מִגְדַּל־אֵל
𐤌𐤂𐤃𐤋־𐤀𐤋
Migedal El
H4027 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Migdal-El is a proper noun referring to a specific place name, meaning 'tower of El' or 'tower of God.' The term combines the noun 'migdal' (tower, elevated structure) with the divine name 'El.' In its biblical context, it designates a locality associated with the tribe of Naphtali in the northern region of ancient Israel. The semantic range is constrained, as the term functions solely as a geographical name.
Semantic Range
(proper noun) Migdal-El (a town in Naphtali), tower of El/God (literal meaning, used only in place name)
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root גדל (g-d-l), 'to be great, grow, become strong,' giving rise to מִגְדָּל (migdal), 'tower.' The second element, אֵל (El), is a common Northwest Semitic designation for 'God' or occasionally as a generic term for a deity. Migdal-El thus means literally 'tower of El' or 'God's tower.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Migdal-El appears once in the Hebrew Bible (Joshua 19:38) as a town allotted to the tribe of Naphtali. Its exact historical location is uncertain, though it is generally placed in the northern part of ancient Israel. The use of 'El' in place names may indicate a site considered sacred, dedicated to, or associated with the deity El, though it could also serve as a general marker of significance or strength. Unlike 'Migdal-Gad' or 'Migdal-Eder,' which also combine 'migdal' with other elements, Migdal-El uniquely incorporates the divine name. The term does not bear connotations of personal or ethnic identity; modern translations commonly render the name directly without interpretation, though earlier English translations sometimes read 'tower of God.' No evidence suggests that the site's name implies it functioned as a temple or religious tower, but such names do reflect the theophoric naming conventions in the Hebrew Bible. 'Migdal-El' does not appear beyond this singular reference and thus did not develop additional meanings in later biblical or post-biblical literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from מִגְדָּל and אֵל; tower of God; Migdal-El, a place in Palestine; Migdal-el.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אל (ʾ-l) — to go toward, to approach, to direct oneself toward, to be near, to be with
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1008 | בֵּית־אֵל | toward |
| H3317 | יִפְתַּח־אֵל | toward |
| H352 | אַיִל | toward |
| H3815 | לָאֵל | Belonging to El |
| H408 | אַל | toward |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4027-01 |
אֵ֔ל | el | HNp |
el | toward | 1 |
H4027-02 |
וּ/מִגְדַּל | umigedal | HC/Np |
and Migdal | Migdal-El | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4027-02 |
Joshua 19:38 | וּ/מִגְדַּל | umigedal | HC/Np |
and Migdal | Migdal-El |
H4027-01 |
Joshua 19:38 | אֵ֔ל | el | HNp |
el | toward |