גָּלָה
𐤂𐤋𐤄
gâlâh
H1540 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To uncover, remove a covering from, or lay bare. Used both in the literal sense of exposing or making naked (of a person, object, or land), and metaphorically in reference to revealing information or secrets, disclosing hidden things, and making something known that was previously concealed. In contexts relating to exile or captivity, refers to being removed or 'stripped' from one's land, often with the sense of exposure or shame. The semantic range encompasses physical stripping or uncovering, the act of disclosing or revealing, and the removal or deportation of people (especially in times of conquest).
Semantic Range
to make bare or naked, to uncover (a body, land, or object), to reveal or disclose (secrets, intentions, divine will), to remove or carry away (especially as captives in exile), to deport, to make known, to depart, to be stripped or exposed; to go into exile; to experience public disgrace
Root / Etymology
Root גלה (g-l-h), primarily meaning 'to uncover, reveal, lay bare.' The literal core of the root involves the removal of a covering or exposure. Over time the verb acquired a range of extended senses, including the figurative sense of revealing or disclosing (information, intentions, plans), and a technical socio-political use for the deportation or 'exiling' of a community (those forcibly removed from their homeland).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, גָּלָה is used for both concrete actions (such as physically uncovering a person's body or an object) and metaphorical acts (such as revealing counsel or prophecy). The term acquired a specialized meaning in historical and prophetic literature for Israelite and Judahite experiences of forced migration and deportation, as seen in descriptions of exile to Assyria or Babylonia. While English translation sometimes renders the root with 'reveal,' 'uncover,' or 'exile,' each English term only covers a portion of the word’s lexical range. The idea of exile as 'going into exile' or being 'carried away captive' became especially prominent in exilic and post-exilic literature, often associated with public shame and national trauma. In legal or ritual contexts, the act of uncovering might convey disgrace or violation of norms (e.g., Levitical prohibitions about uncovering nakedness). Distinction should be made between literal, metaphorical, and technical political uses; related Hebrew terms such as חָשַׂף (ḥāṣaf) 'to strip off, make bare' and גָּלָה 'to be revealed' can overlap but have distinct usages. In Second Temple and later periods, the term continued to bear both the meaning of revelation (esp. in apocalyptic literature) and exile, but the English word 'exile' does not always capture the aspect of forced exposure or disgrace present in the Hebrew.
Translation Consistency
Uncover best captures the primary semantic range of גָּלָה — literal removal of a covering or making bare (e.g., exposing a body or land) and the metaphorical sense of disclosing or making known (uncovering secrets). It is natural English, commonly used across the P2 renderings, and also carries the sense of exposing to shame or vulnerability; rarer senses like deportation/exile are subordinate and can be handled in context-specific ways.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal; [phrase] advertise, appear, bewray, bring, (carry, lead, go) captive (into captivity), depart, disclose, discover, exile, be gone, open, [idiom] plainly, publish, remove, reveal, [idiom] shamelessly, shew, [idiom] surely, tell, uncover.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
גלה (g-l-h) — to uncover, to reveal, to expose, to remove, to go into exile
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1473 | גּוֹלָה | in the exile |
| H1474 | גּוֹלָן | Golan |
| H1525 | גִּילָה | he has laid bare |
| H1526 | גִּילֹנִי | the man from Giloh |
| H1541 | גְּלָה | one who uncovers |
Word Forms
95 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1540-57 |
תְגַלֵּ֑ה | tegaleh | HVpi2ms |
you shall uncover | you will lay bare | you shall uncover | 14 |
H1540-38 |
הֶגְלָ֥ה | hegelah | HVhp3ms |
he exiled | he exiled | he exiled | 11 |
H1540-18 |
גִּלָּ֑ה | gilah | HVpp3ms |
he has uncovered | he laid bare | he uncovered | 9 |
H1540-09 |
גָּלָ֥ה | galah | HVqp3ms |
has departed | he uncovered | has departed | 8 |
H1540-86 |
וְ/נִגְלָ֥ה | venigelah | HC/VNp3ms |
and is revealed | and he was uncovered | and it was revealed | 6 |
H1540-94 |
יִגְלֶ֖ה | yigeleh | HVqi3ms |
will go into exile | he will uncover | he will go into exile | 5 |
H1540-51 |
נִגְלָ֨ה | nigelah | HVNp3ms |
he revealed himself | he was uncovered | he was uncovered | 4 |
H1540-46 |
לְ/גַלּ֣וֹת | legalot | HR/Vpc |
to uncover | to lay bare | to uncover | 4 |
H1540-72 |
וַ/יִּ֨גֶל | vayigel | HC/Vqw3ms |
and exiled | and he uncovered/removed | and he exiled | 4 |
H1540-70 |
וַ/יֶּ֥גֶל | vayegel | HC/Vhw3ms |
and he carried away | and he exiled | and he exiled | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
186 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1540-73 |
Genesis 9:21 | וַ/יִּתְגַּ֖ל | vayitegal | HC/Vtw3ms |
and uncovered himself | he exposed himself | and he uncovered himself |
H1540-55 |
Genesis 35:7 | נִגְל֤וּ | nigelu | HVNp3cp |
had revealed | they were uncovered | they were uncovered |
H1540-60 |
Exodus 20:26 | תִגָּלֶ֥ה | tigaleh | HVNi3fs |
be exposed | she will be uncovered | it will be uncovered |
H1540-46 |
Leviticus 18:6 | לְ/גַלּ֣וֹת | legalot | HR/Vpc |
to uncover | to lay bare | to uncover |
H1540-57 |
Leviticus 18:7 | תְגַלֵּ֑ה | tegaleh | HVpi2ms |
you shall uncover | you will lay bare | you shall uncover |
H1540-57 |
Leviticus 18:7 | תְגַלֶּ֖ה | tegaleh-2 | HVpi2ms |
you shall uncover | you will lay bare | you shall uncover |
H1540-57 |
Leviticus 18:8 | תְגַלֵּ֑ה | tegaleh | HVpi2ms |
shall you uncover | you will lay bare | you shall uncover |
H1540-57 |
Leviticus 18:9 | תְגַלֶּ֖ה | tegaleh | HVpi2ms |
you shall uncover | you will lay bare | you shall uncover |
H1540-57 |
Leviticus 18:10 | תְגַלֶּ֖ה | tegaleh | HVpi2ms |
you shall uncover | you will lay bare | you shall uncover |
H1540-57 |
Leviticus 18:11 | תְגַלֶּ֖ה | tegaleh | HVpi2ms |
uncover | you will lay bare | you shall uncover |