גָּאַל
𐤂𐤀𐤋
gâʼal
H1350 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To act as a redeemer by fulfilling legal or familial duties of closest kin, primarily involving the restoration of a relative's rights, property, or blood, including: buying back a relative's lost inheritance, marrying a deceased kinsman's widow to provide offspring (levirate marriage), or acting as avenger in cases of unlawful death. The term carries the broader sense of delivering or restoring from threat or loss, always in the context of family or kin obligations, and in extended metaphorical usages, can refer to rescue or salvation.
Semantic Range
to redeem a relative’s property, to restore family rights, to marry the widow of a deceased kinsman, to avenge blood, to act on behalf of a kinsman, to deliver, to save in the sense of family obligation, to vindicate
Root / Etymology
The root גָּאַל (g-ʼ-l) means basically 'to redeem' or 'to reclaim.' The verb's primary sense conveys the idea of acting as a kinsman-redeemer, tying legal and familial responsibility to restoration or recovery. The derived noun גֹּאֵל (go'el) refers to the person (the 'redeemer' or 'avenger') who acts on behalf of the family. The etymological connection is to kinship-based duties, not to religious or general ideas of redemption.
Historical & Contextual Notes
גָּאַל appears throughout the Torah, historical, and prophetic books in contexts relating to kinship obligations. In the patriarchal and monarchic periods, it most often refers to the responsibilities of a close male relative (go'el) to protect family interests: reclaiming property that had been sold (Leviticus 25), marrying a deceased brother's widow (Deuteronomy 25), or avenging blood (Numbers 35). Over time, especially in later prophetic and poetic texts (e.g., Isaiah), the word is used metaphorically for YHWH’s action on behalf of the people, broadening from legal-kinship context to national deliverance. The English terms 'redeem' or 'avenger' capture only part of the sense; the original includes the essential idea of kin obligation and family solidarity. In contrast to פדה (padah), which also means 'to ransom' or 'to redeem,' גָּאַל emphasizes restoration within family or clan structures. The traditional translation 'avenger'—particularly in reference to the 'avenger of blood'—reflects legal customs specific to ancient Israelite society and may be misunderstood if removed from this context.
Translation Consistency
גָּאַל primarily denotes acting as a kinsman to restore rights or property, buy back an inheritance, perform levirate duties, or otherwise deliver/save on behalf of a relative. "Redeem" is the standard, natural English verb that covers buying back, restoring, and rescuing in family-legal contexts and fits the usual biblical usage, while allowing contextual rendering for rarer senses (e.g., avenging) without changing the core verb.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root, to redeem (according to the Oriental law of kinship), i.e.; to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relative's property, marry his widow, etc.); [idiom] in any wise, [idiom] at all, avenger, deliver, (do, perform the part of near, next) kinsfolk(-man), purchase, ransom, redeem(-er), revenger.
Bantu Hebrew
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גאל (g-ʾ-l) — redeem, reclaim, restore, act as kinsman-redeemer
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1351 | גָּאַל | I have defiled |
| H1352 | גֹּאֶל | kinsman-redeemers of |
| H1353 | גְּאֻלָּה | kin-based redemption |
| H3008 | יִגְאָל | and May-He-Redeem |
Word Forms
47 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1350-20 |
גֹּאֵ֑ל | goel | HVqrmsa |
avenger | kinsman-redeeming one | kinsman-redeeming one | 19 |
H1350-43 |
יִגְאַל֙ | yigeal | HVqi3ms |
he redeems | he will act as kinsman-redeemer | he will redeem as kinsman-redeemer | 8 |
H1350-42 |
יִגָּאֵ֗ל | yigael | HVNi3ms |
be redeemed | he will be redeemed | it will be redeemed | 6 |
H1350-21 |
הַ/גֹּאֵ֨ל | hagoel | HTd/Vqrmsa |
the redeemer | the kinsman-redeemer | the kinsman-redeemer | 5 |
H1350-04 |
גָּאָ֑לְתָּ | gaaleta | HVqp2ms |
you redeemed | you acted as kinsman-redeemer | you redeemed | 4 |
H1350-38 |
וְ/גֹאֲלֵ֖/ךְ | vegoalekhe | HC/Vqrmsc/Sp2fs |
and-your-redeemer | and your kinsman-redeemer | and your redeemer | 4 |
H1350-46 |
יִגְאָלֶֽ/נּוּ | yigealenu | HVqi3ms/Sp3ms |
may redeem him | he will redeem him | may redeem him | 3 |
H1350-03 |
גָאַ֤ל | gaal | HVqp3ms |
has redeemed | Gaal | has redeemed | 3 |
H1350-05 |
גָּאֹ֖ל | gaol | HVqa |
redeems | to act as kinsman-redeemer | to redeem | 3 |
H1350-13 |
גֹּאֲלָ֣/ם | goalam | HVqrmsc/Sp3mp |
their redeemer | their kinsman-redeemer | their redeemer | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
105 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1350-21 |
Genesis 48:16 | הַ/גֹּאֵ֨ל | hagoel | HTd/Vqrmsa |
who has redeemed | the kinsman-redeemer | the kinsman-redeemer |
H1350-36 |
Exodus 6:6 | וְ/גָאַלְתִּ֤י | vegaaleti | HC/Vqq1cs |
and I will redeem | and I will redeem as kinsman | and I will redeem as kinsman |
H1350-04 |
Exodus 15:13 | גָּאָ֑לְתָּ | gaaleta | HVqp2ms |
You have redeemed | you acted as kinsman-redeemer | you redeemed |
H1350-19 |
Leviticus 25:25 | גֹֽאֲל/וֹ֙ | goalo | HVqrmsc/Sp3ms |
his redeemer | his kinsman-redeemer | his kinsman-redeemer |
H1350-35 |
Leviticus 25:25 | וְ/גָאַ֕ל | vegaal | HC/Vqq3ms |
and redeem | and he acted as kinsman-redeemer | and redeems |
H1350-20 |
Leviticus 25:26 | גֹּאֵ֑ל | goel | HVqrmsa |
redeemer | kinsman-redeeming one | kinsman-redeeming one |
H1350-42 |
Leviticus 25:30 | יִגָּאֵ֗ל | yigael | HVNi3ms |
it-is-redeemed | he will be redeemed | it is redeemed |
H1350-43 |
Leviticus 25:33 | יִגְאַל֙ | yigeal | HVqi3ms |
is redeemed | he will act as kinsman-redeemer | is redeemed |
H1350-46 |
Leviticus 25:48 | יִגְאָלֶֽ/נּוּ | yigealenu | HVqi3ms/Sp3ms |
may redeem him | he will redeem him | may redeem him |
H1350-46 |
Leviticus 25:49 | יִגְאָלֶ֔/נּוּ | yigealenu | HVqi3ms/Sp3ms |
may redeem him | he will redeem him | may redeem him |