Lexical Summary Giloh: Giloh Original Word: גִּלֹה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Giloh Or (fully) Giyloh {ghee-lo'}; from galah; open; Giloh, a place in Palestine -- Giloh. see HEBREW galah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom gil Definition a city in Judah NASB Translation Giloh (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs גִּלֹה proper name, of a location city in mountains of Judah Joshua 15:51; 2 Samuel 15:12; (on v compare Dr 2 Samuel 15:12.) גִּלֹה proper name, of a location see below גיל. גֻּלָּה see below גלל. Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrences• Joshua 15:51 – Giloh appears among “Goshen, Holon, and Giloh—eleven cities, along with their villages”. It belongs to the allotment of Judah in the hill country near Hebron. Geographical Setting Giloh formed part of the elevated Judean hill country, a region of limestone ridges, terraced agriculture, and strategic outlooks over the central highlands. Its placement within the grouping of eleven towns in Joshua suggests proximity to Hebron, the ancient administrative and religious center for Judah. While no universally accepted excavation has identified the precise site, several candidates south-southwest of Hebron exhibit Iron Age remains that match the biblical timeframe. Historical Background The allocation of Giloh to Judah situates it in the post-conquest tribal division under Joshua. Town lists such as Joshua 15:48–54 show a pattern: fortified settlements anchoring Israelite presence in the rugged interior. Giloh thus helps document Israel’s establishment in the promised land. Centuries later, during the united monarchy, Giloh gains prominence through its native son Ahithophel. His unparalleled counsel (2 Samuel 16:23) shaped royal policy until his defection exposed latent political tensions and foreshadowed the kingdom’s fragmentation. Notable Figures Associated with Giloh Ahithophel the Gilonite stands foremost. Scripture lauds his advice as if one “consulted the word of God.” Yet his betrayal of David illustrates the peril of misapplied wisdom. Rabbinic and traditional Christian sources often link Ahithophel to Bathsheba’s family, suggesting personal motives for siding with Absalom. Regardless, Giloh becomes synonymous with both brilliant counsel and tragic apostasy. Theological and Ministry Insights 1. Covenant Faithfulness – Giloh’s secure place in Judah underscores God’s faithfulness to fulfill land promises (Joshua 21:43-45). Lessons for Contemporary Faith • Communities, even small ones like Giloh, shape national destinies when their citizens commit their talents either to God’s kingdom or to self-serving agendas. Summary Though mentioned only twice, Giloh bridges Israel’s conquest, settlement, and monarchy, offering a geographical anchor for lessons on faithfulness, wisdom, and divine sovereignty. Forms and Transliterations וְגִלֹ֑ה וגלה מִגִּלֹ֔ה מגלה mig·gi·lōh miggiLoh miggilōh vegiLoh wə·ḡi·lōh wəḡilōhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 15:51 HEB: וְגֹ֥שֶׁן וְחֹלֹ֖ן וְגִלֹ֑ה עָרִ֥ים אַֽחַת־ NAS: and Holon and Giloh; eleven KJV: and Holon, and Giloh; eleven INT: and Goshen and Holon and Giloh cities a 2 Samuel 15:12 2 Occurrences |
    |