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גַּעַל

𐤂𐤏𐤋

Gaal

H1603 noun

SILEX Entry

Root געל to loathe, to abhor, to reject

Definition

Gaal, a personal name designating an individual who appears as a leader or instigator in a particular narrative context; the name itself may connote themes of rejection or loathing, depending on the root association, but in the biblical context primarily functions as a proper noun for a noteworthy figure.

Semantic Range

proper name (Gaal, an individual), loathing (in root usage); does not bear the root meaning in narrative but retains potential connotation in name form

Root / Etymology

The name גַּעַל (Gaʻal) is most likely derived from the Semitic root ג-ע-ל (גל/געל), which can mean 'to loathe, abhor, reject.' The specific use of the word as a personal name may or may not intentionally bear this negative association—in Hebrew personal names, it is not uncommon for names to preserve archaic or opaque meanings or wordplays. The root meaning ('to loathe') is distinct from the function of the word as a name.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Gaal is mentioned in Judges 9:26–41 as the son of Ebed. He emerges briefly as a political leader in Shechem during the turbulent events after Abimelech's assumption of power among the Israelites. The use of 'Gaal' as a name is rare, and there is no evidence that it was common. There is potential wordplay between the meaning of the root ('to loathe') and Gaal's role as a disruptive figure in the Shechemite narrative, but it is not certain that the naming is meant to be pejorative. In English translations, the proper noun is usually rendered 'Gaal' without reference to its root sense of 'loathing,' meaning readers may miss the resonance or ambiguity present in the original Hebrew. No later Jewish, Judean, or Israelite historical usage of the name is attested. The term does not carry the weight of the English word 'Jew,' and it is anachronistic to read any such identity into the context. Gaal is only attested in the context of Iron Age Israelite society in the Book of Judges.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from גָּעַל; loathing; Gaal, an Israelite; Gaal.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

געל (g-ʿ-l) — to loathe, to abhor, to reject

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1350 גָּאַל Gaal
H1602 גָּעַל she loathed
H1604 גֹּעַל in loathing of

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1603-01 גַּ֤עַל gaal HNp Gaal Gaal 9

Occurrences in Scripture

9 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1603-01 Judges 9:26 גַּ֤עַל gaal HNp Gaal Gaal
H1603-01 Judges 9:28 גַּ֣עַל gaal HNp Gaal Gaal
H1603-01 Judges 9:30 גַּ֣עַל gaal HNp Gaal Gaal
H1603-01 Judges 9:31 גַ֨עַל gaal HNp Gaal Gaal
H1603-01 Judges 9:35 גַּ֣עַל gaal HNp Gaal Gaal
H1603-01 Judges 9:36 גַּעַל֮ gaal HNp Gaal Gaal
H1603-01 Judges 9:37 גַּעַל֮ gaal HNp Gaal Gaal
H1603-01 Judges 9:39 גַ֔עַל gaal HNp Gaal Gaal
H1603-01 Judges 9:41 גַּ֥עַל gaal HNp Gaal Gaal
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