Word Study for H1556 (גָּלַל)

gâlal /gaw-lal'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto roll (literally or figuratively)

KJV usagecommit, remove, roll (away, down, together), run down, seek occasion, trust, wallow.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of gâlal — 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 Hebrew word gâlal, represented by H1556, is a primitive root meaning to roll. It appears 18 times across 18 unique verses in the Bible. While its literal definition is simple, its application is broad and powerful, extending figuratively to concepts such as to commit, remove, run down, seek occasion, trust, and even to wallow.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, H1556 is used in both literal and figurative contexts. Its most direct meaning is seen in narratives where a physical object is moved, such as when Jacob rolled the stone H68 from the well's mouth Genesis 29:10. The word also carries a proverbial weight, as in the warning that for he that rolleth a stone H68, it will return upon him Proverbs 26:27. Figuratively, it signifies a transfer of burden or responsibility, as when believers are instructed to Commit their works H4639 Proverbs 16:3 and their way H1870 Psalms 37:5 to the LORD. It is also used to describe God's powerful acts of judgment, such as when He promises to roll a destroying mountain down from the rocks Jeremiah 51:25 or when the heavens are rolled together as a scroll H5612 Isaiah 34:4.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help illuminate the meaning of H1556:

H68 'eben (a stone): This is the most common literal object associated with gâlal. Its presence in passages about wells and tombs highlights the physical effort and significance of the act of rolling (Genesis 29:8, Joshua 10:18).
H1870 derek (a road; figuratively, a course of life or mode of action): This word represents the abstract burden that is "rolled" onto the LORD in an act of faith. It signifies one's entire life path being entrusted to God's care Psalms 37:5.
H1537 Gilgâl (Gilgal): The name of this significant place in Israel's history is directly derived from H1556. God declared, "This day have I rolled away the reproach H2781 of Egypt from off you," forever linking the word to an act of national deliverance and cleansing Joshua 5:9.
H2781 cherpâh (contumely, disgrace, the pudenda; rebuke, reproach(-fully), shame): This represents the spiritual or emotional weight that is removed by the action of gâlal, whether it is the reproach of Egypt Joshua 5:9 or the personal plea to Remove from me reproach and contempt H937 Psalms 119:22.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H1556 is centered on the concept of transfer. It powerfully illustrates core spiritual principles through a simple physical action.

Act of Trust and Commitment: The word is used to define the act of faith. To Commit (gâlal) one's way H1870 to the LORD is to roll the burden of one's life, plans, and outcomes onto God, trusting Him to establish them (Proverbs 16:3, Psalms 37:5). It is a conscious surrender of control.
Divine Power and Judgment: The word describes God's sovereign power over creation and nations. He can roll down a mighty empire like a stone from a cliff Jeremiah 51:25 and will one day roll together the heavens like a scroll H5612 Isaiah 34:4. This usage conveys unstoppable, final action.
Redemptive Removal of Shame: A key redemptive theme is captured in God's act to roll away the reproach H2781 of Israel's slavery in Egypt. This event, memorialized in the name Gilgal H1537, signifies a new beginning and the removal of past disgrace by divine intervention Joshua 5:9.

Summary

In summary, H1556 gâlal demonstrates how a basic physical verb—to roll—can convey profound spiritual truth. From the literal act of moving a stone H68 to the figurative act of entrusting one's life to God, the word consistently implies the transfer of a great weight. It serves as a biblical illustration for committing our burdens to the LORD, the awesome power of His judgment, and His grace in rolling away our deepest reproach.

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 18 occurrences, inflected in 14 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.

גֹּל
גָלֲלוּ
גֹּלּוּ
הִתְגֹּלֵל
מִתְגֹּלֵל
הִתְגַּלְגָּלוּ
יִגַּל
נָגֹלּוּ
גִלְגַּלְתִּי
גַּל
מְגוֹלָלָה
יָּגֶל
גֹלֵל
גַּלּוֹתִי

Related Words

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.

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 18 verses across 10 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis (4 verses); never once in the other 29.

Genesis

Joshua

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Amos

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.