Lexical Summary gaal: loathed, abhor, abhorred Original Word: גָּעַל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance abhor, fail, loathe, vilely cast away A primitive root; to detest; by implication, to reject -- abhor, fail, lothe, vilely cast away. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to abhor, loathe NASB Translation abhor (2), abhorred (1), abhors (1), defiled (1), fail (1), loathed (3), reject (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs גָּעַל verb abhor, loathe (Late Hebrew געל Nithpa.be fouled, Hiph`il rinse out with hot water; גְּעִילָה rejection; Aramaic געל Ithpe`el be fouled, soiled) — Qal Perfect3feminine singular נָָּֽעֲלָה Leviticus 26:43; Jeremiah 14:19, וְגָָֽעֲלָה consecutive Leviticus 26:30; גְּעַלְתִּים Leviticus 26:44; גָָּֽעֲלוּ Ezekiel 16:45; Imperfect3feminine singular תִּגְעַל Leviticus 26:11,15; Participle feminine גֹּעֶ֫לֶת Ezekiel 16:45 (twice in verse); — abhor, loathe, (usually with accusative), Yahweh, his people Leviticus 26:11,30,44 (H) Jeremiah 14:19 (with בְּ); the people, Yahweh's statutes Leviticus 26:15,43 (H); Ezekiel 16:45 (twice in verse) women their husbands (figurative, in prophecy against Jerusalem). Niph`al נִגְעַל מָגֵן גִּבּוֺרִים 2 Samuel 1:21 the shield of heroes was defiled RVm VB Kirkp. but < is rejected, cast away (with loathing) Dr, compare Klo; ᵐ5 προσωχθίσθη. Hiph`il Imperfect שׁוֺרוֺ עִבַּר וְלֹא יַֹגְעִ֑ל Job 21:10; and doth not cause, or allow, (the cow) to reject as loathesome Ra De, compare Di1; Di2, however, of bull, cast away (semen), or shew aversion. Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Core IdeaThe verb גָּעַל portrays an intense sense of revulsion that leads to distancing or rejection. It is not a momentary dislike but a settled, visceral abhorrence that severs relationship or renders an object unfit for use. In Scripture the verb is applied both to human agents (who recoil from what is polluted) and to God (whose holiness cannot tolerate persistent rebellion). Distribution in Scripture The ten canonical occurrences cluster in two principal settings: This distribution underscores that גָּעַל deals primarily with covenant relationship and its disruption. Covenant Context in Leviticus 26 Leviticus 26 outlines blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Verses 11 and 15 promise or threaten opposite outcomes: • Promise: “I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not abhor you.” (Leviticus 26:11) Here גָּעַל functions reciprocally: Israel may come to loathe God’s requirements, and in turn God may loathe their defiled worship (26:30, 43). Yet verse 44 maintains hope: “Yet in spite of this… I will not reject them or abhor them to destroy them utterly.” The verb therefore frames both judgment and mercy, revealing a God whose holiness reacts against sin but whose covenant love tempers final rejection. Historical Illustrations Outside the Torah 2 Samuel 1:21 applies גָּעַל to Saul’s shield: “Let the shield of the mighty be defiled no more.” The battlefield tragedy renders once-honored armor revolting. The term thus conveys how sin, defeat, or death can render sacred objects or offices contemptible. Job 21:10 notes that the wicked man’s bull “mates without fail; his cow calves and does not miscarry.” Many translations read, “his cow does not abort,” but the underlying verb conveys that nothing about his livestock is loathed or rejected. Job’s argument is that divine revulsion does not always fall immediately on the ungodly, highlighting the mystery of providence. Jeremiah 14:19 records Judah’s complaint during drought and invasion: “Have You utterly rejected Judah? Has Your soul loathed Zion?” When covenant curses become visible, the people fear that God’s disgust is irreversible. The prophet invites them to repentance but also intercedes for mercy. Ezekiel 16:45 twice depicts Jerusalem as the daughter of the Amorite whose mother “loathed her husband and children.” The city’s idolatry is traced to a legacy of contempt for covenant responsibilities, illustrating generational patterns of rebellion. Theological Themes 1. Holiness Versus Pollution: גָּעַל highlights the tension between divine holiness and human sin. God’s “loathing” is never capricious; it is the necessary reaction of holiness to moral filth. 2. Reciprocal Love or Loathing: Covenant relationship is not one-sided. When people come to despise God’s statutes, they experience a mirrored revulsion from God, emphasizing moral responsibility. 3. Judgment Tempered by Mercy: Even when גָּעַל describes God’s response, Leviticus 26:44 and broader canonical theology show that His loathing is not the last word. Repentance can restore fellowship (cf. Ezekiel 36:25-28). 4. Prophetic Warning: The prophets invoke גָּעַל to jolt complacent hearers into recognizing the seriousness of sin. God’s soul is portrayed as capable of being “offended” by persistent rebellion, challenging any cheap grace mindset. Practical Ministry Implications • Preaching and Teaching: Present both the severity of God’s holiness and the depth of His covenant mercy. Use Leviticus 26 as a paradigm for explaining blessings, discipline, and restoration. Christological and New Covenant Reflections The cross addresses גָּעַל at its root. On Calvary, the sinless Lamb bore the full weight of what God loathes, fulfilling covenant sanctions so that believers “are accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). Hebrews 10:22 invites worshipers to draw near “having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience.” In Christ, what was once revolting is made holy. Conclusion גָּעַל serves as a vivid reminder that sin is repulsive to God and ultimately self-destructive to His people. Yet the same passages that declare divine loathing also unveil steadfast love. By holding together holiness, justice, mercy, and restoration, Scripture invites every generation to forsake what God abhors and to embrace the covenant grace made perfect in Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations גְעַלְתִּים֙ גָּֽעֲ֙לוּ֙ גָּעֲלָ֣ה גָּעֲלָ֥ה גֹּעֶ֥לֶת געלה געלו געלת געלתים וְגָעֲלָ֥ה וגעלה יַגְעִ֑ל יגעל נִגְעַל֙ נגעל תִּגְעַ֣ל תִגְעַ֥ל תגעל gā‘ălāh gā‘ălū gā·‘ă·lāh gā·‘ă·lū gaaLah gaAlu ḡə‘altîm ḡə·‘al·tîm gealTim gō‘eleṯ gō·‘e·leṯ goElet niḡ‘al niḡ·‘al nigAl tiḡ‘al ṯiḡ‘al tiḡ·‘al ṯiḡ·‘al tigAl vegaaLah wə·ḡā·‘ă·lāh wəḡā‘ălāh yaḡ‘il yaḡ·‘il yagIlLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Leviticus 26:11 HEB: בְּתוֹכְכֶ֑ם וְלֹֽא־ תִגְעַ֥ל נַפְשִׁ֖י אֶתְכֶֽם׃ NAS: you, and My soul will not reject you. KJV: you: and my soul shall not abhor you. INT: among will not reject and my soul Leviticus 26:15 Leviticus 26:30 Leviticus 26:43 Leviticus 26:44 2 Samuel 1:21 Job 21:10 Jeremiah 14:19 Ezekiel 16:45 Ezekiel 16:45 10 Occurrences |
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