Original Word: גֵּה
Part of Speech: Pronoun
Transliteration: geh
Pronunciation: geh
Phonetic Spelling: (gay)
KJV: this
Word Origin: [probably a clerical error for H2088 (זֶה - this)]

1. this

this

Probably a clerical error for zeh; this -- this.

see HEBREW zeh

Word Origin
probably a scribal error for zeh, q.v.

גֵּה Ezekiel 47:13, read זֶה ᵐ5 ᵑ7 ᵑ9 & all moderns.

Overview

גֵּה appears only once in the Old Testament and is tied to the prophetic land-allotment vision of Ezekiel. Though linguistically a minor term, its setting in Ezekiel 47:13 places it within one of Scripture’s great affirmations that God will keep His covenant by restoring Israel to a carefully measured inheritance.

Biblical Occurrence

Ezekiel 47:13: “This is the boundary by which you shall divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel, with Joseph receiving two portions.”

The word stands inside a divine decree that fixes borders, numbers tribes, and singles out Joseph for a double share. Its lone use therefore carries the full weight of that context—an eschatological charter for the restored land.

Literary Context in Ezekiel

Chapters 40–48 describe a future temple, a life-giving river, and tribal territories laid out in perfect symmetry. גֵּה is part of the transition from temple vision (chapters 40–46) to territorial apportionment (chapters 47–48). Ezekiel moves from worship to inheritance, showing that true restoration must reunite sacred space and covenant land. The term thus signals the start of God’s “survey lines” that will grant Israel secure, permanent possession.

Covenantal Significance

1. Confirms the promise first given to Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21) and later repeated by Moses (Deuteronomy 30:5).
2. Honors Joseph with “two portions,” echoing Jacob’s adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:5-6) and the legal right of the firstborn to a double share (Deuteronomy 21:17).
3. Demonstrates divine consistency: the same God who divided Canaan under Joshua (Joshua 14–19) will allocate it again in the age to come.

Historical Setting

Ezekiel prophesied to exiles who had lost temple, king, and homeland. By embedding גֵּה in a precise land-grant formula, the prophet offered hope more concrete than mere rhetoric. Every boundary line forecast a literal return, countering the despair of captivity with the assurance that geography, not just spirituality, would be restored.

Typological and Christological Reflections

• The detailed inheritance looks forward to the New Jerusalem whose gates are named for the tribes of Israel (Revelation 21:12).
• Joseph’s double portion prefigures the “firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29), Jesus Christ, through whom a multiplied inheritance comes to all who are in Him.

Geographical Considerations

Ezekiel’s allotment runs east-west strips parallel to one another, unlike the earlier north-south tribal boundaries. גֵּה lies at the opening of that description, emphasizing that the entire land is under God’s survey. The measured precision confronts the chaotic dispersal caused by exile and foreign domination.

Applications for Ministry

1. God’s promises are exact; every “line” will be fulfilled. This encourages believers to trust Him with both temporal and eternal hopes.
2. The double portion for Joseph models how God exceeds expectation; He is not miserly with grace.
3. Detailed prophecy grounds preaching in verifiable history and future certainty, combating vague or purely allegorical readings of Scripture.

Key Cross-References

Genesis 48:22; 49:25-26

Deuteronomy 21:17

Joshua 17:14-18

1 Chronicles 5:1

Ezekiel 47:13–23; 48:1-29

Revelation 21:12

גֵּ֤ה גה geh gêhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts