Lexical Summary gizrah: Portion, district, cut-off place Original Word: גִּזְרָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance polishing, separate place Feminine of gezer; the figure or person (as if cut out); also an inclosure (as separated) -- polishing, separate place. see HEBREW gezer NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfem. of gezer Definition a cutting, separation NASB Translation polishing (1), separate area (6), separate areas (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs גִּזְרָה noun feminine cutting, separation — גִּזְרָה Ezekiel 41:12 6t.; suffix גִּזְרָתָם Lamentations 4:7; — 1 cutting, i.e. polishing (AV RV or carving, i.e. beauty of from, shape, compare VB) סַמִּיר גִּזְרָתָם Lamentations 4:7; their polishing, (or beauty of form) was as sapphire. 2 separation, הַגִּזְרָה Ezekiel 41:12,13,14,15; Ezekiel 42:1,10,13, separate place AV RV compare Da; i.e. yard, or space adjoining temple on three sides. Topical Lexicon Definition and conceptual background gizrah (Strong’s Hebrew 1508) derives from the idea of “cutting off” or “separating.” In Scripture the noun speaks either of an individual’s “physique” (Lamentations 4:7) or, more commonly, of a “separate precinct” within the temple complex (Ezekiel 41–42). In both settings the underlying thought is the same: something set apart from what surrounds it. Scriptural occurrences 1. Lamentations 4:7 – The word appears in a poetic description of the princes of Zion before the fall of Jerusalem: “Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance was like lapis lazuli”. Here gizrah conveys the physical form or complexion of the nobles, testifying to their former vigor and dignity. 2–8. Ezekiel 41:12, 41:13, 41:14, 41:15, 42:1, 42:10, 42:13 – In the prophet’s temple vision, gizrah designates the large western building and the court areas that flank it. These structures are constantly distinguished from the main sanctuary and the outer court, underscoring graded zones of holiness within the future temple. Temple architecture and significance in Ezekiel Ezekiel’s detailed measurements (Ezekiel 41–42) outline three concentric bands of sanctity: the outer court for the people, the inner court for ministering priests, and, at the center, the Most Holy Place. The gizrah lies beyond the sanctuary proper, yet it remains within the sacred complex. It is described as: The precinct therefore embodies two inseparable truths: access and restriction. It welcomes consecrated servants while preserving the awe due to the holy presence of God. In the millennial context of Ezekiel’s vision, the gizrah foreshadows a restored order in which worship is both intimate and reverent. Separation as a theological motif Throughout Scripture holiness is expressed by boundaries that God Himself establishes (Genesis 2:3; Exodus 19:12; 2 Corinthians 6:17). Gizrah gives concrete form to that principle. Just as Levitical priests were required to distinguish between clean and unclean, the physical precinct in Ezekiel teaches the faithful to discern between what is common and what is consecrated. Simultaneously, the use of gizrah for the bodies of Zion’s princes in Lamentations reminds readers that personal life and character are also to be kept distinct, reflecting God’s purity. Historical resonance Lamentations portrays the tragic collapse of Israel’s leadership; Ezekiel, written to exiles, promises a future purification of worship. The single word gizrah brackets both realities—human failure and divine restoration—by highlighting what was lost through sin and what will be graciously re-established. Ministry insights 1. Guarded sanctity. Churches and families need wisely defined spaces—physical, relational, and theological—that foster reverence. Christological perspective In Jesus Christ the ultimate “separate place” and the perfect “body” converge. He “was made holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26) yet, through His crucified body, became the new and living way into God’s presence (Hebrews 10:20). The gizrah motif therefore points forward to the One who is both distinct from creation and intimately present within it. Practical application Believers are called “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). The careful boundaries of the ancient gizrah urge the modern church to cultivate corporate worship that is distinct from worldliness, while the healthy bodies of Zion’s former princes encourage personal consecration. Such separation is never isolation; rather, it equips God’s people to serve Him effectively in the midst of a needy world. Forms and Transliterations גִּזְרָתָֽם׃ גזרתם׃ הַגִּזְרָ֛ה הַגִּזְרָ֜ה הַגִּזְרָה֒ הגזרה וְהַגִּזְרָ֛ה וְהַגִּזְרָ֤ה והגזרה giz·rā·ṯām gizraTam gizrāṯām hag·giz·rāh haggizRah haggizrāh vehaggizRah wə·hag·giz·rāh wəhaggizrāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Lamentations 4:7 HEB: מִפְּנִינִ֔ים סַפִּ֖יר גִּזְרָתָֽם׃ ס NAS: corals, Their polishing [was like] lapis lazuli. KJV: than rubies, their polishing [was] of sapphire: INT: corals lapis their polishing Ezekiel 41:12 Ezekiel 41:13 Ezekiel 41:14 Ezekiel 41:15 Ezekiel 42:1 Ezekiel 42:10 Ezekiel 42:13 8 Occurrences |