Lexical Summary gedil: Tassel, fringe Original Word: גְּדִל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fringe, wreath From gadal (in the sense of twisting); thread, i.e. A tassel or festoon -- fringe, wreath. see HEBREW gadal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom gadal Definition twisted threads NASB Translation tassels (1), twisted threads (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs גְּדִלִים noun [masculine] plural twisted threads (Late Hebrew גְּדִיל, Babylonian gidlu, cord on which onions were strung, a string of onions, ZehnpfBAS i. 511; Aramaic גְּדִילָא,  thread, cord, rope, also plaited locks,  id.) — 1 tassels Deuteronomy 22:12 on border of garment ("" צִיצִת Numbers 15:38,39). 2 festoons, on capitals of columns 1 Kings 7:17. Topical Lexicon Overview The term גְּדִל appears only twice in the Old Testament yet bridges two very different settings—personal clothing (Deuteronomy 22:12) and monumental architecture (1 Kings 7:17). In both contexts it denotes an intentionally twisted or plaited feature, visually striking and purposefully crafted. Whether hanging from a garment or crowning a bronze pillar, the גְּדִל functions as a visible reminder that order, beauty, and covenant fidelity belong together in the life of God’s people. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Deuteronomy 22:12 – “You are to make tassels on the four corners of the cloak you wear.” Symbolism in Covenant Memory The Mosaic command attaches גְּדִל to the outer garment so that every movement of the wearer stirs a call to obedience. Though Numbers 15:38 speaks of “tassels” with a different term, Deuteronomy’s use of גְּדִל intensifies the thought: the twist itself depicts intertwining allegiance—heart, soul, and strength—wrapped around daily life (Deuteronomy 6:4–9). The tassel, brushed by wind and sun, becomes a teaching aid as parents instruct children “when you walk along the road” (Deuteronomy 6:7). Thus, גְּדִל serves catechesis through craft. Architectural Ornamentation In Solomon’s Temple the same concept ascends seventy feet above the courtyard, woven into bronze chains girdling the lily-shaped capitals of Jachin and Boaz. The sanctuary where Israel meets her God is crowned with visual theology: what hangs from a cloak now encircles pillars that proclaim stability and establishment (1 Kings 7:21). The workmanship says what words later affirm—“Holiness adorns Your house, O LORD” (Psalm 93:5). Later Biblical and Theological Echoes 1. The prophets frequently picture Israel’s faithfulness as ornamental beauty (Isaiah 61:10; Ezekiel 16:10–14). The Temple גְּדִל supplies an earlier architectural precedent for that imagery. Practical Ministry Reflection • Discipleship: Visible reminders—whether Scripture art, prayer cards, or even clothing choices—can imitate the pedagogical purpose of the tassel, keeping God’s commands before the eyes and hearts of believers. Christological Fulfillment and New Testament Application The Law’s tassel finds its telos in Christ, whose perfect obedience turns symbolic cords into channels of grace. In Him the believer is “clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49) and built into “a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5). The dual appearance of גְּדִל—in garment and in Temple—thus converges in the church, a people both dressed in righteousness (Revelation 19:8) and erected as God’s dwelling (Ephesians 2:21–22). Summary גְּדִל threads covenant memory into the fabric of daily life and crowns covenant worship atop pillars of bronze. From Sinai’s slopes to Solomon’s courts, from the hem of Jesus’ robe to the architecture of Christian worship, its twisted strands witness that beauty and obedience belong together under the reign of the LORD. Forms and Transliterations גְּדִלִ֖ים גְּדִלִים֙ גדלים gə·ḏi·lîm gediLim gəḏilîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 22:12 HEB: גְּדִלִ֖ים תַּעֲשֶׂה־ לָּ֑ךְ NAS: You shall make yourself tassels on the four KJV: Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four INT: tassels shall make on 1 Kings 7:17 2 Occurrences |
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