Bible Word Study
Μαγδαλά
magdala · Magdala
Μαγδαλά
Magdala
Definition
Magdala is a proper noun referring to a town or village on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. In the New Testament, it is mentioned only in Matthew 15:39 as the destination Jesus traveled to after feeding the four thousand. The parallel account in Mark 8:10 uses the name 'Dalmanutha,' which may refer to the same general region or a nearby locale. The town is most famously associated with Mary Magdalene (Mary 'of Magdala'), indicating her place of origin (Luke 8:2, John 20:1).
Biblical Usage
The word Μαγδαλά is used only once in the New Testament, in Matthew 15:39, as a geographical location. It functions solely as a proper name for a place. The town's significance is primarily derived from its association with Mary Magdalene, one of Jesus' most prominent female followers, whose name appears in multiple Gospel accounts (e.g., Matthew 27:56, Mark 16:9, Luke 24:10).
Etymology
The Greek Μαγδαλά (Magdala) is a transliteration of an Aramaic place name, likely meaning 'tower' or 'fortress' (from the root גדל, gdl, 'to be great' or 'to grow'). It may be related to the Hebrew מִגְדָּל (migdal), also meaning 'tower.' The town was known in the first century, and its name reflects a common feature of the landscape or its fortified nature.
Semantic Range
While the place name itself is not theologically loaded, its connection to Mary Magdalene is profoundly significant. She was a witness to Jesus' ministry, crucifixion, burial, and, most importantly, his resurrection (John 20:11-18). Her designation 'of Magdala' grounds the Gospel narrative in real geography and highlights Jesus' ministry in Galilee and his inclusion of individuals from specific, known communities into his core group of followers. Magdala was a fishing village on the Sea of Galilee, likely prosperous due to fish processing and trade. Archaeological excavations have revealed a first-century synagogue and other structures, confirming its existence as a Jewish town. Understanding it as a real, inhabited place helps modern readers appreciate the historical setting of Jesus' ministry and the social background of his followers like Mary Magdalene. Δαλμανουθά (Dalmanoutha, G1148) — The name used in the parallel account of Mark 8:10, possibly a variant name for the same region near Magdala.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). Concordance and morphology data are derived from the interlinear 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]