גָּדֵל
large (literally or figuratively)
Definition
The Hebrew word גָּדֵל (gâdêl) is a noun meaning 'large' or 'great,' describing something of significant size, magnitude, or importance. It can refer to literal physical growth, as seen in 1 Samuel 2:26 where the boy Samuel 'grew on' (was 'great' in stature and favor). It also denotes figurative greatness in power or extent, such as the 'great riches' King Jehoshaphat accumulated in 2 Chronicles 17:12. In a negative moral context, Ezekiel 16:26 uses it to describe the 'great' promiscuity of Israel, indicating an excessive or enlarged degree of sin.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only three times in the Old Testament, each in a distinct context. It describes personal, physical, and spiritual growth (1 Samuel 2:26), material wealth and royal power (2 Chronicles 17:12), and the magnitude of sinful behavior (Ezekiel 16:26). Its usage spans historical, prophetic, and poetic books, consistently conveying the idea of an increase in measure, whether positive or negative.
Etymology
גָּדֵל is a noun derived directly from the verb גָּדַל (gādal, H1431), meaning 'to grow, become great, or magnify.' It shares a root with words like גָּדוֹל (gādôl, H1419), the more common adjective for 'great.' The noun form גָּדֵל specifically denotes the state or quality of being large or great.
Semantic Range
While not a primary theological term, גָּדֵל touches on themes of divine blessing and human responsibility. In 1 Samuel 2:26, Samuel's growth in stature and favor with God and people illustrates God's hand in nurturing a faithful servant. Conversely, its use for 'great' sin in Ezekiel 16:26 highlights how human corruption can magnify. Understanding this Hebrew term reminds readers that 'greatness' in the Bible is a qualitative measure applied by God to both virtue and vice.
In ancient Israelite culture, 'greatness' (גָּדֵל) was not merely quantitative. For a person like Samuel, it encompassed physical maturity, social standing, and spiritual favor—a holistic view of growth. For a king, 'great riches' (2 Chronicles 17:12) signaled divine blessing, stability, and military security. The concept directly tied perceived magnitude to covenant faithfulness or failure.
גָּדוֹל (gādôl, H1419) — The far more common adjective for 'great, large, important,' used hundreds of times. גָּדֵל is the rarer noun form focusing on the state of being great. רַב (rav, H7227) — Often 'many, much, great,' emphasizing abundance or quantity more than inherent magnitude.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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