---
title: גַּל — heap · The Tanakh dictionary
description: גַּל (1530), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 18 times: heap. BDB 1906: n.m. heap, wave, billow spring n.pr. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# גַּל

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«גַּל» in the Tanakh dictionary: **heap** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

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**Used:** 18 times · **Key:** 1530 · **BDB:** גַּל²

### Glosses

heap (7); a.heap (5); heaps.of.stones (3)

### Meaning (OSHB)

heap [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1490/1530/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

n.m. heap, wave, billow spring n.pr. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1490/1530/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** n.m. Gn 31:48 heap, wave, billow (as rolled together, rolling, rolling up), also spring, MT Ct 4:12 cf. 3 infr.—abs. גַּל Jb 8:17 + 5 times (incl. הַגַּל Gn 31:48 +); גָּ֑ל Gn 31:46; הַגָּ֑ל Gn 31:46; לַגָּ֑ל Is. 25:2; cstr. גַּל־ Jos 7:26 + 2 times + Gn 31:47, 48 q.v. infr.; pl. גַּלִּים 2 K 19:25 + 6 times; cstr. גַּלֵּי־ Is 48:18; sf. גַּלָּיו ψ 89:10 + 6 times; גַּלֵּיהֶם ψ 65:8 + 2 times;— heap of stones, ג׳ אבנים raised (הקים) over dead body Jos 7:26; 8:29; cf. 2 S 18:17 (c. הִצִּיב). גַּל alone Jb 8:17 (roots wrapped about it). heap or pile made (עשׂה) for use in ratifying compact of Jacob with Laban Gn 31:46(×2), 48, 51, 52(×3) cf. also גַּלְעֵד n.pr. heap of ruins Is 25:2; elsewhere pl. Ho 12:12 2 K 19:25 = Is 37:26 Jb 15:28 Jer. 9:10; 51:37. waves (rollers) poet., only pl., waves of sea Je 5:22; 31:35 Is 51:15 Jb 38:11 ψ 65:8; 89:10; 107:25, 29; cf. also in simile Ez 26:3 Is 48:18 (גַּלֵּי־הַיָּם); fig. of chastisements from י׳ ψ 42:8 (‖ מִשְׁבָּרִים) Jon 2:3 (‖ id.); of army of Babylon’s conqueror Je 51:42, 55; cf. Zc 10:11 (VB; but BevJPh. xviii. 88 proposes גִּבְלִים cf. Ez 27:9). spring, Ct 4:12 גַּן נָעוּל אֲחוֹתִי כַּלָּ֑ה גַּל נָעוּל מַעְיָן חָתוּם a garden barred (is) my sister, bride, a spring barred, a fountain sealed; but גַּן for גַּל 𝔊 𝔖 𝔙.

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 15 of its verses cited, 1 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (10 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 1 with the glosses (6 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «גַּל» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1490/1530/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Job 8:17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/JOB.8.17/)

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עַל־גַּ֭ל שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו יְסֻבָּ֑כוּ בֵּ֖ית אֲבָנִ֣ים יֶחֱזֶֽה׃

*Word for word:* over a.heap roots its they.are.entangled between stones it.sees

*JPS 1917:* His roots are wrapped about the heap, he beholdeth the place of stones.

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[Job 15:28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/JOB.15.28/)

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וַיִּשְׁכּ֤וֹן ׀ עָ֘רִ֤ים נִכְחָד֗וֹת בָּ֭תִּים לֹא־יֵ֣שְׁבוּ לָ֑מוֹ אֲשֶׁ֖ר הִתְעַתְּד֣וּ לְגַלִּֽים׃

*Word for word:* and he.dwelt cities destroyed houses \[which\].not people.will.dwell (for themselves which they.are.destined for heaps.of.stones

*JPS 1917:* And he hath dwelt in desolate cities, in houses which no man would inhabit, which were ready to become heaps.

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