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גֻּלְגֹּלֶת

𐤂𐤋𐤂𐤋𐤕

gulgôleth

H1538 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A skull; the bony structure of the head. By extension, used for 'head' of a person, especially in contexts of counting or enumeration—thus, a census head, a person as an individual member. In some texts, 'skull' retains a physical, anatomical sense, while in legal or administrative records, it serves as a synecdoche for 'individual.'

Semantic Range

skull (anatomical structure), head (per individual in enumeration), person (as counted in a census), every man, poll (as in per capita count)

Root / Etymology

גָּלַל (galal) is the root, meaning 'to roll, be round.' גֻּלְגֹּלֶת (gulgôlet) is formed by reduplication, conveying roundness or a rounded object—thus, 'skull.' The noun eventually extends to refer to a whole person, especially in context where counting is done 'by head' (per capita).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In earlier Israelite usage (e.g., Exodus, Numbers), גֻּלְגֹּלֶת commonly appears in census or taxation contexts to refer to an individual or 'head'—that is, each counted member of the group (e.g., 'per head' tax). The literal meaning 'skull' appears in later prophetic or narrative contexts (e.g., Judges 9:53), with a direct anatomical sense. While English translations sometimes render the term as 'head,' 'skull,' or 'each person,' the underlying idea is often that of a single individual unit, especially in counting or assessment. In later Hebrew (post-exilic), the sense becomes more strictly anatomical. The term is distinct from רֹאשׁ (rosh 'head'), which more broadly denotes the head both physically and metaphorically (as chief, leader, or beginning), and from נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh 'soul, person'), which can also refer to individual persons in some counting contexts. The association of the term with Golgotha (Aramaic gulgaltha) in post-biblical tradition derives from this root and semantic field but is not present in early Israelite period usage. The later English word 'poll' (for counting heads) reflects the underlying metaphor. Modern usage as a place name ('Golgotha') is shaped by much later tradition and translation practice.

Translation Consistency

primary "head" 8 occurrences

“Head” best covers both the anatomical sense (skull/head) and the common semantic extension as an individual in enumeration (per head, headcount). It is natural English, idiomatic in census/legal contexts, and broader than the narrower “skull,” so it will render all occurrences consistently and clearly.

Alternatives (4 occurrences):
"skull" (3x) "polls" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

by reduplication from גָּלַל; a skull (as round); by implication, a head (in enumeration of persons); head, every man, poll, skull.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

גלל (Gilegal) — to roll, to revolve, to turn

Root גלל to roll, to be round
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1530 גַּל rolled heap
H1531 גֹּל
H1535 גַּלְגַּל his wheels
H1536 גִּלְגָּל Rolling-Circle
H1537 גִּלְגָּל in Gilgal

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1538-04 לְ/גֻלְגְּלֹתָ/ם֙ legulegelotam HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp by their polls to their skulls to their heads 6
H1538-03 לַ/גֻּלְגֹּ֗לֶת lagulegolet HRd/Ncfsa per head to the skull per head 3
H1538-01 גֻּלְגָּלְתּ֥/וֹ gulegaleto HNcfsc/Sp3ms his head his skull his skull 2
H1538-02 הַ/גֻּלְגֹּ֛לֶת hagulegolet HTd/Ncfsa the skull the skull the skull 1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1538-03 Exodus 16:16 לַ/גֻּלְגֹּ֗לֶת lagulegolet HRd/Ncfsa per head to the skull per head
H1538-03 Exodus 38:26 לַ/גֻּלְגֹּ֔לֶת lagulegolet HRd/Ncfsa per head to the skull per head
H1538-04 Numbers 1:2 לְ/גֻלְגְּלֹתָֽ/ם legulegelotam HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp by their heads to their skulls by their heads
H1538-04 Numbers 1:18 לְ/גֻלְגְּלֹתָֽ/ם legulegelotam HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp by their polls to their skulls to their heads
H1538-04 Numbers 1:20 לְ/גֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔/ם legulegelotam HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp by their polls to their skulls to their heads
H1538-04 Numbers 1:22 לְ/גֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔/ם legulegelotam HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp head by head to their skulls to their heads
H1538-03 Numbers 3:47 לַ/גֻּלְגֹּ֑לֶת lagulegolet HRd/Ncfsa per head to the skull per head
H1538-01 Judges 9:53 גֻּלְגָּלְתּֽ/וֹ gulegaleto HNcfsc/Sp3ms his skull his skull his skull
H1538-02 2 Kings 9:35 הַ/גֻּלְגֹּ֛לֶת hagulegolet HTd/Ncfsa the skull the skull the skull
H1538-01 1 Chronicles 10:10 גֻּלְגָּלְתּ֥/וֹ gulegaleto HNcfsc/Sp3ms his head his skull his skull
H1538-04 1 Chronicles 23:3 לְ/גֻלְגְּלֹתָ/ם֙ legulegelotam HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp by their headcounts to their skulls by their heads
H1538-04 1 Chronicles 23:24 לְ/גֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔/ם legulegelotam HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp by their polls to their skulls by their polls
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