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, BALM OF The region of Gilead abounded in spices and
aromatic gums, which were exported to Egypt and Tyre (Genesis 37:25;
Jeremiah 8:22; 46:11; Ezekiel 27:17). The word “balm” is a contracted
form of “balsam,” a word derived from the Greek balsamon, which was
adopted as the representative of the Hebrew words baal shemen, meaning
“Lord” or “chief of oils.”
The Hebrew name of this balm was tsori. The tree yielding this medicinal
oil was probably the Balsamodendron opobalsamum of botanists, and the
Amyris opobalsamum of Linnaeus. It is an evergreen, rising to the height
of about 14 feet. The oil or resin, exuding through an orifice made in its
bark in very small quantities, is esteemed of great value for its supposed
medicinal qualities. (See BALM.) It may be noted that Coverdale’s version
reads in Jeremiah 8:22, “There is no triacle in Galaad.” The word “triacle”
= “treacle” is used in the sense of ointment.
- GILGAL rolling. (1.) From the solemn transaction of the reading of the
law in the valley of Shechem between Ebal and Gerizim the Israelites
moved forward to Gilgal, and there made a permanent camp (Joshua 9:6;
10:6). It was “beside the oaks of Moreh,” near which Abraham erected his
first altar (Genesis 12:6, 7). This was one of the three towns to which
Samuel resorted for the administration of justice (1 Samuel 7:16), and here
also he offered sacrifices when the ark was no longer in the tabernacle at
Shiloh (1 Samuel 10:8; 13:7-9). To this place, as to a central sanctuary, all
Israel gathered to renew their allegiance to Saul (11:14). At a later period it
became the scene of idolatrous worship (Hos. 4:15; 9:15). It has been
identified with the ruins of Jiljilieh, about 5 miles south-west of Shiloh and
about the same distance from Bethel.
(2.) The place in “the plains of Jericho,” “in the east border of Jericho,”
where the Israelites first encamped after crossing the Jordan (Joshua 4:19,
20). Here they kept their first Passover in the land of Canaan (5:10) and