Gilgal in the Torah
גלגל
The first camp of the Israelites after crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land. At Gilgal, Joshua set up twelve stones from the Jordan riverbed as a memorial and circumcised the new generation. The name means 'rolling' — God said 'Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.' Gilgal later became the site where Saul was proclaimed king.
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Key Verses
5 selected passages mentioning Gilgal
All the people go to Gilgal and make Saul king before the Lord
וַיֵּלְכ֨וּ כׇל־הָעָ֜ם הַגִּלְגָּ֗ל וַיַּמְלִ֩כוּ֩ שָׁ֨ם אֶת־שָׁא֜וּל לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ בַּגִּלְגָּ֔ל וַיִּזְבְּחוּ־שָׁ֛ם זְבָחִ֥ים שְׁלָמִ֖ים לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּשְׂמַ֨ח שָׁ֥ם שָׁא֛וּל וְכׇל־אַנְשֵׁ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַד־מְאֹֽד׃ {פ}
So all the people went to Gilgal, and there at Gilgal they declared Saul king before GOD. They offered sacrifices of well-being there before GOD; and Saul and everyone connected with Israel held a great celebration there.
Samuel hews Agag in pieces before the Lord at Gilgal
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר שִׁכְּלָ֤ה נָשִׁים֙ חַרְבֶּ֔ךָ כֵּן־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ל מִנָּשִׁ֖ים אִמֶּ֑ךָ וַיְשַׁסֵּ֨ף שְׁמוּאֵ֧ל אֶת־אֲגָ֛ג לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּגִּלְגָּֽל׃ {ס}
Samuel said:“As your sword has bereaved women,So shall your mother be bereaved among women.”And Samuel cut Agag downjcut Agag down Meaning of Heb. uncertain. before GOD at Gilgal.
The people come up from the Jordan and camp at Gilgal
וְהָעָ֗ם עָלוּ֙ מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן בֶּעָשׂ֖וֹר לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁ֑וֹן וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ בַּגִּלְגָּ֔ל בִּקְצֵ֖ה מִזְרַ֥ח יְרִיחֽוֹ׃
The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.
Joshua sets up the twelve stones from the Jordan at Gilgal
וְאֵת֩ שְׁתֵּ֨ים עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה הָֽאֲבָנִים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָקְח֖וּ מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן הֵקִ֥ים יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בַּגִּלְגָּֽל׃
And Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan.
The Lord says: Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ הַיּ֗וֹם גַּלּ֛וֹתִי אֶת־חֶרְפַּ֥ת מִצְרַ֖יִם מֵעֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֞א שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ גִּלְגָּ֔ל עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
And GOD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.”cdisgrace of Egypt I.e., of the Egyptian bondage. So that place was called Gilgal,dGilgal Interpreted as “rolling.” as it still is.
33 more verses mention Gilgal across the Tanakh
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