גְּלָל (ge.lal)
ge.lal
great
A:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:A
Word Overview
The Aramaic noun gelal, corresponding to the Hebrew galal, literally means a stone or object that has been rolled. It appears only twice in the Old Testament, both times within the book of Ezra. In these specific contexts, the word refers to the large stones used in construction, particularly those involved in rebuilding the temple foundation.
Its root sense connects directly to the action of rolling, implying a heavy, solid mass moved by force rather than placed gently. This concrete imagery highlights the physical labor and material cost of the restoration project described in Ezra 5:8 and 6:3, where such stones were essential for laying the groundwork of the house of God.
Translators typically render this term simply as "stones" or "great stones," focusing on their size and function rather than the rolling action itself. The word serves as a tangible reminder of the heavy lifting required to rebuild Jerusalem’s spiritual center, grounding the narrative in the reality of ancient building materials.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ge.lal describes the massive stones used to lay the foundation of the temple in Jerusalem. These were not small, easily moved rocks but heavy blocks that required significant effort and coordination to place. In Ezra, this term highlights the tangible cost of rebuilding God’s house, showing that spiritual restoration often involves hard, physical labor.
When you read about these great stones, it is helpful to remember that faithfulness is not always abstract. It can involve heavy lifting, long days, and resources drawn from a king’s treasury. The builders did not rely on magic but on diligence and the materials provided. This reminds us that God often works through practical means and human effort.
Seeing the temple rise stone by stone encourages patience in our own lives. Just as those workers laid each block with care, we can trust that God is building something enduring in us. Your current efforts, no matter how heavy they feel, are part of a larger, lasting structure.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- rolling2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- גְּלָל֙1×
- גְּלָ֔ל1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 5:8
Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands.
This verse specifies that the house of the great God was being built with ge.lal, linking the magnitude of the deity to the physical scale of the construction materials.
-
Ezra 6:4
with three courses of great stones and a course of new timber. Let the expenses be given out of the king’s house.
Here the term appears in a royal decree detailing three courses of these great stones, showing that their use was officially mandated and funded by the king.