Bible Word Study
גְּלִילוֹת
Gᵉlîylôwth · Geliloth, a place in Palestine
גְּלִילוֹת
Geliloth, a place in Palestine
Definition
Geliloth is a proper noun referring to a specific location in ancient Palestine, mentioned only once in the Old Testament. It appears in Joshua 18:17 as a boundary marker for the territory of Benjamin, situated between the stone of Bohan and the slopes near Beth-arabah. The name itself is the plural form of the Hebrew word 'Gelilah,' meaning 'circuit' or 'circle,' which may describe the geographical features of the area, such as rounded hills or a circular route. As a place name, its significance is primarily geographical, serving to delineate tribal allotments during the conquest and settlement period.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Joshua 18:17, within a detailed list of boundary points for the tribe of Benjamin. Its usage is strictly geographical and administrative, part of the larger context of dividing the Promised Land among the Israelite tribes as recorded in the Book of Joshua. There are no patterns of usage across other books, as it is a unique, singular reference to a specific locale.
Etymology
The word גְּלִילוֹת (Geliloth) is the plural form of the feminine noun גְּלִילָה (Gelilah, H1552), which means 'circuit,' 'circle,' or 'region.' It derives from the root גלל (g-l-l), meaning 'to roll' or 'to revolve,' suggesting something rounded or circular. This etymology likely reflects the physical landscape of the area, possibly indicating rounded hills or a circular boundary. Similar place names, like Galilee (also from the same root), share this linguistic background, emphasizing topographical features.
Semantic Range
In its original cultural setting, Geliloth was understood as a geographical marker within the tribal allotment system established after the Israelite conquest of Canaan. Place names often described physical features or served practical purposes for land division and identity. For modern readers, recognizing it as a boundary point highlights the importance of land inheritance in Israel's covenant relationship with God, as seen in Joshua's careful distribution of territory according to divine instruction. גְּלִילָה (Gelilah, H1552) — singular form meaning 'circuit' or 'region'; גָּלִיל (Galil, H1551) — meaning 'circle' or 'district,' as in Galilee.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]