Galeed
Galeed is a location mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Transjordan in modern-day Israel. Known today as Jel‘ad. It appears across 3 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Galeed, meaning "heap of witness" in Hebrew, was a name given to a cairn of stones erected as a covenant monument between Jacob and his father-in-law Laban in the Transjordan highlands (Genesis 31:47–48). After years of strained relations, Jacob fled from Laban with his wives, children, and flocks. Laban pursued and overtook him near the hill country of Gilead. The two men entered into a covenant of peace, with Laban calling the heap of stones Jegar-sahadutha in Aramaic and Jacob naming it Galeed in Hebrew — both expressions denoting a monument of witness. The site also received the name Mizpah, meaning "watchtower," reflecting the agreement that God would watch between them when they were apart (Genesis 31:49). This episode is foundational for understanding the name of the broader Gilead region east of the Jordan, which may derive from or at minimum shares its etymology with Galeed. The narrative illustrates covenant-making customs of the ancient Near East and God's providential protection of Jacob.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
The precise location of Galeed remains uncertain. It is traditionally associated with the highlands of Gilead in modern Jordan, a region corresponding roughly to the area of Jel'ad. The Gilead highlands have been surveyed by archaeologists, revealing continuous settlement from the Bronze Age onward. The absence of a specific ancient site identified exclusively with the cairn of Galeed is not surprising, as such a monument would leave minimal material trace. The broader Gilead region, however, has yielded Iron Age fortresses, burial sites, and pottery assemblages consistent with the patriarchal and later periods described in the Old Testament narrative.
Verse Appearances (3)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →