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H1639 · Hebrew · Old Testament
גָּרַע
gara
Verb
to diminish, take away, restrain

Definition

To diminish, withdraw, restrain, or take away a portion. Used of reducing quantity, clipping rights, or withholding what is due. Carries the sense of making something less than it should be.

Usage & Theological Significance

Gara appears in one of Scripture's strongest warnings about handling God's Word: 'You shall not add to the word... nor take away from it' (Deut 4:2; 12:32). This establishes the completeness and sufficiency of divine revelation. To diminish God's Word is to diminish God Himself. The word also appears in contexts of unjust labor practices — Pharaoh 'diminished' Israel's straw rations (Ex 5:8) — connecting textual integrity with social justice.

Key Bible Verses

Deuteronomy 4:2 You shall not add to the word... nor take away [gara] from it.
Deuteronomy 12:32 Everything I command you, observe to do it; you shall not diminish [gara] from it.
Exodus 5:8 You shall by no means reduce [gara] it, for they are idle.
Ecclesiastes 3:14 Whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken [gara] from it.
Numbers 36:3 Their inheritance will be taken away [gara] from the inheritance of our fathers.

Related Words

External Resources

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