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גָּמַל

𐤂𐤌𐤋

gâmal

H1580 verb

SILEX Entry

Root גמל to complete, finish, bring to maturity, deal with (reciprocally)

Definition

To deal with, to act toward, especially in the sense of bestowing recompense or repayment, whether good or bad. By extension, to bring to completion or ripeness, including the process of weaning a child, or the ripening of fruit. The word often denotes interaction characterized by a response to prior actions or relationships—either by repaying kindness with kindness, or retribution for harm, but also in agricultural or developmental contexts, denoting the achievement of maturity or readiness.

Semantic Range

to deal with, to recompense, to repay (good or bad), to reward, to requite, to benefit, to harm, to wean (a child), to ripen (fruit or produce), to bring to maturity

Root / Etymology

From the root גמל (g-m-l), which fundamentally carries the sense of 'to finish, complete, or bring to fullness.' The verbal stem can convey a sense of retribution—either positively (to reward, to show favor) or negatively (to repay with harm)—as well as physical or developmental maturation (to wean a child, to ripen fruit). The core meaning at the root level is 'to bring to completion or fulfillment.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

גָּמַל is found in both prose and poetry, frequently in the context of repayment—both benevolent and adverse (e.g. Psalm 13:6, 'he has dealt bountifully with me'). In narrative contexts, it is often used for the weaning of a child (Genesis 21:8; 1 Samuel 1:23), a transitional moment marking maturity or completion of dependence. Its use for fruit or produce (Song of Songs 6:11; Isaiah 18:5) similarly denotes ripening as a stage of readiness or completion. The word thus balances a social-relational sense of reciprocal dealing, and a developmental-physical sense of maturity. English translations tend to emphasize 'to reward' or 'deal with,' but some nuances—such as weaning—are contextually specific and often lack an exact equivalent in English. It's distinct from שִׁלֵּם (shillem), which often emphasizes compensatory payment, and from גמל as 'camel,' a noun likely derived by folk etymology or unrelated.

Translation Consistency

primary "repay" 6 occurrences

The primary and most typical semantic range of gâmal is to give a response or recompense—whether reward or retribution—i.e., to repay or requite. "Repay" is natural English, covers both positive and negative reciprocation (reward, requite, punish), and maps well to the common uses in the corpus. The senses of weaning or ripening are recognized extensions but are less central and can be handled contextually while keeping a single consistent base verb.

Alternatives (31 occurrences):
"weaned" (8x) "dealt with" (5x) "repaid" (4x) "like a weaned child" (2x) "dealt" (1x) "done to" (1x) "ripened" (1x) "brought" (1x) "brought-to-maturity one" (1x) "ripening" (1x) "weaned ones of" (1x) "dealt bountifully" (1x) "deal fully" (1x) "that you dealt in full" (1x) "deal bountifully" (1x) "who deals favorably" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to treat a person (well or ill), i.e. benefit or requite; by implication (of toil), to ripen, i.e. (specifically) to wean; bestow on, deal bountifully, do (good), recompense, requite, reward, ripen, [phrase] serve, mean, yield.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

גמל (g-m-l) — camel, beast of burden

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1014 בֵּית גָּמוּל recompensed one
H1576 גְּמוּל recompense of
H1577 גָּמוּל to Repaid-one
H1578 גְּמוּלָה recompenses
H1581 גָּמָל on the camels

Word Forms

31 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1580-31 יִגְמְלֵ֣/נִי yigemeleni HVqi3ms/Sp1cs has rewarded me he will deal fully with me he will repay me 3
H1580-01 גָמַ֣ל gamal HVqp3ms has dealt bountifully camel he repaid 3
H1580-19 גֹּמְלִ֤ים gomelim HVqrmpa repaying those who repay those who repay 2
H1580-18 גֹּמֵ֖ל gomel HVqrmsa benefits the one who repays ripening 2
H1580-27 וַ/תִּגְמֹ֖ל vatigemol HC/Vqw3fs and she weaned and she dealt fully and she weaned 1
H1580-03 גָּ֭מַלְתִּי gamaleti HVqp1cs I have repaid I have repaid I have repaid 1
H1580-22 כְּ֭/גָמֻל kegamul HR/Vqsmsa like a weaned child matured one like a weaned child 1
H1580-12 גְמָלְ/ךָ֣ gemalekha HVqp3ms/Sp2ms he has done you he has dealt with you he has dealt with you 1
H1580-04 גָּמְלָ֖/הּ gamelah HVqc/Sp3fs she weaned her bringing-to-maturity she weaned 1
H1580-30 יִגָּמֵ֤ל yigamel HVNi3ms is weaned he will be brought to maturity he is weaned 1

Occurrences in Scripture

37 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1580-28 Genesis 21:8 וַ/יִּגָּמַ֑ל vayigamal HC/VNw3ms and was weaned and he was matured and he was weaned
H1580-20 Genesis 21:8 הִגָּמֵ֥ל higamel HVNc was weaned to be brought to maturity he was weaned
H1580-02 Genesis 50:15 גָּמַ֖לְנוּ gamalenu HVqp1cp we did we brought to completion we dealt
H1580-15 Genesis 50:17 גְמָל֔וּ/ךָ gemalukha HVqp3cp/Sp2ms they did to you they have repaid you they have done to you
H1580-29 Numbers 17:23 וַ/יִּגְמֹ֖ל vayigemol HC/Vqw3ms and ripened and he repaid and it ripened
H1580-24 Deuteronomy 32:6 תִּגְמְלוּ tigemelu HVqi2mp repay you will repay fully you will repay fully
H1580-30 1 Samuel 1:22 יִגָּמֵ֤ל yigamel HVNi3ms is weaned he will be brought to maturity he is weaned
H1580-05 1 Samuel 1:23 גָּמְלֵ֣/ךְ gamelekhe HVqc/Sp2fs you have weaned to deal with you you have weaned
H1580-04 1 Samuel 1:23 גָּמְלָ֖/הּ gamelah HVqc/Sp3fs she weaned her bringing-to-maturity she weaned
H1580-11 1 Samuel 1:24 גְּמָלַ֗תּ/וּ gemalatu HVqp3fs/Sp3ms she had weaned him she brought him to maturity she weaned him
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