גֻּלְגֹּ֫לֶת (gul.go.let)
gul.go.let
head
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 12 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun golgotha refers specifically to a skull or the head itself, appearing twelve times in the Hebrew Bible. While it can denote the physical head in census contexts, its most distinctive usage is as a concrete term for a skull. This word carries a visceral weight, evoking the imagery of death and mortality rather than just anatomy.
Its significance extends beyond mere definition through its transliteration into Greek as Golgotha, meaning "Place of the Skull." This location becomes central to the New Testament narrative as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion. The Hebrew term thus bridges the ancient Near Eastern context with the Christian understanding of sacrifice, linking the physical reality of death to the theological event at Calvary.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word gulgolet points to the physical head or skull, grounding our faith in tangible reality. In the Old Testament, it appears in census records where each person is counted by their head, reminding us that God knows every individual by name and value. It also surfaces in stark narratives of violence, such as the death of Abimelech or the fate of King Saul, where the skull becomes a symbol of mortality and the fragility of human power.
This concrete imagery connects directly to the New Testament account of Calvary, known as Golgotha, meaning 'Place of a Skull.' The same word that once marked sites of defeat now points to the place of ultimate victory. When we reflect on this term, we are invited to see how God uses even the most visceral symbols of death to bring about life and redemption for those who trust in Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 12 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ heads/ their4×
- for the/ head3×
- to/ skulls/ their2×
- skull/ his2×
- the/ skull1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לְ/גֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔/ם3×
- לְ/גֻלְגְּלֹתָֽ/ם\׃2×
- לַ/גֻּלְגֹּ֗לֶת1×
- לַ/גֻּלְגֹּ֔לֶת1×
- לַ/גֻּלְגֹּ֑לֶת1×
- לְ/גֻלְגְּלֹתָ/ם֙1×
- הַ/גֻּלְגֹּ֛לֶת1×
- גֻּלְגָּלְתּֽ/וֹ\׃1×
- גֻּלְגָּלְתּ֥/וֹ1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 9:53
A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and broke his skull.
This verse uses the word to describe a broken skull, highlighting the sudden and violent end of Abimelech's life.
-
I Chronicles 10:10
They put his armor in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the house of Dagon.
Here the term refers to the head of Saul, illustrating how the enemy displayed the physical remains of a fallen king.
-
Exodus 16:16
This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded: ‘Gather of it everyone according to his eating; an omer a head, according to the number of your persons, you shall take it, every man for those who are in his tent.’”
The word denotes 'head' in the context of gathering manna, showing its use for counting individuals in daily provision.