Strong's Hebrew: 1019. בֵּית (Beth Haggilgal) -- House of the Gilgal

◄ 1019. Beth Haggilgal ►

Lexical Summary

Beth Haggilgal: House of the Gilgal

Original Word: בֵּית הגִּלְגָּל
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Beyth hag-Gllgal
Pronunciation: bayth hag-gil-gawl'
Phonetic Spelling: (bayth hag-gil gawl')
KJV: Beth-gilgal
NASB: Beth-gilgal
Word Origin: [from H1004 (בַּיִת - house) and H1537 (גִּלגָּל - Gilgal) with the article interposed]

1. house of Gilgal (or rolling)
2. Beth-hag-Gilgal, a place in Israel

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Beth-gilgal

From bayith and Gilgal with the article interposed; house of Gilgal (or rolling); Beth-hag-Gilgal, a place in Palestine -- Beth-gilgal.

see HEBREW bayith

see HEBREW Gilgal

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from bayith and Gilgal
Definition
"house of the Gilgal," a place in Pal.
NASB Translation
Beth-gilgal (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

בֵּית הַגִּלְגָּל proper name, of a location Nehemiah 12:29; compare גִּלְגָּל.

Topical Lexicon

Overview

Beth-hagilgal (Strong’s Hebrew 1019) designates “the house of Gilgal.” Although this precise form does not surface in the canonical Hebrew text, it is firmly linked to the well-attested site of Gilgal, a strategic encampment on the eastern edge of the hill country of Ephraim near the Jordan River and Jericho. Its importance is derived from the cluster of salvation-history events and prophetic pronouncements centered on Gilgal.

Meaning of the Name

The compound name unites the covenantal idea of a “house” or established dwelling (beth) with Gilgal, the place where the “reproach of Egypt” was rolled away (Joshua 5:9). Thus the term evokes both permanence and redemptive memory—a location where Yahweh’s faithfulness was publicly enshrined.

Location and Geography

Archaeological proposals place Gilgal on the modern tell of Jiljilia or slightly farther southeast at Tell el-Kefrein. The site commanded the Jordan valley approaches, making it a natural military staging ground (Joshua 10:7) and a hub for covenant ceremonies. Any reference to Beth-hagilgal, therefore, implies a settled or institutional aspect of this same locale—perhaps a cultic quarter or administrative center adjoining the larger campsite.

Connection with Gilgal in Scripture

1. Entry into the Land—Israel camped at Gilgal after crossing the Jordan (Joshua 4:19). Twelve memorial stones were erected there, testifying that “all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty” (Joshua 4:24).
2. Covenant Renewal—Circumcision of the wilderness generation and the first Passover in Canaan took place at Gilgal (Joshua 5:2-12).
3. Military Headquarters—Joshua’s lightning march from Gilgal routed the five Amorite kings (Joshua 10:6-15).
4. Tribal Allotments—The land-grant process began in Gilgal (Joshua 14:6).
5. Prophetic Circuit—Samuel judged Israel annually at Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah (1 Samuel 7:16) and used Gilgal to confirm Saul’s kingship (1 Samuel 11:14-15).
6. Prophetic Denunciation—Centuries later Hosea and Amos cited Gilgal as a symbol of empty ritualism (Hosea 4:15; Amos 5:5), warning that outward forms without heartfelt obedience invite judgment.

Beth-hagilgal, then, looks back to these foundational episodes and forward to prophetic calls for true devotion.

Key Events Associated with Gilgal

• Rolling Away of Reproach (Joshua 5:9)-The cutting of the flesh mirrored the cutting away of Egypt’s shame, prefiguring the New Covenant circumcision of the heart (Romans 2:29).
• First Canaanite Passover (Joshua 5:10-12)-Manna ceased; Israel began eating the produce of the land, illustrating the transition from wilderness dependence to covenant inheritance.
• Sun-Stand Miracle (Joshua 10:12-14)-The cosmic sign that “there has been no day like it before or since” (Joshua 10:14) underscored Yahweh’s sovereign warfare on behalf of His people.
• Kingship Confirmed (1 Samuel 11:15)-Under Samuel’s oversight “all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD”, demonstrating that earthly authority must be established under divine sanction.

Prophetic Usage

Hosea and Amos deliberately paired Gilgal with Bethel as monuments of degenerate worship. “Even if they offer sacrifices, Gilgal will surely go into exile” (Hosea 9:15). The prophets showed that lineage and liturgy are no shelter when covenant ethics are despised. Beth-hagilgal thus functions as a mirror: the very house founded on grace can become an indictment when grace is presumed upon.

Theological and Ministry Themes

1. Memorializing God’s Works—Beth-hagilgal highlights the scriptural pattern of remembrance, calling believers to preserve testimonies of divine deliverance.
2. Transition and Identity—As Israel’s first base in the land, Gilgal models how the people of God navigate new seasons while retaining covenant identity.
3. Heart over Ritual—The prophetic critiques show that forms established by God can be emptied of meaning if divorced from obedience and justice.
4. Leadership Accountability—From Joshua to Samuel, spiritual and civic leadership was tested at Gilgal; so ministry today is validated only when anchored in God’s revealed will.

Lessons for Personal and Corporate Faith

• Cultivate tangible reminders of God’s past faithfulness; they fortify present obedience.
• Guard against spiritual complacency; the house of beginnings can become a haunt of formalism.
• Embrace transitions under the Lord’s direction, trusting Him to “roll away” reproach and supply new provision.
• Judge success by covenant fidelity, not by geographic or institutional prestige.

Related Biblical References

Joshua 4:19-24; Joshua 5:2-12; Joshua 10:6-15; Joshua 14:6-15; 1 Samuel 7:16; 1 Samuel 11:14-15; Hosea 4:15; Hosea 9:15; Amos 4:4; Amos 5:5; Micah 6:5.

Links

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