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גָּלַח

𐤂𐤋𐤇

gâlach

H1548 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To shave the head or beard, to remove hair by shaving; to become bald or to cause baldness (including ritual or ceremonial shaving); by extension, to lay bare or strip (as of land or a population). The primary sense is the removal of hair from the body, frequently with ritual or symbolic overtones.

Semantic Range

to shave the head or beard, to become bald, to cause baldness, to remove hair from the body, to make (something) bare or stripped, to lay bare land, ritual shaving, ceremonial purification

Root / Etymology

Root גלח (G-L-Ḥ), associated with the action of shaving or making bald. The root's core meaning is 'to remove hair' or 'to make bare.' The verb גָּלַח reflects both the process of hair removal and its results—baldness or bareness. The term is found in both qal (to become bald, to shave oneself) and piel (to shave, to make bald) forms.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Israelite practice, גָּלַח is used for both everyday grooming (shaving the head or beard) and for specific ceremonial or ritual actions, such as the purification or initiation rites of Nazirites (Numbers 6:9, 6:18) and the cleansing of recovered skin disease sufferers (Leviticus 14:8-9). The term can also be used figuratively for the laying bare of land or peoples, highlighting a transition from fullness to exposure or vulnerability. The concept of shaving could carry varying connotations—humiliation, purification, mourning, or transition. In later periods, the act of shaving or being made bald could be associated with either positive or negative social meaning, depending on context. English translations sometimes narrowly render it as 'shave' or 'cut hair,' but the underlying Hebrew often has richer ritual or figurative significance. The root does not inherently mean 'to destroy' or 'to lay waste,' but this figurative extension appears in poetic or prophetic passages (e.g., Isaiah 7:20). Related terms include קָרַח (qarach, 'to be bald'), which focuses solely on baldness without the action of shaving.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to be bald, i.e. (causatively) to shave; figuratively to lay waste; poll, shave (off).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

גלח (gâlach) — to shave, make bald, remove hair

Root גלח to shave, make bald, remove hair

Word Forms

16 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1548-09 וְ/גִלַּ֣ח vegilach HC/Vpq3ms and shall shave and he shaved off and he shall shave 3
H1548-14 יְגַלֵּ֔חַ yegalecha HVpi3ms he shall shave he will shave off he shall shave 3
H1548-07 וַ/יְגַלַּח֙ vayegalach HC/Vpw3ms and shaved and he shaved and he shaved 2
H1548-13 יְגַלַּ֣ח yegalach HVpi3ms he shall shave he will shave off he shall shave 2
H1548-16 יְגַלֵּ֔חוּ yegalechu HVpi3mp shall they shave they will make bald shall they shave 2
H1548-01 גֻּלָּֽח gulach HVPp3ms it was shaved was shaved bald it was shaved 1
H1548-02 גֻּלַּ֨חְתִּי֙ gulacheti HVPp1cs I am shaved I was shaved I was shaved 1
H1548-03 הִֽתְגַּלְּח֥/וֹ hitegalecho HVtc/Sp3ms he has shaved his shaving himself his shaving himself 1
H1548-04 מְגֻלְּחֵ֥י megulechey HVPsmpc shavers of shaved ones of shaved ones of 1
H1548-05 וּֽ/בְ/גַלְּח/וֹ֮ uvegalecho HC/R/Vpc/Sp3ms and when he shaved and in his shaving him bald and when he shaved himself 1

Occurrences in Scripture

23 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1548-07 Genesis 41:14 וַ/יְגַלַּח֙ vayegalach HC/Vpw3ms he shaved and he shaved and he shaved
H1548-12 Leviticus 13:33 וְ/הִ֨תְגַּלָּ֔ח vehitegalach HC/Vtq3ms and he shall shave himself and he shaved himself and he shall shave himself
H1548-14 Leviticus 13:33 יְגַלֵּ֑חַ yegalecha HVpi3ms shall he shave he will shave off he shall shave
H1548-09 Leviticus 14:8 וְ/גִלַּ֣ח vegilach HC/Vpq3ms and shall shave and he shaved off and he shall shave
H1548-13 Leviticus 14:9 יְגַלַּ֣ח yegalach HVpi3ms he shall shave he will shave off he shall shave
H1548-14 Leviticus 14:9 יְגַלֵּ֑חַ yegalecha HVpi3ms he shall shave he will shave off he shall shave
H1548-16 Leviticus 21:5 יְגַלֵּ֑חוּ yegalechu HVpi3mp shave they will make bald they will shave
H1548-09 Numbers 6:9 וְ/גִלַּ֤ח vegilach HC/Vpq3ms then he shall shave and he shaved off and he shaved off
H1548-15 Numbers 6:9 יְגַלְּחֶֽ/נּוּ yegalechenu HVpi3ms/Sp3ms he shall shave it he will shave him he will shave him
H1548-09 Numbers 6:18 וְ/גִלַּ֣ח vegilach HC/Vpq3ms and shall shave and he shaved off and he shall shave
H1548-03 Numbers 6:19 הִֽתְגַּלְּח֥/וֹ hitegalecho HVtc/Sp3ms he has shaved his shaving himself his shaving himself
H1548-10 Deuteronomy 21:12 וְ/גִלְּחָה֙ vegilechah HC/Vpq3fs and she shall shave and she shaved and she shall shave
H1548-02 Judges 16:17 גֻּלַּ֨חְתִּי֙ gulacheti HVPp1cs I am shaved I was shaved I was shaved
H1548-06 Judges 16:19 וַ/תְּגַלַּ֕ח vategalach HC/Vpw3fs and she shaved she shaved bare she shaved bare
H1548-01 Judges 16:22 גֻּלָּֽח gulach HVPp3ms it was shaved was shaved bald it was shaved
H1548-07 2 Samuel 10:4 וַ/יְגַלַּח֙ vayegalach HC/Vpw3ms and shaved and he shaved and he shaved
H1548-05 2 Samuel 14:26 וּֽ/בְ/גַלְּח/וֹ֮ uvegalecho HC/R/Vpc/Sp3ms and when he shaved and in his shaving him bald and when he shaved himself
H1548-14 2 Samuel 14:26 יְגַלֵּ֔חַ yegalecha HVpi3ms he would shave he will shave off he would shave off
H1548-11 2 Samuel 14:26 וְ/גִלְּח֑/וֹ vegilecho HC/Vpq3ms/Sp3ms and he shaved it and he shaved him bald and he shaved it
H1548-13 Isaiah 7:20 יְגַלַּ֣ח yegalach HVpi3ms will shave he will shave off he will shave off
H1548-04 Jeremiah 41:5 מְגֻלְּחֵ֥י megulechey HVPsmpc shavers of shaved ones of shaved ones of
H1548-16 Ezekiel 44:20 יְגַלֵּ֔חוּ yegalechu HVpi3mp shall they shave they will make bald shall they shave
H1548-08 1 Chronicles 19:4 וַֽ/יְגַלְּחֵ֔/ם vayegalechem HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3mp and he shaved them and he shaved them and he shaved them
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