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Bible Encyclopedias
Gilgal
Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature
or Gil´gal, the place where the Israelites formed their first encampment in Palestine, and which continued for some time to be their headquarters while engaged in the conquest of the land (;; , etc.). It was here that they set up the twelve stones which they took out of the bed of the Jordan (). Samuel used to visit Gilgal in his annual circuit as a judge; and here there was a school of the prophets (; ). There is no notice of the place after the Captivity. Indeed, it does not seem that the name belonged at first to a town, although Gilgal eventually became an inhabited place. It appears to have been early abandoned, and Josephus does not seem to mention it as existing in his time. This writer places it on the east border of Jericho, ten stadia from that city, and fifty from the Jordan. From this it would seem to have been in the vicinity of the present village of the pseudo-Jericho, Riha, which is about the assigned distance from the river. No trace of the name or site can now be discovered.
Gilgal, 2
Gilgal, a place in the region of Dor, whose king was subdued by Joshua (). The Gilgal of , and , is probably the same as this; as well as the ancient Galgala, which Eusebius and Jerome place six Roman miles north of Antipatris. In this neighborhood there is still a village called Jiljuleh, which probably represents the ancient site.
Public Domain.
Kitto, John, ed. Entry for 'Gilgal'. "Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature". https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/kbe/g/gilgal.html.
