Original Word: גָּדֵר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: gader
Pronunciation: gah-DAIR
Phonetic Spelling: (gaw-dare')
KJV: fence, hedge, wall
NASB: wall, fence, hedges, walls
Word Origin: [from H1443 (גָּדַר - build)]

1. surrounded with a wall or rampart, a circumvallate
2. (by implication) an inclosure

fence, hedge, wall

From gadar; a circumvallation; by implication, an inclosure -- fence, hedge, wall.

see HEBREW gadar

Word Origin
from gadar
Definition
a wall
NASB Translation
fence (1), hedges (1), wall (11), walls (1).

Definition and Scope

Gādēr denotes a constructed barrier—wall, fence, hedge, or enclosure—erected for protection, separation, or demarcation. Scripture employs the term both for literal masonry or stonework and for figurative spiritual boundaries.

Occurrences and Contexts

The word appears eleven times: Numbers 22:24; Ezra 9:9; Psalm 62:3; Psalm 80:12; Ecclesiastes 10:8; Isaiah 5:5; Ezekiel 13:5; Ezekiel 22:30; Ezekiel 42:7; Micah 7:11 (with Numbers 22:24 counted twice due to the parallel phrase). These range from Balaam’s pathway between vineyard walls to prophetic visions of national restoration.

The Wall of Protection: Vineyard Imagery

Isaiah 5:5 and Psalm 80:12 portray Israel as the LORD’s vineyard. A gādēr keeps out wild beasts and thieves; its removal signals divine judgment: “I will tear down its wall and it will be trampled” (Isaiah 5:5). The picture underscores covenant privileges: obedience maintains the hedge, disobedience invites devastation.

Divine Hedge and Spiritual Warfare

Ecclesiastes 10:8 warns, “He who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.” Breaking protective boundaries exposes one to harm—an enduring principle of spiritual warfare. Psalm 62:3 likens evildoers to a “tottering fence,” stressing the fragility of human schemes compared to divine fortifications.

Intercessory Breach Repair

Ezekiel 13:5 and Ezekiel 22:30 condemn leaders who failed to “build a wall” or “stand in the gap.” The imagery presents intercessors as masons repairing breaches to avert national catastrophe. Ministry that neglects prayerful intercession abandons the flock to spiritual siege.

National Security and Restoration

Ezra 9:9 rejoices that God “has given us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.” Post-exilic community life required tangible defenses and symbolized Yahweh’s renewed favor. Micah 7:11 extends the promise: “The day for rebuilding your walls will come; on that day your boundary will be extended”, forecasting messianic expansion of salvation to the nations.

Sanctuary Architecture

Ezekiel 42:7 describes a gādēr within the visionary temple complex, emphasizing holiness through separation. Physical walls in worship spaces remind believers of the need for consecration while also anticipating the open gates of the New Jerusalem where security is perfected in God’s presence.

Lessons on Leadership and Responsibility

Numbers 22:24 depicts the Angel of the LORD standing between vineyard walls, blocking Balaam’s reckless progress. Spiritual leaders must heed divine barriers; pressing past them brings judgment. Conversely, righteous oversight erects protective structures—doctrinal clarity, moral accountability, and compassionate discipline—that guard the community.

Christological Foreshadowing

Jesus embodies and fulfills the wall’s protective role. He is the Good Shepherd who guards His sheepfold and, paradoxically, the cornerstone who “has destroyed the barrier” separating Jew and Gentile (compare Ephesians 2:14). In Him, the protective fence becomes a welcoming gateway, satisfying both justice and mercy.

Practical Ministry Implications

1. Build and maintain doctrinal and moral hedges through faithful teaching.
2. Engage in vigilant intercession to repair breaches in families, churches, and society.
3. Recognize discipline as a redemptive fence, not a punitive cage.
4. Celebrate and proclaim the inclusive security found in Christ, inviting outsiders to enter the vineyard rather than remain exposed outside the wall.

Gādēr therefore communicates God’s protective intention, the peril of rebellion, and the promise of restoration—all culminating in the secure fellowship offered through the gospel.

גְּדֵר֖וֹ גְּדֵרָ֑יִךְ גְדֵרֶ֑יהָ גָּ֝דֵ֗ר גָּדֵ֖ר גָּדֵ֥ר גָּדֵר֩ גָדֵ֔ר גָדֵ֖ר גדר גדרו גדריה גדריך וְגָדֵ֤ר וְגָדֵ֥ר וגדר gā·ḏêr ḡā·ḏêr gaDer gāḏêr ḡāḏêr gə·ḏê·rā·yiḵ ḡə·ḏê·re·hā gə·ḏê·rōw gedeRayich gəḏêrāyiḵ ḡəḏêrehā gedeReiha gedeRo gəḏêrōw vegaDer wə·ḡā·ḏêr wəḡāḏêrInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts