What does גָּמַל (gāmal) mean in the Bible?
גָּמַל (gāmal): To complete or bring to full maturity; reciprocal dealing that yields appropriate consequences or rewards.
Hebrew · H1580
גָּמַל
To treat a person (well or ill), i.e. benefit or requite ; by implication (of toil), to ripen , i.e. (specifically) to wean
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גָּמַל H1580
Pronunciation gāmal
What does גָּמַל (gāmal) mean in the Bible?
גָּמַל (gāmal): To complete or bring to full maturity; reciprocal dealing that yields appropriate consequences or rewards.
Full entry for גָּמַל (H1580) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1580?
The BSB source-word alignment has 37 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include has rewarded me (2), like a weaned child (2), - (1), a ripening (1), After she had weaned (1).
Where does גָּמַל (gāmal) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 21:8. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (10), 1 Samuel (6), Isaiah (6), Genesis (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 It has rewarded me 2× 2 Samuel 22:21, Psalms 18:20
like a weaned child 2× Psalms 131:2
- 1× Isaiah 63:7
a ripening 1× Isaiah 18:5
After she had weaned 1× Hosea 1:8
and produced 1× Numbers 17:8
and the toddler 1× Isaiah 11:8
and was weaned 1× Genesis 21:8
are repaying 1× 2 Chronicles 20:11
benefits 1× Proverbs 11:17
Deal bountifully 1× Psalms 119:17
has been good 1× Psalms 116:7
has done for us 1× Isaiah 63:7
have rewarded me 1× 1 Samuel 24:17
have rewarded you 1× 1 Samuel 24:17
He has been good 1× Psalms 13:6
he has done 1× Proverbs 3:30
how you repay 1× Deuteronomy 32:6
I have rewarded 1× Psalms 7:4
is weaned 1× 1 Samuel 1:22
of Your goodness 1× Psalms 142:7
or repaid us 1× Psalms 103:10
repay me 1× 2 Samuel 19:36
retaliate 1× Joel 3:4
She brings him 1× Proverbs 31:12
she had weaned 1× 1 Samuel 1:23
she had weaned him 1× 1 Samuel 1:24
they did 1× Genesis 50:17
they have brought 1× Isaiah 3:9
To infants just weaned 1× Isaiah 28:9
was weaned 1× Genesis 21:8
we did 1× Genesis 50:15
weaned him 1× 1 Kings 11:20
you have done 1× Psalms 137:8
you have weaned him 1× 1 Samuel 1:23
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 21:8 וַיִּגָּמַ֑ל to and was weaned Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 21:8 הִגָּמֵ֥ל to was weaned Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct Genesis 50:15 גָּמַ֖לְנוּ to we did Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural Genesis 50:17 גְמָל֔וּךָ to they did Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | second person masculine singular Numbers 17:8 וַיִּגְמֹ֖ל to and produced Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Deuteronomy 32:6 תִּגְמְלוּ־ to how you repay Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural 1 Samuel 1:22 יִגָּמֵ֤ל to is weaned Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 1 Samuel 1:23 גָּמְלֵ֣ךְ to you have weaned him Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person feminine singular 1 Samuel 1:23 גָּמְלָ֖הּ to she had weaned Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular 1 Samuel 1:24 גְּמָלַ֗תּוּ to she had weaned him Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 21:8
Aligned rows 37
Books represented 12
Genesis 4 Numbers 1 Deuteronomy 1 1 Samuel 6 2 Samuel 2 1 Kings 1 2 Chronicles 1 Psalms 10 Proverbs 3 Isaiah 6 Hosea 1 Joel 1
Source forms
גָּמַ֥ל 2x gā·mal Psalms 103:10, Psalms 116:7
יִגְמְלֵ֣נִי 2x yiḡ·mə·lê·nî 2 Samuel 19:36, Psalms 18:20
גָּמ֖וּל 1x gā·mūl Isaiah 11:8
גְּמוּלֵי֙ 1x gə·mū·lê Isaiah 28:9
גְּמֹ֖ל 1x gə·mōl Psalms 119:17
גָמַ֣ל 1x ḡā·mal Psalms 13:6
גֹּמֵ֣ל 1x gō·mêl Proverbs 11:17
גֹּמֵ֖ל 1x gō·mêl Isaiah 18:5
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular 3x 2 Samuel 19:36, 2 Samuel 22:21, Psalms 18:20
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 3x Psalms 13:6, Psalms 103:10, Psalms 116:7
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 2x 2 Chronicles 20:11, Joel 3:4
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 2x Proverbs 11:17, Isaiah 18:5
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular 2x 1 Samuel 1:24, Proverbs 31:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 1x Genesis 21:8
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular 1x Hosea 1:8
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular 1x 1 Kings 11:20
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. To complete or bring to full maturity; reciprocal dealing that yields appropriate consequences or rewards.
Strong's H1580
Lexical occurrences 37 verses Word forms 2 forms 17 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Proverbs 11:17 Source Gloss
to treat a person (well or ill), i.e. benefit or requite ; by implication (of toil), to ripen , i.e. (specifically) to wean
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
To complete or bring to full maturity; reciprocal dealing that yields appropriate consequences or rewards.
to treat a person (well or ill), i.e. benefit or requite; by implication (of toil), to ripen, i.e. (specifically) to wean BDB: deal fully Usage: bestow on, deal bountifully, do (good), recompense, requite, reward, ripen, serve, mean, yield.
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 17
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 15×
Perfect Ps 13:6 · Ps 103:10 · Ps 116:7 · Gen 50:15 · Isa 3:9 · Ps 7:5 6×
Participle active 2Chr 20:11 · Isa 18:5 · Joel 4:4 · Prov 11:17 4×
Participle passive Isa 11:8 · Isa 28:9 2×
Imperfect Deut 32:6 · Ps 142:8 2×
Sequential imperfect Ps 119:17 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 2×
Imperfect 1Sam 1:22 1×
Infinitive construct Gen 21:8 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
to deal bountifully or bring benefit
To deal bountifully; to reward; to ripen; to treat with kindness
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 37 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
גָּמַל is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Kindness produces positive outcomes in life and relationships. Proverbs 11:17
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.
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