What does גָּלַח mean in the Bible?
e. (causatively) to shave ; figuratively to lay waste".
Hebrew · H1548
גָּלַח
Properly, to be bald , i.e. (causatively) to shave ; figuratively to lay waste
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גָּלַח H1548
What does גָּלַח mean in the Bible?
גָּלַח is a Hebrew word meaning "properly, to be bald , i.e. (causatively) to shave ; figuratively to lay waste".
Full entry for גָּלַח (H1548) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1548?
The BSB source-word alignment has 23 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (3), - (2), After he had shaved (1), And when he cut the hair (1), he must shave (1).
Where does גָּלַח appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 41:14. Its strongest book concentrations include Leviticus (6), 2 Samuel (4), Numbers (4), Judges (3).
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 . . . 3× Leviticus 14:9, Leviticus 21:5, 2 Samuel 14:26
- 2× Leviticus 13:33, Numbers 6:9
After he had shaved 1× Genesis 41:14
And when he cut the hair 1× 2 Samuel 14:26
he must shave 1× Numbers 6:9
he must shave off 1× Leviticus 14:9
he shaved 1× 2 Samuel 14:26
I am shaved 1× Judges 16:17
is to shave 1× Numbers 6:18
it had been shaved 1× Judges 16:22
shave 1× Ezekiel 44:20
shave off 1× Leviticus 14:8
shaved 1× Numbers 6:19
shaved [their beards] 1× 1 Chronicles 19:4
shaved off 1× 2 Samuel 10:4
She must shave 1× Deuteronomy 21:12
then the person must shave himself 1× Leviticus 13:33
to shave 1× Isaiah 7:20
to shave off 1× Judges 16:19
who had shaved off 1× Jeremiah 41:5
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 41:14 וַיְגַלַּח֙ to After he had shaved Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 13:33 וְהִ֨תְגַּלָּ֔ח to then the person must shave himself Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 13:33 יְגַלֵּ֑חַ to - Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 14:8 וְגִלַּ֣ח to shave off Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 14:9 יְגַלַּ֣ח to he must shave off Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 14:9 יְגַלֵּ֑חַ to . . . Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 21:5 יְגַלֵּ֑חוּ to . . . Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Numbers 6:9 וְגִלַּ֤ח to he must shave Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Numbers 6:9 יְגַלְּחֶֽנּוּ׃ to - Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular Numbers 6:18 וְגִלַּ֣ח to is to shave Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 41:14
Aligned rows 23
Books represented 10
Genesis 1 Leviticus 6 Numbers 4 Deuteronomy 1 Judges 3 2 Samuel 4 1 Chronicles 1 Isaiah 1 Jeremiah 1 Ezekiel 1
Source forms
וְגִלַּ֣ח 2x wə·ḡil·laḥ Leviticus 14:8, Numbers 6:18
וַיְגַלַּח֙ 2x way·ḡal·laḥ Genesis 41:14, 2 Samuel 10:4
יְגַלֵּ֑חַ 2x yə·ḡal·lê·aḥ Leviticus 13:33, Leviticus 14:9
יְגַלַּ֣ח 2x yə·ḡal·laḥ Leviticus 14:9, Isaiah 7:20
גֻּלָּֽח׃פ 1x gul·lāḥ Judges 16:22
גֻּלַּ֙חְתִּי֙ 1x gul·laḥ·tî Judges 16:17
הִֽתְגַּלְּח֥וֹ 1x hiṯ·gal·lə·ḥōw Numbers 6:19
וּֽבְגַלְּחוֹ֮ 1x ū·ḇə·ḡal·lə·ḥōw 2 Samuel 14:26
Parsing patterns
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 5x Leviticus 13:33, Leviticus 14:9, 2 Samuel 14:26, Isaiah 7:20
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 3x Leviticus 14:8, Numbers 6:9, Numbers 6:18
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 2x Genesis 41:14, 2 Samuel 10:4
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 2x Leviticus 21:5, Ezekiel 44:20
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 1x Leviticus 13:33
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular 1x Deuteronomy 21:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular 1x 2 Samuel 14:26
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular 1x Judges 16:19
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. properly, to be bald , i.e. (causatively) to shave ; figuratively to lay waste
Source Gloss
properly, to be bald , i.e. (causatively) to shave ; figuratively to lay waste
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
properly, to be bald, i.e. (causatively) to shave; figuratively to lay waste BDB: be bald Usage: poll, shave (off).
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 2 Aligned forms 10
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 7×
Imperfect 2Sam 14:26 · Isa 7:20 · Lev 13:33 · Lev 14:9 · Ezek 44:20 · Lev 21:5 7×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 3×
Perfect Judg 16:17 · Judg 16:22 2×
Participle passive Jer 41:5 1×
Word Origins
גָּלַח is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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