Lexical Summary garam: To cause, to bring about, to result in Original Word: גָּרַם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance gnaw the bones, break A primitive root; to be spare or skeleton-like; used only as a denominative from gerem; (causative) to bone, i.e. Denude (by extensive, craunch) the bones -- gnaw the bones, break. see HEBREW gerem Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [גָּרַם] verb lay aside, leave, save **meaning dubious; ? cut off, hence reserve (Late Hebrew גָּרַם is shorten, occasion, bring about, to pass, Aramaic גְּרַם Pa`el occasion, bring about,  abscidit, decrevit, compare also Arabic  cut off (fruit), shear (sheep); — on connection of ideas see Fl NHWBi. 437) Qal Perfect3plural לֹא גָָֽרְמוּ לַבֹּקֶר Zephaniah 3:3 they have left nothing for the morrow, in figure of cruel judges (dubious: al. from II. [גָּרַם], see KauAT Dr). II. [גָּרַם] verb denominative break bones, break, — Pi`el Imperfect וְעַצְמֹתֵיהֶם יְגָרֵם Numbers 24:8 (JE); but also וְאֶתחֲֿרָשֶׂיהָ תְּגָרֵ֖מִי Ezekiel 23:34 (yet on text see Co.) Topical Lexicon Overview גָּרַם describes an act that renders what once had integrity into splinters, shards, or nothingness. It is never used for constructive causation; rather, it depicts an aggressive agency that crushes, gnaws, or utterly deprives. Each occurrence in the Old Testament places the verb in a setting of judgment or ruthless domination, underscoring the holiness of God who will not tolerate rebellion and, conversely, exposing the corruption of leaders who abuse their charge. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Numbers 24:8 presents the verb in Balaam’s oracle over Israel: “He crushes their bones and pierces them with arrows”. Israel’s conquest is traced directly to the Lord’s initiative. The image is military and decisive; God’s covenant people become His instrument to shatter hostile nations, confirming the promises given to Abraham (Genesis 12:3) and later affirmed in Deuteronomy 7:1–2. Historical Context and Imagery Ancient Near Eastern warfare often celebrated victory by displaying piled or broken bones—tangible proof of dominance. Likewise, prophets routinely depicted covenant curses through visceral pictures of hunger, siege, and mutilation (Deuteronomy 28). The verb גָּרַם taps that cultural reservoir: bones gnawed clean, cups bitten to shards, prey consumed past dawn. Such language alerted Israel and Judah that divine judgment would be every bit as concrete as the covenant blessings they desired. Theological Significance 1. Divine Sovereignty in Judgment. Numbers 24:8 attributes Israel’s bone-crushing victories to “God [who] brought him out of Egypt.” Redemption and judgment form two sides of the same sovereign act; the Lord rescues to establish holiness, and He judges to defend it. Christological and Eschatological Dimensions While גָּרַם involves the crushing of bones, prophetic anticipation of the Messiah includes the contrasting promise, “He protects all his bones; not one of them will be broken” (Psalm 34:20, fulfilled in John 19:36). The same God who decisively shatters rebellion ensures that the righteous Sufferer endures intact, thereby conquering sin without Himself being consumed. At the final judgment (Revelation 19:11–16) Christ appears as Warrior-King, echoing Numbers 24:8 yet aiming His crushing power against the dragon and its allies. The verb thus foreshadows both temporal judgments in history and the climactic triumph of the Lamb. Lessons for Ministry and Personal Application • God’s servants must rely on divine strength, not personal force, when confronting evil. Israel “crushes” only because “God brought him out of Egypt.” Related Biblical Themes Bone imagery—strength (Genesis 2:23), fear (Job 4:14), protection (Psalm 34:20)—provides a larger canvas on which גָּרַם paints its darker strokes. Likewise, cups of wrath (Jeremiah 25:15), predatory rulers (Micah 3:1–3), and victorious “horns” (Psalm 92:10) interlock with the verb’s usage. Together they reveal a God who judges completely, saves comprehensively, and calls His people to mirror His justice and compassion. Forms and Transliterations גָרְמ֖וּ גרמו יְגָרֵ֖ם יגרם תְּגָרֵ֖מִי תגרמי ḡā·rə·mū gareMu ḡārəmū tə·ḡā·rê·mî tegaRemi təḡārêmî yə·ḡā·rêm yegaRem yəḡārêmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 24:8 HEB: צָרָ֗יו וְעַצְמֹתֵיהֶ֛ם יְגָרֵ֖ם וְחִצָּ֥יו יִמְחָֽץ׃ NAS: [who are] his adversaries, And will crush their bones KJV: his enemies, and shall break their bones, INT: his adversaries their bones and will crush his arrows and shatter Ezekiel 23:34 Zephaniah 3:3 3 Occurrences |
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