{
  "id": "dict_002186",
  "term": "Gilead",
  "slug": "gilead",
  "letter": "G",
  "entry_type": "biblical_place",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "Gilead is a biblical region east of the Jordan River, known for its hill country, pastureland, and references to healing balm.",
  "simple_one_line": "Gilead is a region east of the Jordan River in biblical Israel.",
  "tooltip_text": "Biblical region east of the Jordan River, often associated with hills, pastureland, and balm.",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Balm of Gilead",
    "Jordan River",
    "Gad",
    "Reuben",
    "Manasseh",
    "Mount Gilead"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Bashan",
    "Gileadites",
    "Transjordan",
    "Prophetic imagery"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "Gilead is a biblical place name for the region east of the Jordan River. In Scripture it is associated with tribal inheritances, historical conflicts, and the well-known “balm of Gilead.”",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "A historic region east of the Jordan River in Old Testament Israel.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Geographic place, not a doctrinal term",
    "Associated with Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh",
    "Appears in narrative and poetic contexts",
    "Known for the phrase “balm of Gilead”"
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "Gilead is the name of a region east of the Jordan River, especially associated with parts of the territories of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh. In Scripture it appears in historical narratives, tribal geography, and poetic imagery, including references to the “balm of Gilead.”",
  "description_academic_full": "Gilead is a biblical region east of the Jordan River, though its exact boundaries vary somewhat by context. It is associated with Israel’s tribal inheritances, covenant history, military events, and prophetic imagery. Scripture also uses Gilead in connection with balm, a valuable healing substance that became a memorable literary symbol. Because the term functions primarily as a geographic designation, it should be treated first as a biblical place entry, with theological significance noted only secondarily through its biblical usage.",
  "background_biblical_context": "Gilead appears in the Old Testament as part of the territory east of the Jordan, linked especially with the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh. It is mentioned in stories of Jacob and Laban, Israel’s settlement, the conquest period, and later prophetic writings.",
  "background_historical_context": "Historically, Gilead was a rugged and fertile highland region known for pastureland and strategic routes. Its prominence in biblical history reflects both its geography and its place in Israel’s tribal settlements.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "In ancient Israelite usage, Gilead was a recognizable regional name rather than a technical theological concept. Its association with balm contributed to its lasting symbolic value in later Jewish and biblical imagery.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "Genesis 31",
    "Numbers 32",
    "Deuteronomy 34:1",
    "Judges 10–11",
    "Jeremiah 8:22",
    "Jeremiah 46:11"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "Genesis 37:25",
    "Genesis 46:28–29",
    "Song of Songs 4:1",
    "Hosea 6:8"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "Hebrew גִּלְעָד (Gil‘āḏ), a place name traditionally understood as a regional designation.",
  "theological_significance": "Gilead is not a major doctrinal term, but it contributes to the biblical geography of Israel and to prophetic and poetic imagery, especially in references to healing balm and covenant unfaithfulness.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "As a place name, Gilead shows how Scripture grounds theology in real history and geography rather than abstract ideas alone.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "The exact extent of Gilead varies by passage, so it should not be reduced to a single fixed border on every occurrence. The phrase “balm of Gilead” is poetic and should not be over-allegorized.",
  "major_views_note": "Readers and scholars generally agree that Gilead is a geographic region, though its precise boundaries and usage can vary by context.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "Gilead should not be treated as a standalone doctrine or spiritual category. Its theological value is indirect, arising from its place in salvation history and biblical imagery.",
  "practical_significance": "Gilead helps readers trace Israel’s geography, tribal inheritances, and prophetic language. It also illustrates how biblical places can carry enduring symbolic force without losing their historical reality.",
  "meta_description": "Gilead is a biblical region east of the Jordan River, known for its hills, pastureland, and the biblical phrase “balm of Gilead.”",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/gilead/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/gilead.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}