Gilgal
גִּלְגָּל · gil.gal · H1537Gגְּלִילוֹת · ge.li.lot · H15533 other spellings“wheel; rolling; heap” Hitchcock's 186938 mentions in 9 books, most in Joshua (14)
Where it is
31.86° N, 35.52° E
Coordinates and map: OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · drawn without map tiles
Mentioned most in
Counted from 38 references · STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
About this place
Gilgal, also referred to as Geliloth, Beth-gilgal, or Gibeath-haaraloth, was a significant site during Israel's early history in Canaan. It was located in the Jordan Valley, near Jericho. Gilgal served as the first campsite for the Israelites after they crossed the Jordan River under Joshua's leadership (Joshua 4:19-20). It was at Gilgal that the Israelites set up twelve memorial stones taken from the Jordan and where Joshua circumcised the new generation born in the wilderness (Joshua 5:3, 9). The Passover was also celebrated at Gilgal (Joshua 5:10). Gilgal served as a base of operations for Joshua during the conquest of Canaan, with the Gibeonites coming to seek a treaty there (Joshua 9:6) and Joshua launching campaigns against the Amorite kings from Gilgal (Joshua 10:6-9, 15, 43). Later, it became a place where the Israelites assembled and where Saul was confirmed as king (1Sa.11.14-15). Samuel included Gilgal in his circuit as a judge (1Sa.7.16). However, Gilgal also became associated with idolatrous worship, as evidenced by the prophets' condemnations (Hosea 4:15; 9:15; 12:11; Amo.4.4; 5:5). Despite its significance in Israel's history, Gilgal's importance declined over time.
Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Every mention
38 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)
Joshua14 mentions
Joshua 4:19The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.Joshua 4:20Joshua set up those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, in Gilgal.Joshua 5:3Joshua made himself flint knives, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.Joshua 5:9Yahweh said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the name of that place was called Gilgal to this day.Joshua 5:10The children of Israel encamped in Gilgal. They kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at evening in the plains of Jericho.Joshua 9:6They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country. Now therefore make a covenant with us.”Joshua 10:6The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Don’t abandon your servants! Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us; for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in…Joshua 10:7So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and the whole army with him, including all the mighty men of valor.Joshua 10:9Joshua therefore came to them suddenly. He marched from Gilgal all night.Joshua 10:15Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.Joshua 10:43Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.Joshua 14:6Then the children of Judah came near to Joshua in Gilgal. Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the thing that Yahweh spoke to Moses the man of God concerning me…Joshua 15:7The border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that faces the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the river. The border passed…Joshua 18:17It extended northward, went out at En Shemesh, and went out to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim. It went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.
Judges2 mentions
Judges 2:1Yahweh’s angel came up from Gilgal to Bochim. He said, “I brought you out of Egypt, and have brought you to the land which I swore to give your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my…Judges 3:19But he himself turned back from the stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king said, “Keep silence!” All who stood by him left him.
1 Samuel12 mentions
1 Samuel 7:16He went from year to year in a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.1 Samuel 10:8“Go down ahead of me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings. Wait seven days, until I come to you and show…1 Samuel 11:14Then Samuel said to the people, “Come! Let’s go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.”1 Samuel 11:15All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal. There they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of…1 Samuel 13:4All Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was considered an abomination to the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul…1 Samuel 13:7Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.1 Samuel 13:8He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel; but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.1 Samuel 13:12therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven’t entreated the favor of Yahweh.’ I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering.”1 Samuel 13:15Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.1 Samuel 15:12Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and Samuel was told, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, turned, passed on, and went down to Gilgal.”1 Samuel 15:21But the people took of the plunder, sheep and cattle, the best of the devoted things, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God in Gilgal.”1 Samuel 15:33Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!” Then Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Yahweh in Gilgal.
2 Samuel2 mentions
2 Samuel 19:15So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.2 Samuel 19:40So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him. All the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.
Nehemiah1 mention
Hosea3 mentions
Hosea 4:15“Though you, Israel, play the prostitute, yet don’t let Judah offend; and don’t come to Gilgal, neither go up to Beth Aven, nor swear, ‘As Yahweh lives.’Hosea 9:15“All their wickedness is in Gilgal; for there I hated them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds, I will drive them out of my house! I will love them no more. All their princes are…Hosea 12:11If Gilead is wicked, surely they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls. Indeed, their altars are like heaps in the furrows of the field.
Amos2 mentions
What the dictionary says
Rolling.
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Read the article →Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · www.openbible.info/geo/
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain