Mighty—Gibor

February 4, 2013

by: Janet Aslin, BFP Staff Writer

God’s Word tells us to stand firm, not fear, endure, overcome to the end. As believers, we want to be strong, mighty warriors like David, who was called a “mighty man of valor” (1 Sam. 16:18). There are several Hebrew words that are sometimes translated “mighty” but when you look at the context of how they are used, you realize each word highlights a little different aspect of the word mighty.

Chazaq (חזק) is used primarily to show physical strength; atsum (ץצם), to indicate strength in numbers, many times comparing Israel to nations “stronger and mightier;” and gadol (גדול) which carries with it the implication of size. However, the word we have chosen to study is gibor (גבור), which emphasizes the idea of prevailing, triumphing, or overcoming.

Gibor appears over 150 times in the Tanach (Gen.–Mal.), translated as “mighty man” 68 times and simply “mighty” 63 times. The root, gabar (גבר), means “to be strong, mighty—to prevail.” Often when gibor appears, it is used to describe a warrior, and not just an ordinary one—a leader, a champion, or a hero. Interestingly enough, the feminine form of the word, geburah (גבורה), is used much more frequently when referring to God, especially to His mighty acts.

Mighty Men of Old

We first encounter the word gibor in Scripture when it was used to describe Nimrod, son of Cush, for his prowess, and, we can imply, success in hunting (Gen. 10:8–9). Another mighty man of old was Gideon. When the angel of God first appeared to him and called him a “mighty man of valor,” he wasn’t acting in a very heroic manner. However, after putting the Lord to a test, Gideon did finally believe and went on to become a leader and champion of his people, defeating the Midianites in battle (Judg. 6–7).

Perhaps the most well-known “mighty men” were those who were aligned with King David, who was himself called gibor (1 Sam. 16:8). Most of these men remain nameless, but we know they were with the king through the good times and the bad. When David was a fugitive, on the run from King Saul and in hiding, Scripture tells us that some of the men who came to him at Ziklag were mighty men, helpers in the war (1 Chron. 12:1). Legendary in their strength, fearlessness, and might in battle, these men were loyal to David and helped him win the many battles he fought during his reign. They were the elite—the special forces of their day.

These mighty men did things no ordinary soldier could do. In 2 Samuel 23:13–17 we read the account of three mighty warriors who, at great risk to themselves, entered the town of Bethlehem which was under the control of a Philistine garrison, and drew water out of the well. They did this out of love and loyalty to King David, their commander-in-chief, when they heard him say with longing, “Oh that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” (v. 15). They excelled in strength and did not retreat from a dangerous situation.

The Bible doesn’t just use the word gibor to describe the Israelites. Goliath, champion of the Philistines, was called by that name as were some of the enemies the people of Israel faced during their conquest of Canaan. There is evil in the world and there have always been strong, mighty men who were bent on the destruction of God’s people. Today we don’t have to look very far to see this kind of gibor present in our world.

The LORD Strong and Mighty

We can have confidence in this—true might comes from God alone. King David was called “a man after God’s own heart” and there is no doubt that he knew the source of his help, the reason he was able to be a mighty man and prevail in the face of Israel’s many enemies. David wrote: “Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle” (Ps. 24:8).

Over 500 years after King David’s reign, Nehemiah received permission from King Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem and rebuild her broken-down walls. When the monumental task had been completed and the time of rejoicing ended, he assembled the people for a time of corporate confession. During his public prayer, he recounted God’s faithfulness despite Israel’s waywardness and included the word gibor as one of the adjectives to describe their God. “Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and awesome God, who keeps covenant and mercy…” (Neh. 9:32a). Although the Jewish people had been sent into exile for their disobedience, their God had not changed; He remained gibbor—a strong and mighty God who empowered His people to succeed, to prevail in a seemingly impossible task.

Today when we are tempted to despair, to look at the uncertainty of the future or the havoc that has been wreaked by a natural disaster, we can call upon our God who is mighty. As He promised, He is not far from His people. “The LORD your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing” (Zeph. 3:17).