🔼The name Gur: Summary
- Meaning
- Sojourning, Lion's Cub
- Etymology
- From the verb גרר (garar), to drag or drag away.
🔼The name Gur in the Bible
The name Gur occurs only one time in the Bible. It's the name of a locality near the village of Ibleam and associated with an elevation. And it's on that elevation (the ascent of Gur) that king Ahaziah of Judah was mortally shot by Jehu and his troops (2 Kings 9:27).
Ahaziah had bolted away when Jehu shot king Jehoram of Israel right in front of him. But they caught up with his chariot and riddled him with arrows. Ahaziah managed to reach the town of Megiddo and died there. His servants carried him back to Jerusalem and buried him in his family grave.
🔼Etymology of the name Gur
The origin of the name Gur is not wholly clear and it may have several meanings. But the name Gur most likely reminded a Hebrew audience of the following cluster of words:
גרר
The verb גרר (garar) means to drag or drag away, mostly in a circular or repetitive motion. Noun גרה (gera) means cud, or food that's dragged back up, chewed again and sent back down. The identical noun גרה (gera) denotes a unit of weight that served as currency. Noun גרגר (gargar) means berry and the plural noun גרגרות (gargerot) means neck, probably after their signature wagging motion.
The verb גרה (gara) means to strive or agitate strife, obviously not by means of one singular assault but rather by repeated provocations and withdrawals. Noun תגרה (tigra) means contention or opposition. Noun גרון (garon) is a second word for neck.
Verb גור (gur) means the same as the previous: to quarrel or stir up strife. Nouns גור (gor) and גור (gur) both denote lion cubs. Perhaps young male lions were named after the verb גור (gur) because they are expelled from the pride and are forced to roam adjacent territories.
The verb גור (gur), namely — or a second and identical verb — is also often used to describe to itinerate or temporary abide. Noun גר (ger) describes an itinerant; a stranger or foreigner. Noun גרות (gerut) may describe a lodging place for foreign travelers but may also be part of the name Geruth Chimham. Noun מגור (magor) means dwelling place or itineration. Nouns מגורה (megura) and ממגרות (mammegurot) describes storehouses, or places were goods were temporarily stored on their way to the market.
Perhaps a third identical verb גור (gur) means to dread, but perhaps it describes dread that is built up over time and from many little threats and suspicions. Nouns מגור (magor) and מגורה (megora) mean fear or terror, but note that the former is identical to the word meaning dwelling place, mentioned above. The verb יגר (yagor) appears to be a by-form of this third verb גור (gur), and also means to dread. The adverb יגור (yagor) means fearing.
🔼Gur meaning
For a meaning of the name Gur, Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names reads Sojourning and BDB Theological Dictionary has Sojourning, Dwelling. NOBSE Study Bible Name List has the evenly valid Lion's Cub.