What does גַּל (gal) mean in the Bible?
גַּל (gal): Rolling motion unifies disparate senses: heap (rolled together), wave (rolling water), spring (water rolling forth).
Hebrew · H1530
גַּל
Something rolled , i.e. a heap of stone or dung (plural ruins ), by analogy, a spring of water (plural waves )
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גַּלH1530
Pronunciationgal
What does גַּל (gal) mean in the Bible?
גַּל (gal): Rolling motion unifies disparate senses: heap (rolled together), wave (rolling water), spring (water rolling forth).
Full entry for גַּל (H1530) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1530?
The BSB source-word alignment has 34 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include mound (6), a heap of rubble (3), The waves (3), and waves (2), into piles (2).
Where does גַּל (gal) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 31:46. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (7), Jeremiah (6), Psalms (5), Isaiah (4).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itmound6×Genesis 31:48, Genesis 31:51, Genesis 31:52, 2 Samuel 18:17
a heap of rubble3×Isaiah 25:2, Jeremiah 9:11, Jeremiah 51:37
The waves3×Jeremiah 5:22, Jeremiah 51:55, Zechariah 10:11
and waves2×Psalms 42:7, Jonah 2:3
into piles2×2 Kings 19:25, Isaiah 37:26
pile2×Joshua 7:26, Joshua 8:29
so that its waves2×Isaiah 51:15, Jeremiah 31:35
waves2×Job 38:11, Jeremiah 51:42
a mound1×Genesis 31:46
a spring1×Song Of Solomon 4:12
and the waves of the sea1×Psalms 107:29
heaps of stones1×Hosea 12:11
its waves1×Ezekiel 26:3
like waves1×Isaiah 48:18
of their waves1×Psalms 65:7
the mound1×Genesis 31:46
the rock heap1×Job 8:17
the waves [of the sea]1×Psalms 107:25
to become rubble1×Job 15:28
when its waves1×Psalms 89:9
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 31:46גָ֑לtoa moundNoun - masculine singularGenesis 31:46הַגָּֽל׃tothe moundArticle | Noun - masculine singularGenesis 31:48הַגַּ֨לtomoundArticle | Noun - masculine singularGenesis 31:51הַגַּ֣לtomoundArticle | Noun - masculine singularGenesis 31:52הַגַּ֣לtomoundArticle | Noun - masculine singularGenesis 31:52הַגַּ֣לtomoundArticle | Noun - masculine singularGenesis 31:52הַגַּ֥לtomoundArticle | Noun - masculine singularJoshua 7:26גַּל־topileNoun - masculine singular constructJoshua 8:29גַּל־topileNoun - masculine singular construct2 Samuel 18:17גַּל־tomoundNoun - masculine singular construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 31:46
Aligned rows34
Books represented13
Genesis7Joshua22 Samuel12 Kings1Job3Psalms5Song Of Solomon1Isaiah4Jeremiah6Ezekiel1Hosea1Jonah1Zechariah1
Source forms
גַּל־3xgal-Joshua 7:26, Joshua 8:29, 2 Samuel 18:17
הַגַּ֣ל3xhag·galGenesis 31:51, Genesis 31:52
גַּלִּ֥ים2xgal·lîm2 Kings 19:25, Isaiah 37:26
גַּ֭ל1xgalJob 8:17
גַּ֥ל1xgalSong Of Solomon 4:12
גָ֑ל1xḡālGenesis 31:46
גַלֵּיהֶם֙1xḡal·lê·hemJeremiah 51:55
גַּלֵּיהֶ֗ם1xgal·lê·hemPsalms 65:7
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - masculine singular6xGenesis 31:46, Genesis 31:48, Genesis 31:51, Genesis 31:52
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular6xPsalms 89:9, Psalms 107:25, Isaiah 51:15, Jeremiah 5:22
Noun - masculine plural3x2 Kings 19:25, Isaiah 37:26, Zechariah 10:11
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural3xPsalms 65:7, Psalms 107:29, Jeremiah 51:55
Noun - masculine singular3xGenesis 31:46, Job 8:17, Song Of Solomon 4:12
Noun - masculine singular construct3xJoshua 7:26, Joshua 8:29, 2 Samuel 18:17
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural3xJob 15:28, Jeremiah 9:11, Jeremiah 51:37
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular2xPsalms 42:7, Jonah 2:3
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Rolling motion unifies disparate senses: heap (rolled together), wave (rolling water), spring (water rolling forth).
Source Gloss
something rolled , i.e. a heap of stone or dung (plural ruins ), by analogy, a spring of water (plural waves )
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Rolling motion unifies disparate senses: heap (rolled together), wave (rolling water), spring (water rolling forth).
something rolled, i.e. a heap of stone or dung (plural ruins), by analogy, a spring of water (plural waves) BDB: heap Usage: billow, heap, spring, wave.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
ruins or piles of rubble from destroyed structures
Showing 1 selected witness from 34 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
גַּל is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.