גִּיל (gil)
gil
rejoicing; youth
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun gil denotes a state of rejoicing or joy. In the Hebrew Bible, it appears seven times, primarily in the Psalms, but also in Job and Joel. The word captures the outward expression of inner gladness, often associated with celebration or relief.
Sources note a secondary meaning related to a circle or ring, which may connect to the idea of youthful vigor or the prime of life. This nuance appears in Daniel 1:10, where it refers to age or youth. The connection between joy and the vitality of youth suggests that gil can imply the exuberance characteristic of young people.
Translators typically render gil as "joy" or "rejoicing." In Psalm 98:7, for example, the sea is called upon to rejoice before the Lord. The word emphasizes a communal or celebratory aspect of happiness, rather than private contentment. Its use in Joel highlights national restoration, where joy replaces mourning.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we read about rejoicing in Scripture, it often feels like a command rather than a natural response. The Hebrew word gil captures something deeper: an outward expression of inner gladness that spills over into celebration. It is not just private contentment but a communal shout of relief and happiness before God.
This kind of joy appears even when circumstances seem dark, such as in Job’s questioning or the national mourning described in Joel. Yet it also marks moments of restoration, where joy returns to replace sorrow. For your faith life, this reminds us that true rejoicing is rooted in who God is, not just in what we experience.
Whether you are celebrating a blessing or walking through a difficult season, gil invites you to look toward the source of lasting gladness. It encourages a heart that trusts God’s goodness even when the path is unclear, finding hope in His presence rather than in temporary circumstances.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ rejoicing3×
- rejoicing2×
- rejoicing/ my1×
- [are] about/ age/ your1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כְּ/גִֽילְ/כֶ֔ם1×
- וָ/גִיל֙1×
- וָ/גִֽיל\׃1×
- וָ/גִ֛יל1×
- גִּיל֙1×
- גִּ֫ילִ֥/י1×
- גִ֑יל1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 43:4
Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy. I will praise you on the harp, God, my God.
This verse identifies God Himself as the source of 'exceeding joy,' showing that gil is ultimately directed toward worship and praise.
-
Joel 1:16
Isn’t the food cut off before our eyes, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
Here gil highlights the profound loss felt when communal worship ceases, emphasizing how deeply joy is tied to relationship with God.
-
Hosea 9:1
Don’t rejoice, Israel, to jubilation like the nations; for you were unfaithful to your God. You love the wages of a prostitute at every grain threshing floor.
The warning against rejoicing like the nations shows that gil must be grounded in faithfulness to God, not just external celebration.