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

primary "redeem" 48 occurrences

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.

Alternatives (57 occurrences):
"kinsman-redeeming one" (18x) "kinsman-redeemer" (14x) "redeemer" (9x) "act as kinsman-redeemer" (6x) "avenger" (2x) "kinsman-redeemed ones" (2x) "act as your kinsman-redeemer" (2x) "kinsman-redeemer of blood" (1x) "kinsman-redeemers" (1x) "redemption" (1x) "act as my kinsman-redeemer" (1x)

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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Root Family

גאל (g-ʾ-l) — redeem, reclaim, restore, act as kinsman-redeemer

Root גאל to 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