 1 Occ.
gə·nuḇ·ṯî — 1 Occ.
gō·nêḇ — 1 Occ.
gun·naḇ·tî — 1 Occ.
ḡun·nōḇ — 1 Occ.
hă·ḡā·nōḇ — 1 Occ.
hag·gō·nêḇ — 1 Occ.
mə·ḡan·nə·ḇê — 1 Occ.
niḡ·nōḇ — 1 Occ.
tḡə·nōḇ — 2 Occ.
tiḡ·nō·ḇū — 1 Occ.
ū·ḡə·nuḇ·ṯî — 1 Occ.
way·yiḡ·nōḇ — 1 Occ.
way·yiṯ·gan·nêḇ — 1 Occ.
wat·tiḡ·nōḇ — 5 Occ.
way·ḡan·nêḇ — 1 Occ.
wə·ḡā·naḇ·tî — 1 Occ.
wə·ḡā·nōḇ — 1 Occ.
wə·ḡō·nêḇ — 1 Occ.
wə·ḡun·naḇ — 1 Occ.
yə·ḡun·nāḇ — 1 Occ.
yig·gā·nêḇ — 1 Occ.
yiḡ·nə·ḇū — 1 Occ.
yiḡ·nōḇ- — 2 Occ.
yiṯ·gan·nêḇ — 1 Occ.