גַּלְגַּל (gal.gal)
gal.gal
wheel
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The Aramaic noun galgal means a wheel or circular object. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Daniel 7:9, where it describes the machinery of divine vision. The word is the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew gilgal, sharing the same root imagery of rotation and cyclic movement.
In its single occurrence, galgal helps depict the Ancient of Days seated on a throne with wheels beneath or around it, emphasizing motion, power, and cosmic scale. This usage aligns with other biblical visions where wheels symbolize God’s mobile presence and sovereign control over history. The term carries no additional metaphorical baggage beyond this mechanical and theological weight.
Its rarity makes each instance significant. By using galgal in Daniel, the text bridges Hebrew and Aramaic apocalyptic language, showing how similar concepts traveled across linguistic boundaries in ancient Jewish literature. Translators typically render it simply as "wheel," preserving the concrete image without adding interpretive layers.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The vision in Daniel presents a scene of overwhelming power, where the Ancient of Days sits upon a throne surrounded by wheels of fire. This striking image uses the concrete reality of machinery to express something far greater than human technology. It reminds us that God is not static or distant, but actively present and moving within history.
For your faith, this means you serve a God who is both majestic and near. The fiery wheels signify that divine authority is dynamic and unstoppable. You can trust that the One who holds the throne is fully aware of the world’s chaos and is sovereign over every turning point. His presence brings stability to an uncertain world.
This imagery invites peace rather than fear. It assures us that no matter how complex or frightening events may seem, they unfold under the watchful eye of the Ancient of Days. You are held by a power that is both holy and active, guiding history toward its intended purpose with perfect control.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- wheels/ its1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- גַּלְגִּלּ֖וֹ/הִי1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 7:9
“I watched until thrones were placed, and one who was Ancient of Days sat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, and its wheels burning fire.
This verse uniquely depicts the wheels as burning fire beneath the throne of the Ancient of Days, emphasizing God's dynamic and powerful presence in judgment.