Where was Gilead in the Bible?

Gilead was a mountainous region east of the Jordan River, in the area known as Transjordan. It is often associated with the territory of the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (Numbers 32:1).

What important events happened in Gilead in the Bible?

Gilead was the site of significant events, including Jacob's covenant with Laban (Genesis 31:43-55) and a refuge for Israelites fleeing conflict. It was also known for its balm, a valuable medicinal resin (Jeremiah 8:22).

Why is Gilead significant in the Bible?

Gilead is significant as a symbol of healing and refuge, but also of sin and judgment. Its famous balm represented a cure that Israel lacked spiritually (Jeremiah 46:11), and the region was often contested in Israel's conflicts.

Gilead

regionOld TestamentTransjordan86 verses

Today Tell edh Dhahab esh SherqiyehCountry IsraelCoordinates 32.187, 35.692

Gilead is a region mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Transjordan in modern-day Israel. Known today as Tell edh Dhahab esh Sherqiyeh. It appears across 86 verses in Scripture.

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Biblical History

Gilead as a region designates the broad highland plateau east of the Jordan River, extending roughly from the Yarmuk River in the north to the Arnon in the south, encompassing much of modern northern Jordan. The name first appears in Genesis 31:21–25, when Jacob fled from Laban and was overtaken in 'the hill country of Gilead,' where they made their covenant. Gilead was divided between the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (Numbers 32; Deuteronomy 3:12–17), recognized for its suitability for cattle (Numbers 32:1). The region features prominently in the stories of Jephthah, the Gileadite judge who made his ill-fated vow (Judges 11), and Elijah, who is identified as 'Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead' (1 Kings 17:1). David retreated to Mahanaim in Gilead during Absalom's rebellion (2 Samuel 17:24). The region produced the famous 'balm of Gilead' (Jeremiah 8:22; 46:11), a prized medicinal resin. Gilead was among the first Israelite territories lost to Assyrian conquest under Tiglath-pileser III in 733–732 BC (2 Kings 15:29), beginning the deportation of the northern tribes.

Archaeological & Historical Notes

The Gilead region in modern Jordan has been systematically surveyed by the archaeological missions of several institutions, revealing continuous occupation from the Chalcolithic through the Ottoman periods. Iron Age sites are particularly numerous across the highland plateau, consistent with the biblical account of Israelite settlement by the tribes of Gad and Manasseh. Major excavated sites in the region include Tell es-Sa'idiyeh, Tell Deir Alla (where the Balaam inscription was discovered), and Pella (Tabaqat Fahl). The famous Balaam inscription from Tell Deir Alla (ca. 800 BC) provides a remarkable extrabiblical witness to prophetic traditions associated with the Transjordanian cultural world in which Gilead was situated.