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גָּלָל

𐤂𐤋𐤋

gâlâl

H1557 noun

SILEX Entry

Root גלל to roll, to heap up, to turn

Definition

A round mass or lump, specifically a ball or pellet of dung; typically refers to animal excrement compacted into spherical shapes. The word is most often used to denote dung pellets, particularly of grazing animals such as sheep or goats, but can also refer to similarly shaped objects, like lumps of clay. In extended usage, may generically refer to a round object, but is most commonly associated in biblical contexts with animal droppings.

Semantic Range

round pellet or lump (esp. dung pellet), pellet of dung (esp. of sheep/goats), ball or lump (general, but primarily dung), lump of clay

Root / Etymology

From the root גָּלַל (galal), which primarily means 'to roll, to turn, to heap up.' The noun derives from the verbal idea of rolling and describes something that is rolled together into a ball or lump, here specifically animal dung that forms such rolled pellets.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, גָּלָל is found in poetic or descriptive passages, notably in metaphors or imagery connected to the habits of grazing animals, whose droppings form small, distinct balls. The specific mention of the form (balls or lumps) rather than just the material (dung, excrement) is an important distinction from other Hebrew terms for dung, such as צואה (tzo'ah—excrement in general) or פּרֶשׁ (peresh—offal or manure). This term appears rarely and is usually encountered when the visual or physical aspect of animal dung is significant to the context. Later Rabbinic sources sometimes use the term generically for dung, but in the biblical context, the focus remains on the compact, pellet-like shape.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from גָּלַל; dung (as in balls); dung.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

גלל (g-l-l) — to roll, to heap up, to turn

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

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1557-01 הַ/גָּלָ֖ל hagalal HTd/Ncmsa dung the rolled dung-pellet 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1557-01 1 Kings 14:10 הַ/גָּלָ֖ל hagalal HTd/Ncmsa dung the rolled dung-pellet
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