1638. garas

Lexical Summary

garas: To drive out, to expel, to cast out, to divorce

Original Word: גָּרַס
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: garac
Pronunciation: gah-RAHSH
Phonetic Spelling: (gaw-ras')
KJV: break
NASB: broken, crushed
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to crush
2. (intransitively and figuratively) to dissolve

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

break

A primitive root; to crush; also (intransitively and figuratively) to dissolve -- break.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to be crushed
NASB Translation
broken (1), crushed (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[גָּרַס] verb be crushed (Aramaic [be crushed,] perish) —

Qal Perfect3feminine singular גָָּֽרְסָה Psalm 119:20 figurative נַפְשִׁי לְ ׳ג my soul is crushed (i.e. perisheth: compare Syriac) with longing for (compare כָּלָה לְ).

Hiph`il Imperfect וַיַּגְרֵס בֶּחָצָץ שִׁנָּ֑י Lamentations 3:16 and he hath crushed my teeth with gravel, figurative of divine chastisement.

Topical Lexicon

Semantic Range and Imagery

גָּרַס (garas) conveys the physical act of grinding, crushing, or chewing until something is reduced to fragments. Because the verb intrinsically involves pressure, friction, and reduction, it readily acquires metaphorical force for emotional or spiritual experiences that feel pulverizing. Thus Scripture uses garas both for literal pulverization (Lamentations 3:16) and for the inward “wearing down” of intense longing (Psalm 119:20).

Occurrences in Scripture

Psalm 119:20 – “My soul is crushed with longing for Your judgments at all times.”

Lamentations 3:16 – “He has ground my teeth with gravel; He has trampled me in the dust.”

In both texts garas is in the intensive stem, highlighting an action carried out thoroughly, leaving no part untouched.

Theology of Brokenness and Longing

1. Crushed Desire for God (Psalm 119:20)
• The psalmist’s “crushed” soul portrays yearning so deep it feels physically grinding. True covenant faith does not consider the statutes of the LORD a casual interest but an appetite that grates against the inner person until satisfied (compare Psalm 42:1-2; Matthew 5:6).
• Garas introduces an unexpected irony: what commonly destroys is here the instrument that preserves. In being “ground,” the soul is refined, distinguishing holy craving from lesser desires (Psalm 73:25-26).

2. Crushed Under Judgment (Lamentations 3:16)
• Jeremiah’s lament personalizes the national catastrophe of 586 BC. The Babylonian siege reduced Judah’s strength to dust; garas captures the humiliation of having even one’s teeth filled with grit.
• Divine chastening is not capricious. Earlier verses affirm, “Though He causes grief, He will show compassion” (Lamentations 3:32). Crushing, therefore, is purposeful discipline that turns a stubborn people back to covenant faithfulness (Hebrews 12:11).

Pastoral and Devotional Applications

• Suffering believers may identify with garas when life’s pressures grind away security, health, or reputation. Lamentations legitimizes lament while encouraging hope in the steadfast love of the LORD (3:22-24).
• Spiritual hunger may reach a point of holy ache. Rather than dismiss the pain, Psalm 119 teaches embracing it as evidence of regeneration. Ministry leaders can shepherd congregations to seek Scripture until longing moves from crushing to consolation (Jeremiah 15:16).
• Counseling can draw from both passages: affliction may feel pulverizing, yet the same verb describes longing for God’s word. Crushing either turns us toward divine statutes or testifies that we have neglected them.

Christological and Eschatological Foreshadowing

• Isaiah speaks of the Servant who was “crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). Though a different Hebrew verb, the image parallels garas and finds fulfillment at the cross, where the Messiah bore the grinding weight of judgment.
• New-covenant believers, united with Christ, experience sanctifying pressure that conforms them to His image (Romans 8:29). Final relief comes when “He will wipe away every tear” (Revelation 21:4), ending all crushing forces forever.

Summary Insight

Garas illustrates God’s sovereign use of pressure—whether produced by longing or by loss—to shape hearts for His glory. In Scripture the same grinding that scatters pride grinds open the soul to thirst for righteous judgments.

Forms and Transliterations

גָּרְסָ֣ה גרסה וַיַּגְרֵ֤ס ויגרס gā·rə·sāh gareSah gārəsāh vaiyagRes way·yaḡ·rês wayyaḡrês

Englishman's Concordance

Psalm 119:20
HEB: גָּרְסָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֣י לְתַאֲבָ֑ה
NAS: My soul is crushed with longing After
KJV: My soul breaketh for the longing
INT: is crushed my soul longing

Lamentations 3:16
HEB: וַיַּגְרֵ֤ס בֶּֽחָצָץ֙ שִׁנָּ֔י
NAS: He has broken my teeth with gravel;
KJV: He hath also broken my teeth
INT: has broken gravel my teeth

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 1638
2 Occurrences

gā·rə·sāh — 1 Occ.
way·yaḡ·rês — 1 Occ.