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Bible Encyclopedias
Gilgal
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
or
(1) The first camp of Israel after crossing the Jordan (Joshua 4:19; Joshua 5:9 , Joshua 5:10; Joshua 9:6; Joshua 10:7; Joshua 14:6; Joshua 15:7; Deuteronomy 11:30 ). According to Joshua 15:7 it lay to the North of the valley of Achor, which formed the border between Judah and Benjamin. Here 12 memorial stones taken from the bed of the river were set up by Joshua, after the miraculous crossing of the Jordan; and here ( Joshua 5:5 ) the people were circumcised preparatory to their possession of the land, when it is said in Josh, with a play upon the word, "This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you." Whereupon the Passover was celebrated (Joshua 5:10 ) and the manna ceased (Joshua 5:12 ). To Gilgal the ark returned every day after having compassed the city of Jericho during its siege (Joshua 6:11 ). Hither the Gibeonites came to make their treaty (Joshua 9:3 ), and again (Joshua 10:6 ) to ask aid against the Amorites. Gilgal was still the headquarters of the Israelites after the battle with the Amorites (Joshua 10:15 ); again after Joshua's extensive victorious campaign in the hill country of Judea extending to Kadesh-barnea and Gaza (Joshua 10:15 ); and still later upon his return from the great battle at the Waters of Merom (Joshua 14:6 ). At the conclusion of the conquest (Joshua 18:1 ), the headquarters were transferred to Shiloh on the summit of the mountain ridge to the West.
Gilgal reappears frequently in subsequent history. Samuel (1 Samuel 7:16 ) made it one of the three places where he annually held circuit court, the other places being Bethel and Mizpah. The Septuagint text adds that these were holy places. The place continued as one of special resort for sacrifices (1 Samuel 10:8; 1 Samuel 13:8 , 1 Samuel 13:9 , 1 Samuel 13:10; 1 Samuel 15:21 ), while it was here that Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before the Lord (1 Samuel 15:33 ), and that Saul was both crowned (1 Samuel 11:14 , 1 Samuel 11:15 ) and rejected as king. It was at Gilgal, also (2 Samuel 19:15 ), that the people assembled to welcome David as he returned from his exile beyond Jordan during Absalom's rebellion. The early prophets refer to Gilgal as a center of idolatry in their day (Hosea 4:15; Hosea 9:15; Hosea 12:11; Amos 4:4; Amos 5:5 ). Micah (Micah 6:5 ) represents Gilgal as at the other end of the Dead Sea from Shittim.
In 1874 Conder recognized the name Gilgal as surviving in
(2) According to 2 Kings 2:1; 2 Kings 4:38 , Elisha for a time made his headquarters at Gilgal, a place in the mountains not far from Bethel identified by Conder as
(3) Gilgal of the nations: In Joshua 12:23 Gilgal is mentioned as a royal city associated with Dor, evidently upon the maritime plain. Dor is identified with
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Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Gilgal'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/g/gilgal.html. 1915.
