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גְלִילָה

𐤂𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄

gᵉlîylâh

H1552 noun

SILEX Entry

Root גלל to roll, to turn, to be round

Definition

A geographic district, region, or territory, often with an emphasis on a delimited or defined area rather than a precise administrative boundary. Frequently refers to a district in northern ancient Israel (later known as Galilee), but can also denote any territory, circuit, or locality within a broader landscape. The primary sense is of a spatially defined area distinguished from surrounding places, not necessarily a border in the sense of a line, but as a tract or zone encompassing settlements. The term can further signify a region characterized by distinctiveness, whether due to population, geography, or status within the Israelite territories.

Semantic Range

region, district, area, circuit, defined territory, locality

Root / Etymology

From the root גָּלַל (גלל), meaning 'to roll, to turn, to be round,' with the notion of roundness or circularity extended metaphorically to refer to an area that is encompassed or encircled. Thus, גְלִילָה is formed with the feminine ending -ה, signifying 'that which is encircled' or 'a circuit,' and by extension, 'region' or 'district.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

The noun גְלִילָה appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Joshua 20:7; 21:32; 1 Kings 9:11), and often designates a specific region in the north, later called Galilee, though in earlier texts the term is more general and not yet associated exclusively with this area. In some contexts, it refers to a general region or territory, without administrative precision. English translations usually render it as "region" or "district," which generally captures its sense, but the idea of an area being 'encompassed' or 'rounded off' (akin to a designated tract) is often lost. In the post-exilic and Second Temple periods, particularly in Hellenistic and Roman times, the Aramaic and later Greek form of this word (Γαλιλαία/Galilaia) became the standard toponym for the northern district. This later association should not be retrojected into earlier passages. The masculine form, גָּלִיל (galil), similarly denotes a 'circle' or 'region' but may bear more abstract or technical senses in some uses. The use of 'coast' or 'border' in some older translations reflects a narrower, sometimes misleading, sense influenced by later semantic narrowing. There is no inherent association with coastal zones or boundaries unless contextually specified. Contrast with terms such as חֶבֶל (hevel, 'portion,' 'tract'), גְּבוּל (gevul, 'boundary,' 'border'), and מְדִינָה (medinah, 'province,' 'jurisdiction'), which can have related but distinct spatial or administrative nuances.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of גָּלִיל; a circuit or region; border, coast, country.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

גלל (g-l-l) — to roll, to turn, to be round

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1530 גַּל rolled heap
H1534 גַּלְגַּל in the rolling-wheel
H1535 גַּלְגַּל his wheels
H1536 גִּלְגָּל Rolling-Circle
H1537 גִּלְגָּל in Gilgal

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1552-01 גְּלִיל֥וֹת gelilot HNcfpc Geliloth encircled regions of 4
H1552-02 הַ/גְּלִילָה֙ hagelilah HTd/Ncfsa the eastern region the encircled region 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1552-01 Joshua 13:2 גְּלִיל֥וֹת gelilot HNcfpc the regions encircled regions of
H1552-01 Joshua 22:10 גְּלִיל֣וֹת gelilot HNcfpc the districts encircled regions of
H1552-01 Joshua 22:11 גְּלִילוֹת֙ gelilot HNcfpc Geliloth encircled regions of
H1552-02 Ezekiel 47:8 הַ/גְּלִילָה֙ hagelilah HTd/Ncfsa the eastern region the encircled region
H1552-01 Joel 4:4 גְּלִיל֣וֹת gelilot HNcfpc regions encircled regions of
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