Bible Location
Meaning: wheel; rolling; heap · 35 cross references · Modern-day map available
Gilgal was an early Israelite camp and sanctuary site associated with entry into the land and later national gathering. It is important because it is linked with Israel's first encampment after crossing the Jordan, with covenant renewal and kingship in Samuel, and later with prophetic rebuke when worship there became corrupt. First appears in Deut 11:30.1
Place meaning
wheel; rolling; heap
Coordinates
32.15, 34.95
First appears
Deut 11:30
AI summary: Gilgal appears at several key stages of Israel's story, which is why it carries both positive and cautionary associations. In Joshua it is the place of arrival, remembrance, and renewed covenant life after the crossing of the Jordan, making it one of the first great memory sites inside the land. In Samuel it remains important as a place of assembly, sacrifice, and royal affirmation. Yet the prophets later invoke Gilgal negatively, showing that even places rich in sacred memory can become centers of empty or compromised worship. The cross references present Gilgal as a location where beginnings, allegiance, worship, and warning all converge.1
Place meaning
wheel; rolling; heap
Latitude
32.15
Longitude
34.95
Bible references
35
From the solemn transaction of the reading of the law in the valley of Shechem between Ebal and Gerizim the Israelites moved forward to Gilgal, and there made a permanent camp (Josh. 9:6; 10:6). It was “beside the oaks of Moreh,” near which Abraham erected his first altar (Gen. 12:6, 7). This was one of the three towns to which Samuel resorted for the administration of justice (1 Sam. 7:16), and here also he offered sacrifices when the ark was no longer in the tabernacle at Shiloh (1 Sam. 10:8; 13:7-9). To this place, as to a central sanctuary, all Israel gathered to renew their allegiance to Saul (11:14). At a later period it became the scene of idolatrous worship (Hos. 4:15; 9:15). It has been identified with the ruins of Jiljilieh, about 5 miles south-west of Shiloh and about the same distance from Bethel. 3
Source note: this 1893 dictionary language reflects its period and may be culturally insensitive or outdated. It is presented as historical source material, not as ai-BIBLE’s language, interpretation, or endorsement.
| Book | Cross-References |
|---|---|
| Deut | |
| Josh | |
| Judg | |
| 1Sam | |
| 2Sam | |
| Hos | |
| Amos | |
| Mic |
Figure1: A table of cross references between the selected passage and other passages (Data from Robert Rouse, “Theographic Bible Information,” Theographic-Bible-Metadata, 2020, https://github.com/robertrouse/theographic-bible-metadata.)
AI-assisted summary prepared for ai-BIBLE and stored as page content, based on dictionary material, place metadata, and linked Bible cross references.
Alistair de Blacquiere-Clarkson, “ai-BIBLE Bible Names JSON Factsheet Aggregating Material from Smith’s Bible Dictionary & Hitcocks’s New and Complete Analysis of the Bible.” ai-BIBLE electronic edition, version 1.0.
M.G.Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ai-BIBLE electronic edition, version 1.0.
Robert Rouse, “Theographic Bible Information,” Theographic-Bible-Metadata, 2020, https://github.com/robertrouse/theographic-bible-metadata.