גַּלְעֵד
𐤂𐤋𐤏𐤃
Galeed
H1567 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun designating a memorial cairn—'heap of witness'—erected east of the Jordan as a physical marker of a covenant agreement. The name signifies a pile of stones serving symbolically as testimony or witness to an oath or agreement. The term is used geographically and symbolically to reference the site and its function as evidence of a pact, rather than a permanent settlement or city.
Semantic Range
memorial cairn, heap of witness, mound serving as evidence of an agreement, symbolic boundary marker
Root / Etymology
A compound from the Hebrew roots גל ('heap, pile of stones') and עד ('witness, testimony'). Galʻêd thus directly means 'heap of testimony' or 'mound of witness.' The components clearly convey the motion of physical accumulation (gal) and the legal or covenantal idea of a witness (ʻed).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Genesis 31, גַּלְעֵד (Galʻêd) is the name given by Laban to the cairn marking the boundary and covenant of peace between himself and Jacob. The narrative explicitly glosses the meaning for both Aramaic (יְגַר שַׂהֲדוּתָא) and Hebrew (גַּלְעֵד), highlighting cultural and linguistic awareness among the story's participants. No later biblical texts associate this name with an ongoing settlement or region; it is unique to this commemorative act. Standard English translations sometimes use 'Galeed,' transliterating the Hebrew name, but may obscure the term's memorial function; dynamic equivalence ('heap of witness') reflects its original meaning more transparently. The practice of marking agreements with stone heaps is widespread in the ancient Near Eastern world, and גל־עד represents this tradition specifically in an Israelite context. The account does not use later terms for religious or territorial identity; 'Galʻêd' is neither a tribal territory nor a cultic site.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from גַּל and עֵד; heap of testimony; Galed, a memorial cairn East of the Jordan; Galeed.
Bantu Hebrew
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גל־עד (g-l ʿ-d) — heap, pile of stones; witness, testimony
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1567-01 |
גַּלְעֵֽד | galeed | HNp |
Galeed | Heap of Witness | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1567-01 |
Genesis 31:47 | גַּלְעֵֽד | galeed | HNp |
Galeed | Heap of Witness |
H1567-01 |
Genesis 31:48 | גַּלְעֵֽד | galeed | HNp |
Galeed | Heap of Witness |