What does גָּאַל (gāʾal) mean in the Bible?
גָּאַל (gāʾal): Defilement that renders something ritually unfit or morally corrupted, often involving violation of sacred boundaries
Hebrew · H1351
גָּאַל
To soil or (figuratively) desecrate
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
גָּאַל H1351
Pronunciation gāʾal
What does גָּאַל (gāʾal) mean in the Bible?
גָּאַל (gāʾal): Defilement that renders something ritually unfit or morally corrupted, often involving violation of sacred boundaries
Full entry for גָּאַל (H1351) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1351?
The BSB source-word alignment has 11 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include defiled (3), and so were excluded (2), and defiled (1), are stained (1), defile himself (1).
Where does גָּאַל (gāʾal) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Ezra 2:62. Its strongest book concentrations include Malachi (3), Daniel (2), Isaiah (2), Ezra (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It defiled 3× Lamentations 4:14, Malachi 1:7, Malachi 1:12
and so were excluded 2× Ezra 2:62, Nehemiah 7:64
and defiled 1× Zephaniah 3:1
are stained 1× Isaiah 59:3
defile himself 1× Daniel 1:8
have we defiled You 1× Malachi 1:7
to defile himself 1× Daniel 1:8
were stained 1× Isaiah 63:3
Show sample aligned rows
Ezra 2:62 וַֽיְגֹאֲל֖וּ to and so were excluded Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Nehemiah 7:64 וַיְגֹֽאֲל֖וּ to and so were excluded Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Isaiah 59:3 נְגֹאֲל֣וּ to are stained Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural Isaiah 63:3 אֶגְאָֽלְתִּי׃ to were stained Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular Lamentations 4:14 נְגֹֽאֲל֖וּ to defiled Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural Daniel 1:8 יִתְגָּאַ֛ל to defile himself Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Daniel 1:8 יִתְגָּאָֽל׃ to to defile himself Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Zephaniah 3:1 וְנִגְאָלָ֑ה to and defiled Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular Malachi 1:7 מְגֹאָ֔ל to defiled Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular Malachi 1:7 גֵֽאַלְנ֑וּךָ to have we defiled You Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common plural | second person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Ezra 2:62
Aligned rows 11
Books represented 7
Ezra 1 Nehemiah 1 Isaiah 2 Lamentations 1 Daniel 2 Zephaniah 1 Malachi 3
Source forms
אֶגְאָֽלְתִּי׃ 1x ’eḡ·’ā·lə·tî Isaiah 63:3
גֵֽאַלְנ֑וּךָ 1x ḡê·’al·nū·ḵā Malachi 1:7
וַֽיְגֹאֲל֖וּ 1x way·ḡō·’ă·lū Ezra 2:62
וַיְגֹֽאֲל֖וּ 1x way·ḡō·’ă·lū Nehemiah 7:64
וְנִגְאָלָ֑ה 1x wə·niḡ·’ā·lāh Zephaniah 3:1
יִתְגָּאַ֛ל 1x yiṯ·gā·’al Daniel 1:8
יִתְגָּאָֽל׃ 1x yiṯ·gā·’āl Daniel 1:8
מְגֹאָ֔ל 1x mə·ḡō·’āl Malachi 1:7
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 2x Ezra 2:62, Nehemiah 7:64
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 2x Daniel 1:8
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural 2x Isaiah 59:3, Lamentations 4:14
Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular 2x Malachi 1:7, Malachi 1:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular 1x Zephaniah 3:1
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular 1x Isaiah 63:3
Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common plural | second person masculine singular 1x Malachi 1:7
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Defilement that renders something ritually unfit or morally corrupted, often involving violation of sacred boundaries
Source Gloss
to soil or (figuratively) desecrate
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Defilement that renders something ritually unfit or morally corrupted, often involving violation of sacred boundaries
to soil or (figuratively) desecrate BDB: defile Usage: defile, pollute, stain.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 4 Aligned forms 7
Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others 2×
Imperfect Dan 1:8 2×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 2×
Perfect Isa 59:3 · Lam 4:14 2×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 2×
Participle passive Mal 1:7 · Mal 1:12 2×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 1×
Perfect Isa 63:3 1×
Word Origins
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain