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גָּלוּת

𐤂𐤋𐤅𐤕

gâlûwth

H1547 noun

SILEX Entry

Root גלה to uncover, to reveal, to go into exile, to remove

Definition

A state of being forcibly removed from one's homeland; exile or deportation, especially in the context of Israelite or Judahite populations exiled to foreign lands. Also used collectively to refer to the body of those who have been exiled. Semantic range includes the condition of captivity, status of being exiles, or a group characterized by such status.

Semantic Range

state of exile, condition of being in captivity, deportation, the community of exiles, forced removal from homeland

Root / Etymology

From the root גלה (g-l-h), meaning 'to uncover, reveal, remove, go into exile.' גָּלוּת is an abstract noun formed with the suffix ות, denoting a state or condition resulting from the action of the verb. Thus, it expresses the condition or state of being exiled or in captivity rather than the act itself.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, גָּלוּת most often refers specifically to episodes such as the exile of Israelite populations following conquests by foreign empires, notably the Babylonian captivity of the kingdom of Judah in the 6th century BCE. In later biblical and post-biblical literature, the term broadens to indicate not just the geographical removal but the societal condition of living in foreign lands. It is distinct from related terms such as שְׁבִי (shevi), which emphasizes the state of being taken captive (as prisoners), and גֵּר (ger), a more general term for resident alien. English translations often render it as 'captivity' or 'exile,' but these may understate its connotation of national and communal dislocation. While the English 'Jewish diaspora' is sometimes equated with גָּלוּת, this word in early biblical texts refers particularly to the ancient Israelite and Judahite experiences and should not be conflated anachronistically with later understandings. The Aramaic usage retains this sense with little alteration, reflecting continuity in meaning across periods.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) corresponding to גָּלוּת; {captivity; concretely, exiles (collectively)}; captivity.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

גלה (g-l-h) — to uncover, to reveal, to remove, to go into exile

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

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1547-01 גָֽלוּתָ/א֙ galuta ANcfsd/Td the captivity the state of exile 4

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1547-01 Daniel 2:25 גָֽלוּתָ/א֙ galuta ANcfsd/Td the-exile the state of exile
H1547-01 Daniel 5:13 גָלוּתָ/א֙ galuta ANcfsd/Td the captivity the state of exile
H1547-01 Daniel 6:14 גָלוּתָ֜/א galuta ANcfsd/Td the-exile the state of exile
H1547-01 Ezra 6:16 גָלוּתָ֗/א galuta ANcfsd/Td the captivity the state of exile
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