גַּל (H1530) — Hebrew Lexicon

גַּל

𐤂𐤋

gal

H1530 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A mass that has been rolled or gathered together, commonly referring to a heap of stones or a mound created through rolling, piling, or accumulation; by extension, a pile of refuse (such as dung), and figuratively, a surging mass of water (waves) or a bubbling spring. The word can denote both solid (heap or pile) and liquid (wave, spring) accumulations, dependent on context.

Semantic Range

heap of stones, mound, pile (of stones or refuse), heap (of dung), wave, billow, spring (of water), surging mass

Root / Etymology

From the root גלל (galal), meaning 'to roll.' גַּל is a noun formed from this root, emphasizing the outcome or result of the rolling action — something rolled together, accumulated, or gathered into a mass.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Used primarily for (1) a heap of stones, frequently as a marker, memorial, or boundary in the narrative texts (e.g. Genesis 31:46–48), and (2) a mass or crest of water, metaphorically describing a wave in poetic or prophetic texts (e.g. Psalms 42:8). In some contexts, also refers to a spring or bubbling source of water (e.g. Song of Songs 7:3), utilizing the core idea of water surging or rolling forth. Rarely, in non-poetic texts, can be used for a heap of refuse or dung (e.g. Nehemiah 3:13). Later translation traditions sometimes covered different senses with different words (e.g., 'wave' or 'billow' vs. 'heap'), potentially obscuring the unity of the underlying concept. The word does not inherently imply size or permanence; context determines whether it is a significant monument, a passing wave, or an ephemeral pile. While 'Jew' may appear in English translations of related words in post-biblical usage or later periods, גַּל itself has no ethnic or religious connotations and is not a term for a person or group.

Translation Consistency

primary "heap" 17 occurrences

'Heap' is the most frequent and natural English rendering for גַּל in this lexeme (most occurrences are piles/mounds of stones or refuse). It clearly covers heap, pile, and mound senses; the rarer 'wave/surge' sense will be handled by context-specific phrasing, while consistency requires one base word.

Alternatives (17 occurrences):

"waves" (14x) "like the waves" (1x) "like piled masses" (1x) "spring" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from גָּלַל; something rolled, i.e. a heap of stone or dung (plural ruins), by analogy, a spring of water (plural waves); billow, heap, spring, wave.

Bantu Hebrew

Language	Bantu Word	Meaning
Kikongo	kala	heap, pile up (as verb)
Kimbundu	kala	to heap, to pile up
Kongo	kala	heap, pile
Lingala	kála	heap, pile (mound, e.g., 'mokála' = heap)
Umbundu	okala	to heap, to pile up

Root Family

גלל (g-l-l) — to roll, to pile, to heap

Root גלל to roll, to pile, to heap

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H1534	גַּלְגַּל	in the rolling-wheel
H1535	גַּלְגַּל	his wheels
H1536	גִּלְגָּל	Rolling-Circle
H1537	גִּלְגָּל	in Gilgal
H1538	גֻּלְגֹּלֶת	his skull
H1543	גֻּלָּה	round basin of
H1544	גִּלּוּל	with his detestable idols
H1550	גָּלִיל	round-bands of
H1551	גָּלִיל	in the Galil Circuit
H1552	גְלִילָה	encircled regions of
H1553	גְּלִילוֹת	circuit-districts
H1556	גָּלַל	rolled heap
H1557	גָּלָל	the rolled dung-pellet
H1558	גָּלָל	on account of
H1559	גָּלָל	Rolling-One
H1560	גְּלָל	massive stone
H1561	גֵּלֶל	in balls of dung
H1562	גִּלֲלַי	Dung-Heap One
H4038	מַגָּל	reaping sickle
H4039	מְגִלָּה	in rolled scroll of
H4040	מְגִלָּה	rolled scroll

Word Forms

12 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H1530-06`	הַ/גָּֽל	hagal	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the heap	the rolled heap	the heap	6
`H1530-01`	גָ֑ל	gal	`HNcmsa`	a heap	rolled heap	rolled heap	6
`H1530-02`	גַּלָּ֑י/ו	galayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	its waves	his rolled masses	its waves	6
`H1530-11`	לְ/גַלִּ֖ים	legalim	`HR/Ncmpa`	for heaps	to rolled-masses	to heaps	3
`H1530-05`	גַּלִּ֥ים	galim	`HNcmpa`	heaps	rolled-up masses	heaps	3
`H1530-03`	גַלֵּי/הֶם֙	galeyhem	`HNcmpc/Sp3mp`	their waves	their heaped masses	their waves	3
`H1530-12`	וְ/גַלֶּ֖י/ךָ	vegaleykha	`HC/Ncmpc/Sp2ms`	and your waves	and your heaped masses	and your waves	2
`H1530-04`	גַּלֶּֽי/ךָ	galeykha	`HNcmpc/Sp2ms`	of your waves	your heaped masses	your waves	1
`H1530-09`	לַ/גָּ֔ל	lagal	`HRd/Ncmsa`	a heap	to a rolled mass	to a heap	1
`H1530-08`	כְּ/גַלִּ֔ים	kegalim	`HR/Ncmpa`	like stone heaps	like piled masses	like piled masses	1
`H1530-10`	לְ/גַלָּֽי/ו	legalayv	`HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms`	its waves	to his rolling-masses	to its waves	1
`H1530-07`	כְּ/גַלֵּ֥י	kegaley	`HR/Ncmpc`	like the waves	like rolled heaps of	like the waves	1

Occurrences in Scripture

34 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H1530-01`	Genesis 31:46	גָ֑ל	gal	`HNcmsa`	a heap	rolled heap	rolled heap
`H1530-06`	Genesis 31:46	הַ/גָּֽל	hagal	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the heap	the rolled heap	the heap
`H1530-06`	Genesis 31:48	הַ/גַּ֨ל	hagal	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the heap	the rolled heap	the heap
`H1530-06`	Genesis 31:51	הַ/גַּ֣ל	hagal	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the heap	the rolled heap	the heap
`H1530-06`	Genesis 31:52	הַ/גַּ֣ל	hagal	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the heap	the rolled heap	the heap
`H1530-06`	Genesis 31:52	הַ/גַּ֣ל	hagal-2	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the heap	the rolled heap	the heap
`H1530-06`	Genesis 31:52	הַ/גַּ֥ל	hagal-3	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the heap	the rolled heap	the heap
`H1530-01`	Joshua 7:26	גַּל	gal	`HNcmsc`	a heap	rolled heap	rolled heap
`H1530-01`	Joshua 8:29	גַּל	gal	`HNcmsc`	heap	rolled heap	rolled heap
`H1530-01`	2 Samuel 18:17	גַּל	gal	`HNcmsc`	a heap	rolled heap	rolled heap
`H1530-05`	2 Kings 19:25	גַּלִּ֥ים	galim	`HNcmpa`	heaps	rolled-up masses	heaps
`H1530-09`	Isaiah 25:2	לַ/גָּ֔ל	lagal	`HRd/Ncmsa`	a heap	to a rolled mass	to a heap
`H1530-05`	Isaiah 37:26	גַּלִּ֥ים	galim	`HNcmpa`	heaps	rolled-up masses	heaps
`H1530-07`	Isaiah 48:18	כְּ/גַלֵּ֥י	kegaley	`HR/Ncmpc`	like the waves	like rolled heaps of	like the waves
`H1530-02`	Isaiah 51:15	גַּלָּ֑י/ו	galayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	its waves	his rolled masses	its waves
`H1530-02`	Jeremiah 5:22	גַלָּ֖י/ו	galayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	its-waves	his rolled masses	its waves
`H1530-11`	Jeremiah 9:10	לְ/גַלִּ֖ים	legalim	`HR/Ncmpa`	for-heaps	to rolled-masses	to heaps
`H1530-02`	Jeremiah 31:35	גַלָּ֔י/ו	galayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	its-waves	his rolled masses	its waves
`H1530-11`	Jeremiah 51:37	לְ/גַלִּ֧ים	legalim	`HR/Ncmpa`	heaps	to rolled-masses	to heaps
`H1530-02`	Jeremiah 51:42	גַּלָּ֖י/ו	galayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	of its waves	his rolled masses	its waves
`H1530-03`	Jeremiah 51:55	גַלֵּי/הֶם֙	galeyhem	`HNcmpc/Sp3mp`	their waves	their heaped masses	their waves
`H1530-10`	Ezekiel 26:3	לְ/גַלָּֽי/ו	legalayv	`HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms`	its waves	to his rolling-masses	to its waves
`H1530-08`	Hosea 12:12	כְּ/גַלִּ֔ים	kegalim	`HR/Ncmpa`	like stone heaps	like piled masses	like piled masses
`H1530-12`	Jonah 2:4	וְ/גַלֶּ֖י/ךָ	vegaleykha	`HC/Ncmpc/Sp2ms`	and your waves	and your heaped masses	and your waves
`H1530-05`	Zechariah 10:11	גַּלִּ֔ים	galim	`HNcmpa`	waves	rolled-up masses	waves
`H1530-12`	Psalms 42:8	וְ֝/גַלֶּ֗י/ךָ	vegaleykha	`HC/Ncmpc/Sp2ms`	and your waves	and your heaped masses	and your waves
`H1530-03`	Psalms 65:8	גַּלֵּי/הֶ֗ם	galeyhem	`HNcmpc/Sp3mp`	of-their-waves	their heaped masses	their waves
`H1530-02`	Psalms 89:10	גַ֝לָּ֗י/ו	galayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	its waves	his rolled masses	its waves
`H1530-02`	Psalms 107:25	גַּלָּֽי/ו	galayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	its waves	his rolled masses	its waves
`H1530-03`	Psalms 107:29	גַּלֵּי/הֶֽם	galeyhem	`HNcmpc/Sp3mp`	their waves	their heaped masses	their waves
`H1530-01`	Job 8:17	גַּ֭ל	gal	`HNcmsa`	heap	rolled heap	rolled heap
`H1530-11`	Job 15:28	לְ/גַלִּֽים	legalim	`HR/Ncmpa`	for heaps	to rolled-masses	to heaps
`H1530-04`	Job 38:11	גַּלֶּֽי/ךָ	galeykha	`HNcmpc/Sp2ms`	of your waves	your heaped masses	your waves
`H1530-01`	Song of Songs 4:12	גַּ֥ל	gal	`HNcmsa`	spring	rolled heap	spring

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