1542. Giloh
Lexical Summary
Giloh: Giloh

Original Word: גִּלֹה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Giloh
Pronunciation: ghee-LOH
Phonetic Spelling: (ghee-lo')
KJV: Giloh
NASB: Giloh
Word Origin: [from H1540 (גָּלָה - uncover)]

1. open
2. Giloh, a place in Israel

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 Origin
from 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.
2 Samuel 15:12 – Absalom summons “Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh”. This verse intertwines the town with the dramatic events of Absalom’s revolt.

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).
2. The Danger of Unyielded Wisdom – From Giloh came counsel that rivaled prophecy, yet Ahithophel’s heart estranged him from the Lord’s anointed. Intellectual or strategic gifts unsubmitted to God can subvert divine purposes.
3. Foreshadowing of Messianic Betrayal – David’s lament over a trusted friend’s treachery (Psalm 41:9) finds narrative embodiment in Ahithophel of Giloh and foreshadows Judas Iscariot’s actions toward the Son of David (John 13:18).
4. Divine Sovereignty over Political Upheaval – The town’s brief spotlight during Absalom’s rebellion reminds readers that God overturns or establishes counsel according to His overarching redemptive plan (2 Samuel 17:14).

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.
• Spiritual leaders must guard against the temptation to leverage influence for partisan rebellion; counsel detached from prayerful submission may become destructive.
• Believers can trust that God nullifies schemes that oppose His covenant purposes, just as He turned Ahithophel’s advice into foolishness (2 Samuel 17:14).

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 wəḡilōh
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman'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
HEB: דָּוִ֗ד מֵֽעִירוֹ֙ מִגִּלֹ֔ה בְּזָבְח֖וֹ אֶת־
NAS: from his city Giloh, while he was offering
KJV: from his city, [even] from Giloh, while he offered
INT: David's his city Giloh was offering the sacrifices

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 1542
2 Occurrences


mig·gi·lōh — 1 Occ.
wə·ḡi·lōh — 1 Occ.

1541
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