גִּלֹה
𐤂𐤋𐤄
Giloh
H1542 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Giloh: A proper noun denoting a town in the hill country of Judah, attested in biblical narratives. The term specifically refers to a settlement whose precise location is not definitively established but is associated with Judahite territory in the southern highlands. The semantic range is restricted to its function as a toponym—the name of this single site.
Semantic Range
name of a Judahite town (toponym); does not extend beyond the referent location
Root / Etymology
From the root גָּלָה (galah), meaning 'to uncover,' 'to reveal,' or 'to make bare.' The place name probably denotes a geographical feature such as a 'bare hill,' 'exposed' or 'open' area. However, in this context, the word functions as a toponym, and the derivational relationship to the root is lexical rather than semantically active: it names a location rather than describing a characteristic action of revealing or uncovering.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Giloh is mentioned as a town in the hill country allotted to the tribe of Judah (Josh 15:51) and is noted as the home of Ahithophel, David's counselor (2 Sam 15:12). Its precise historical location is uncertain, though it is generally associated with the southern highlands near Hebron. In the pre-exilic context, it is one of several Judahite towns listed among others in the administrative geography of the tribal period. English translations commonly preserve the name unchanged, ‘Giloh’, as it does not carry further semantic content outside of its designation as a place name. There is no evidence the term was used in later periods beyond the context of biblical narrative, and it does not develop broader figurative or transferred meanings. The modern use of the term ‘Palestine’ in older reference works reflects nineteenth-century conventions and does not precisely match the territory of ancient Judah. The designation 'Giloh' does not imply any particular ethnic or religious identity: it is a place name, not an ethnonym or a descriptor of inhabitants. The meaning is thus consistently geographic and local, attested only in relation to the historical narratives of the First Temple period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or (fully) גִּילֹה; from גָּלָה; open; Giloh, a place in Palestine; Giloh.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גלה (g-l-h) — to uncover, reveal, expose, make bare
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1473 | גּוֹלָה | in the exile |
| H1474 | גּוֹלָן | Golan |
| H1525 | גִּילָה | he has laid bare |
| H1526 | גִּילֹנִי | the man from Giloh |
| H1540 | גָּלָה | I will lay bare |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1542-01 |
מִ/גִּלֹ֔ה | migiloh | HR/Np |
from Giloh | from Giloh | 1 |
H1542-02 |
וְ/גִלֹ֑ה | vegiloh | HC/Np |
and Giloh | and Giloh | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1542-02 |
Joshua 15:51 | וְ/גִלֹ֑ה | vegiloh | HC/Np |
and Giloh | and Giloh |
H1542-01 |
2 Samuel 15:12 | מִ/גִּלֹ֔ה | migiloh | HR/Np |
from Giloh | from Giloh |