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גָּלָל

𐤂𐤋𐤋

gâlâl

H1558 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ג-ל-ל to roll, revolve, heap up, pile

Definition

Preposition expressing causality or grounds for action, typically rendered 'on account of', 'because of', 'for the sake of'; used to indicate the reason or cause underlying an event, circumstance, or decision.

Semantic Range

on account of, because of, for the sake of, due to the reason of, owing to circumstances, by reason of

Root / Etymology

From the root ג-ל-ל, which carries the basic sense of 'to roll' or 'to revolve'. The noun here is derived from the participial or abstract form, possibly denoting 'something rolled', hence 'circumstance' or 'situation' as something that comes round or causes something to happen, leading to its use as a causal preposition.

Historical & Contextual Notes

גָּלָל occurs only in construct form with prepositions as a set phrase (בְּגָלַל), used almost exclusively as a prepositional phrase meaning 'because of' or 'for the sake of'. This usage is rare, attested primarily in Late Biblical Hebrew (primarily post-exilic and poetic texts; cf. Nehemiah 6:13, Psalm 36:12, Jeremiah 7:12). It stands apart from the root's primary verbal and nominal senses related to 'rolling' or 'heap (of stones)', instead developing an abstract sense of 'occasion', 'reason', or 'circumstance'. In most English translations, its range is narrowed to 'because of', but in Hebrew, the nuance may suggest motivation, grounds, or causal relationship. It is distinct from classical prepositions like עַל or לְמַעַן, which also denote cause or purpose but with different connotations: עַל typically marks direct cause, while לְמַעַן often indicates purpose, intention, or benefit. The phrase בְּגָלַל may at times be rendered in later translations as 'for the sake of' or 'on account of', but avoids the teleological nuance of לְמַעַן. Its distribution reflects linguistic developments in post-exilic Hebrew, including influence from Aramaic causal constructions. The KJV and similar translations sometimes fail to capture this subtlety, often treating it as equivalent to other causal particles.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from גָּלַל; a circumstance (as rolled around); only used adverbially, on account of; because of, for (sake).

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Root Family

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

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

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1558-01 בִּ/גְלַ֣ל bigelal HR/Ncmsc because-of on account of 5
H1558-04 בִּ/גְלַלְ/כֶ֖ם bigelalekhem HR/Ncmsc/Sp2mp because of you because of you all 2
H1558-03 בִּ/גְלָלֵֽ/ךְ bigelalekhe HR/Ncmsc/Sp2fs on account of you on account of you 1
H1558-05 וּ/בִ/גְלַל֙ uvigelal HC/R/Ncmsc and-because-of and because of 1
H1558-02 בִּ/גְלָלֶֽ/ךָ bigelalekha HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms for your sake because of you 1

Occurrences in Scripture

10 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1558-03 Genesis 12:13 בִּ/גְלָלֵֽ/ךְ bigelalekhe HR/Ncmsc/Sp2fs on account of you on account of you
H1558-02 Genesis 30:27 בִּ/גְלָלֶֽ/ךָ bigelalekha HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms for your sake because of you
H1558-01 Genesis 39:5 בִּ/גְלַ֣ל bigelal HR/Ncmsc because of on account of
H1558-04 Deuteronomy 1:37 בִּ/גְלַלְ/כֶ֖ם bigelalekhem HR/Ncmsc/Sp2mp because of you because of you all
H1558-01 Deuteronomy 15:10 בִּ/גְלַ֣ל bigelal HR/Ncmsc for the sake of on account of
H1558-05 Deuteronomy 18:12 וּ/בִ/גְלַל֙ uvigelal HC/R/Ncmsc and-because-of and because of
H1558-01 1 Kings 14:16 בִּ/גְלַ֞ל bigelal HR/Ncmsc because of on account of
H1558-01 Jeremiah 11:17 בִּ֠/גְלַל bigelal HR/Ncmsc because-of on account of
H1558-01 Jeremiah 15:4 בִּ֠/גְלַל bigelal HR/Ncmsc because-of on account of
H1558-04 Micah 3:12 בִּ/גְלַלְ/כֶ֔ם bigelalekhem HR/Ncmsc/Sp2mp because of you because of you all
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