Original Word: גֵּז
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: gez
Pronunciation: gayz
Phonetic Spelling: (gaze)
KJV: fleece, mowing, mown grass
NASB: fleece, mowing, mown, shearing
Word Origin: [from H1494 (גָּזַז - cut off)]

1. a fleece (as shorn)
2. also mown grass

fleece, mowing, mown grass

From gazaz; a fleece (as shorn); also mown grass -- fleece, mowing, mown grass.

see HEBREW gazaz

Word Origin
from gazaz
Definition
a shearing, mowing
NASB Translation
fleece (1), mowing (1), mown (1), shearing (1).

גֵּז noun [masculine] shearing, mowing (Assyrian gizzu Zehnpf^{BAS i. 530}, Aramaic גִּיזָּא fleece) — גֵּז Psalm 72:6, also construct Deuteronomy 18:4; Job 31:20; plural construct גִּזֵּי Amos 7:1; — shearing = thing sheared off, wool, fleece צאֹן ׳ג Deuteronomy 18:4, כְּבָשַׂי ׳ג Job 31:20; mowing Amos 7:1 (הַמֶּלֶךְ ׳ג compare RS^{Semitic i. 228}); = land to be mown Psalm 72:6 (but shearing in both, according to Hoffm^{ZAW 1883, 116 ff.} SS).

Meaning and Range of Usage

The Hebrew noun גֵּז refers to material that has been cut off or removed—most plainly the fleece shorn from sheep, but by extension grass after mowing. Across its four appearances Scripture employs the word in priestly statute, wisdom testimony, royal psalm, and prophetic vision, weaving together themes of worship, generosity, refreshment, and judgment.

Ceremonial Offering of the Fleece (Deuteronomy 18:4)

“You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine, and oil, and the first wool from shearing your sheep.”

Here גֵּז marks the first fleece presented to the priests. The placement beside grain, wine, and oil elevates wool to the status of staple produce, underscoring God’s claim on every sector of Israel’s economy. By surrendering the initial yield of shearing, worshipers confessed that both flock and fleece belonged to the Lord. The statute simultaneously sustained those who ministered at the sanctuary, illustrating the mutual obligation between covenant people and their spiritual leaders (compare 1 Corinthians 9:13).

Compassionate Stewardship (Job 31:20)

“[If] his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep…”

Job cites his use of גֵּז to clothe the poor as evidence of integrity. The fleece—valuable, warm, and easily fashioned into garments—became a tangible expression of mercy. The verse links stewardship of material goods with love of neighbor, revealing that ceremonial offerings (Deuteronomy 18:4) and personal charity spring from the same acknowledgment of divine ownership.

Poetic Imagery of Renewal (Psalm 72:6)

“May he be like rain that falls on freshly cut grass, like showers that water the earth.”

The psalmist invokes גֵּז for “freshly cut grass,” picturing the earth shorn yet poised for life-giving rain. The verse prays that the Messiah-King’s reign bring gentle nourishment to a vulnerable land, highlighting the restorative character of righteous rule. Just as clipped pasture quickly dries without moisture, so a people newly humbled requires gracious visitation from above (Hosea 6:3).

Prophetic Timing and Judgment (Amos 7:1)

“This is what the Lord GOD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts just after the king’s share had been harvested and as the late crop was coming up.”

In Amos the “king’s shearings” (גֵּז) likely refer to an early mowing or governmental levy on hay. Locusts arise precisely when commoners depend on the second growth. By situating the plague between mowings, the vision unmasks societal injustice and warns that divine judgment strikes when human power structures seem most secure.

Theological Threads

1. Firstfruits: גֵּז is treated as first produce, linking animal husbandry with agrarian offerings and affirming God’s universal lordship (James 1:17).
2. Provision for Ministry: Priests live off what worshipers surrender; believers today likewise support gospel laborers (Galatians 6:6).
3. Mercy to the Poor: Fleece clothing in Job prefigures New Testament exhortations to share material goods (1 John 3:17).
4. Messianic Refreshment: Rain on mown grass anticipates the peace and prosperity of the future reign of Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21).
5. Covenant Accountability: Amos shows that when rulers exploit resources, the Lord intervenes, confirming His justice (Micah 6:8).

Ministry Applications

• Honor the Lord with “first shearings”—setting aside the best portion of every income stream for kingdom purposes.
• View possessions as vessels of compassion; a blanket or coat may be today’s equivalent of Job’s fleece.
• Pray for leaders to mirror Psalm 72, bringing gentle refreshment to those cut down by life’s scythes.
• Recognize seasons “after the king’s shearings” when communities are vulnerable, and stand ready to intercede before the locusts of hardship arrive.

גִּזֵּ֥י גֵּ֑ז גֵּ֥ז גז גזי וּמִגֵּ֥ז ומגז gez gêz giz·zê gizzê gizZei ū·mig·gêz umigGez ūmiggêzInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts