Lexical Summary
gallab: Barber
Original Word: גַּלָּב
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: gallab
Pronunciation: gal-lab'
Phonetic Spelling: (gal-lawb')
KJV: barber
NASB: barber's
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to shave]
1. a barber
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
barber
From an unused root meaning to shave; a barber -- barber.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom an unused word
Definitiona barber
NASB Translationbarber's (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (Phoenician CIS
i, 257 ff.) —
Ezekiel 5:1 .
Topical Lexicon
Biblical Usage גַּלָּב appears once in the Old Testament, describing the “barber’s razor” employed by Ezekiel in a dramatic prophetic sign-act (Ezekiel 5:1). The prophet is commanded, “Take a sharp sword; use it as a barber’s razor to shave your head and your beard” (Berean Standard Bible). This solitary occurrence anchors the word within a vivid prophetic tableau in which the cutting of hair foreshadows judgment upon Jerusalem.
Historical Background
Barbers were a recognized class of craftsmen in the ancient Near East, serving both hygienic and ritual roles. Egyptian tomb paintings show barbers at work, and Mesopotamian legal texts mention their services. In Israel, grooming usually took place within the household, yet specialized artisans existed for occasions requiring exceptional skill or ceremonial purity (Genesis 41:14; 2 Samuel 14:26). A razor, therefore, could symbolize refinement or set-apart ritual action; in Ezekiel’s ministry it becomes an instrument of divine decree.
Prophetic Symbolism in Ezekiel 5
1. Total Shaving. The removal of both head and beard was culturally shocking, signaling mourning (Jeremiah 48:37), humiliation (2 Samuel 10:4-5), or purification (Leviticus 14:8-9).
2. Division of the Hair. Ezekiel apportions the shorn locks into thirds—burned, struck with the sword, and scattered—visualizing siege, slaughter, and dispersion of the inhabitants (Ezekiel 5:2, 12).
3. Few Hairs Preserved. A remnant is bound in the folds of Ezekiel’s robe before even they face further trial (Ezekiel 5:3-4), portraying both preservation and refining of a faithful remnant.
Theological Significance
• Judgment and Covenant Faithfulness. The razor underscores the sharpness of God’s justice against covenant unfaithfulness (Deuteronomy 28:64-68; Ezekiel 5:9).
• Remnant Theology. Though the majority are consumed, a protected remnant remains, anticipating promises of restoration (Ezekiel 6:8; Romans 11:5).
• Holiness and Separation. Hair in Scripture can symbolize vitality and consecration (Numbers 6:5; Judges 16:17). Its removal thus figures the stripping away of pride and self-reliance, calling Israel back to holiness.
Related Biblical Themes
• Nazirite Vow: The uncut hair of a Nazirite symbolizes dedication; shaving marks completion or defilement (Numbers 6:13, 18).
• Priestly Consecration: The Levites were shaved as part of their sanctification (Numbers 8:7), paralleling Ezekiel’s act of setting apart a remnant.
• Foreign Oppression: Assyrian invasion is likened to a razor hired by the Lord (Isaiah 7:20), linking גַּלָּב imagery with international judgment.
Ministry Reflections
1. Visual Preaching. Ezekiel’s use of a barber’s instrument encourages creative yet Scripture-grounded proclamation that arrests attention and communicates divine truth.
2. Call to Repentance. As the razor removed every strand, believers are urged to allow the Word and Spirit to cut away sin (Hebrews 4:12).
3. Hope amid Discipline. Even in the severest judgment, God holds back a remnant, assuring the church of His preserving grace (John 10:28-29).
For Further Study
Ezekiel 4–5; Isaiah 7:20; Numbers 6; Numbers 8; Leviticus 14; Jeremiah 48:37.
Forms and Transliterations
הַגַּלָּבִים֙ הגלבים hag·gal·lā·ḇîm haggallāḇîm haggallaVim
Links
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Englishman's Greek Concordance •
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