Gilgal

A town near Jerichoin the land of Canaan. It was given to the tribe of Benjamin when Joshua divided the land among the tribes of Israel. For many years, Gilgal was an important place for the people of Israel. It was used for worship, leadership, and military decisions. This was especially true during the time when Israel entered the promised land and during the early years when Saul was king

Gilgal was the first place where the people of Israel set up camp after they crossed the Jordan River. God had stopped the river so they could cross safely (Joshua 4:19). Israel stayed at Gilgal for some time. They probably set up the tabernacle (the tent of worship) there. Gilgal became the center of their life together in the new land.

Several important things happened at Gilgal:

• The men and boys who were born during the 40 years in the wilderness were circumcised (Joshua 5:2–9).

• The people celebrated the Passover (verse 10).

• The manna (the food from heaven) stopped appearing (verse 12).

• Joshua saw a divine being who called himself the “commander of the army of the Lord” (verses 13–15).

Gilgal was Israel’s first stronghold in the land of Canaan. It served as the base for Israel’s military campaigns during the conquest of the land.

From Gilgal, Joshua led the people in several major events:

• The defeat of Jericho (Joshua 6)

• The attack on Ai (8:3)

• The peace treaty with the Gibeonites (9:3–15)

• The battle against the five Amorite kings (10:6–43)

• The northern campaign (chapter 11)

At Gilgal, Joshua assigned the tribes of Judah, Manasseh, and Ephraim their land portions (Joshua 15–17).

Even after the tabernacle was moved to Shiloh, Gilgal stayed important for many years. Samuel, the prophet and judge, visited Gilgal often as part of his yearly travels (1 Samuel 7:16). Gilgal was one of the primary places for offering sacrifices (10:8; 13:9–10; 15:21). At Gilgal, Samuel crowned Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, as king (11:14–15). Later God rejected Saul as king of Israel (13:4–15; 15:17–31). After Absalom’s rebellion, the men of Judah met King David at Gilgal when he returned to the land (2 Samuel 19:15).

Gilgal was still a place of worship as late as the eighth century BC. But the prophets Hosea and Amos spoke against it because the people were worshiping in wrong ways (Hosea 4:15; 9:15; 12:11; Amos 4:4; 5:5).

We do not know the exact location of Gilgal. Archaeologists have suggested different places near Jericho. Some think it was at Khirbet en-Nitleh about 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) east of modern Jericho. Others think it was at Khirbet Mefjir, a mound about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) from ancient Jericho (Tell es-Sultan).

Joshua 4:19 places it on the eastern border of Jericho. The Jewish historian Josephus said it was about 50 stadia (5.8 miles, or 9.3 kilometers) from the ford of Jordan to Gilgal. Gilgal was about 10 stadia from Jericho (Antiquities 5.6.4). These details seem to match Khirbet Mefjir best.

A place near mentined in Deuteronomy 11:30. It might be near Jericho, but the verse suggests it is closer to Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. These two mountains are in central Canaan, near the city of Shechem. This means this Gilgal was likely in that area, not near the better-known Gilgal by Jericho.

The King James Version rendering of “Goiim in Galilee” (Joshua 12:23). We do not know its location, but the context places it in northern Palestine in the area of Galilee.

A place describing the northern border of Judah (Joshua 15:7). It was near Adummim. It might be the same place as Geliloth (Joshua 18:17).

A place mentioned in connection with the prophets Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 2:1; 4:38). It seems it was a town farther from the Jordan River than #1 above. The story about God taking the prophet Elijah into heaven relates to Gigal. Elijah and Elisha were going from Gilgal to Bethel then Jericho. The story places Bethel between Gilgal and Jericho. So, it could not have been the first Gilgal. It may refer to the modern Jiljiliah. This is a town on top of a hill in central Palestine, about 11.3 kilometers (7 miles) north of Bethel.