Who and what is…
Gilead

also known as: Gilad

Hebrew: גִּלְעָד—transliteration: Gilead or Gilad —meaning: hill of testimony

This is the name of 3 biblical men, a people, a region and a city. It first appears in Genesis 31:21 in connection with Jacob fleeing from Laban. The name Gilead is mentioned 132 times in Scripture.

• Gilead, the land

  also known as: The Land of Gilead and the mount of Gilead

  Gilead was a mountainous region in modern day Jordan.

  Due to its mountainous character, it is called “the mount of Gilead” (Genesis 31:25).

  It is also called “The Land of Gilead” (Numbers 32:1), and sometimes simply “Gilead” (Psalm 60:7; Genesis 37:25).

  

  Map showing ancient Gilead, and with the borders of ancient Canaan, marked in RED as defined by Numbers 34:1–12, and in BLUE as defined by Ezekiel 47.

  Author: EmmanuelM (2007). Licensed by CC BY-SA 3.0.

  It was possessed by 3 Hebrew tribes: Gad and Reuben and the south part of Manasseh (Deuteronomy 3:13; Numbers 32:40).

  It was bounded on the north by Bashan, and on the south by Moab and Ammon (Genesis 31:21; Deuteronomy 3:12-17). “Half Gilead” was possessed by Sihon, and the other half, separated from it by the river Jabbok, by Og, king of Bashan.

  The deep ravine of the river Hieromax (the modern Sheriat el-Mandhur) separated Bashan from Gilead, which was about 60 miles in length and 20 in breadth, extending from near the south end of the Lake of Gennesaret to the north end of the Dead Sea. Abarim, Pisgah, Nebo, and Peor are its mountains mentioned in Scripture.

  Gilead exported spices, balm, and myrrh.

  Partial list of events in Gilead

  • Laban overtook Jacob in Gilead (Genesis 31:21-25)
  • Reubenites expelled the Hagarites from Gilead (1 Chronicles 5:9-10, 18-22
  • Ammonites made war against Gilead and were defeated by Jephthah (Judges 11)
  • The prophet Elijah was of the settlers of Gilead, and he confronted King Ahab (1 Kings 17)
  • King David retreated to Gilead during Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 17:16, 22, 24) and Absalom pursued him there (2 Sam. 17:26)
  • Absalom was defeated and slain in the forests of Gilead (2 Sam. 18:9)
  • Hazael defeated the kingdom of Israel throughout all of Gilead (2 Kings 10:32-33; Amos 1:3)
  • Gilead was invaded by King Tiglath-pileser III of Syria (2 Kings 15:29)

• Gilead, son of Machir

  Gilead’s grandfather is Manasseh (Genesis 50:23; Numbers 26:28-30; 27:1; 36:1; 1 Chronicles 2:21).

• Gilead, son of Michael

  This Gilead is the father of Jaroah (1 Chronicles 5:11-14)

  They were called Gadites (members of the Tribe of Gad), descendants of Jacob’s 7th son Gad.

• Gilead, father of Jephtha the valiant warrior and Judge

  This Gilead is mentioned in the book of Judges and his descendants were called Gileadites.

  Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute. —Judges 11:1 NIV

• Gilead, the city

  Gilead is a city of wrongdoers,
  Tracked with bloody footprints. —Hosea 6:8 NASB

  This evil city was located in the lands of the Tribe of Judah.

More information

• Who is Jephthah, a Gileadite?
• Tishbe, a town in Gilead
• What is balm of Gilead?
• mount
• Machir
• What is the Tribe of Judah?