English · KJV
H1541

גְּלָה

gᵉlâh /ghel-aw'/ Ask about this word
Root(Aramaic) or גְּלָא
Meaning(Aramaic), corresponding to גָּלָה; (to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal)
KJV usagebring over, carry away, reveal.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of gᵉlâh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Aramaic word gᵉlâh, represented by H1541, primarily means to reveal or, by implication, to exile or carry away. It appears 10 times across 8 unique verses. The definition encompasses the ideas of denuding, exiling captives, and figuratively revealing hidden knowledge.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H1541 has two distinct applications. Its most frequent use is in the book of Daniel, where it refers to the divine act of revealing mysteries. God is described as the one who "revealeth the deep and secret things" Daniel 2:22, and this power is demonstrated when the king's secret dream is "revealed unto Daniel in a night vision" Daniel 2:19. The second application relates to exile. In Ezra, the word describes how, after the fathers provoked God to wrath, they were given to Nebuchadnezzar who "carried the people away into Babylon" Ezra 5:12. Another instance describes how the Assyrian king Asnappar "brought over" nations to settle in Samaria Ezra 4:10.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context of H1541, particularly its use in the book of Daniel:

  • H7328 râz (secret): This is the object that is acted upon by H1541. A secret is the mystery which God is able to reveal (Daniel 2:19, Daniel 2:47).
  • H426 ʼĕlâhh (God): The scriptures identify God as the ultimate agent of revelation. He is the "God in heaven that revealeth secrets" Daniel 2:28.
  • H1841 Dânîyêʼl (Daniel): The prophet Daniel is the human vessel through whom God's revelation is made known. The king acknowledges this power when he states that Daniel was able to reveal the secret Daniel 2:47.
  • H5020 Nᵉbûwkadnetstsar (Nebuchadnezzar): This king is both the one to whom God reveals secrets and the one used by God to carry the people away into exile, linking both meanings of H1541 to a single historical figure (Daniel 2:28, Ezra 5:12).

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H1541 is significant, highlighting God's absolute sovereignty.

  • Sovereignty over Knowledge: The word consistently points to God as the sole "revealer of secrets" Daniel 2:47. Daniel explicitly states that the secret was not revealed due to any special human wisdom he possessed, but by God's power alone Daniel 2:30.
  • Sovereignty over Nations: The use of H1541 to describe exile frames this historical event as an act of divine judgment. The people were "carried away" because their "fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath" Ezra 5:12.
  • Revelation of the Heart: The purpose of God's revelation is not merely to foretell the future, but also to make known the "thoughts of thy heart" Daniel 2:30, exposing the inner condition of humanity before a sovereign God.

Summary

In summary, H1541 is a powerful Aramaic word that demonstrates two facets of God's authority. In the book of Daniel, it is used repeatedly to describe God's unique ability to reveal what is hidden and secret. In Ezra, it signifies God's power to carry away and uproot a people as an act of judgment. In both contexts, the word underscores the theme of God's complete control over both divine mysteries and the course of human history.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 9 occurrences, inflected in 5 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • הַגְלִי
  • גָּלֵא
  • גֲלִי
  • גָלֵא
  • מִגְלֵא

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H7328 רָז (Aramaic) from an unused root probably meaning; to attenuate, i.e. (figuratively) hide; a mystery; secret. H426 אֱלָהּ (Aramaic) corresponding to אֱלוֹהַּ; God; God, god. H1841 דָּנִיֵּאל (Aramaic) corresponding to דָנִיֵּאל; Danijel, the Hebrew prophet; Daniel. H5020 נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר (Aramaic) corresponding to נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר; {Nebukadnetstsar (or -retstsar, or -retstsor), king of Babylon}; Nebuchadne

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 8 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Daniel (6 verses); never once in the other 37.

2
Ezra
6
Daniel

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.