Dictionary Home / G

Geliloth

biblical_place_name theological_term standard

Geliloth is a biblical place name in Joshua’s boundary description for Benjamin. Its exact location is uncertain, but it is clearly a geographic term rather than a theological concept.

At a Glance

A place name in Joshua 18:17; part of Benjamin’s border description; exact site uncertain.

Key Points

Description

Geliloth is a biblical place name mentioned in the territorial boundary description of Benjamin in Joshua 18:17. It marks one point in the border line and is linked with other geographic markers in that passage. Because the biblical data are limited, scholars cannot identify the site with certainty. The term is therefore best treated as a geographic entry with a cautious note about its uncertain location, rather than as a doctrinal or theological term.

Biblical Context

In Joshua 18:17, Geliloth appears within the boundary description for the tribe of Benjamin, alongside other landmarks used to trace the border. Its function in the text is geographic and administrative, helping define Israel’s allotted inheritance.

Historical Context

Boundary lists in Joshua preserve real place names tied to Israel’s settlement in the land. Ancient readers may no longer have been able to locate every site, but the names reflect the historical concern to record tribal territories with care.

Jewish and Ancient Context

In Jewish reading, place names like Geliloth were part of Israel’s inheritance memory, even when the precise site had become uncertain. Such names anchored the land promises in remembered geography.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

Hebrew: גְּלִלֹת (geliloth). It is a place name in the text; the word form may relate to a term for circles or districts, but the etymology does not determine the exact location.

Theological Significance

Geliloth has limited direct theological significance. Its main importance is that it reflects the historical and geographical concreteness of Israel’s inheritance under God’s covenant ordering.

Philosophical Explanation

Biblical revelation is given in real history and real places, not in abstraction alone. Geliloth illustrates how Scripture ties covenant events to identifiable geography, even when some locations later become hard to pinpoint.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not overstate the exact site or build symbolism on the name. The passage identifies Geliloth as a boundary marker, but the text does not give enough detail to settle its modern location.

Major Views

Interpreters generally agree that Geliloth is a geographic name, but its precise identification varies and remains uncertain.

Doctrinal Boundaries

No doctrine should be built on the location or etymology of Geliloth. Its value is geographical and historical, not doctrinal.

Practical Significance

Geliloth reminds readers that Scripture is rooted in real places and careful historical description. It also encourages humility when modern identification is uncertain.

Related Entries

See Also

Data

Machine-readable JSON for Geliloth

↑ Top