Original Word: גָּאַל
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: ga'al
Pronunciation: gah-ahl
Phonetic Spelling: (gaw-al')
KJV: X in any wise, X at all, avenger, deliver, (do, perform the part of near, next) kinsfolk(-man), purchase, ransom, redeem(-er), revenger
NASB: redeemed, redeem, Redeemer, avenger, close relative, closest relative, ever wish to redeem
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to redeem (according to the Oriental law of kinship)
2. to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relative's property, marry his widow, etc.)
3. kinsman redeemer
4. (in justice) avenger

in any wise, at all, avenger, deliver, next kinsfolk, purchase,

A primitive root, to redeem (according to the Oriental law of kinship), i.e. To be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relative's property, marry his widow, etc.) -- X in any wise, X at all, avenger, deliver, (do, perform the part of near, next) kinsfolk(-man), purchase, ransom, redeem(-er), revenger.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to redeem, act as kinsman
NASB Translation
avenger (13), bought back (1), buy back (1), claim (1), close relative (3), closest relative (3), closest relatives (1), ever wish to redeem (2), kinsman (2), redeem (22), redeemed (25), redeemer (1), Redeemer (18), redeems (1), relative (2), relatives (1), rescue (1), wishes to redeem (1).

I. גָּאַל verb redeem, act as kinsman (Late Hebrew, Niph`al be redeemed; also גּוֺאֵל, גְּאוּלָּה) —

Qal Perfect ׳ג, etc. Isaiah 44:23 14t.; Imperfect יִגְאַל, etc. Leviticus 25:33 18t.; Imperative גְּאַל, etc. Ruth 4:6 3t.; Infinitive absolute גָּאֹל Leviticus 27:13 2t.; construct לִגְאוֺל Ruth 4:4 2t.; suffix לְגָאֳלֵךְ Ruth 3:13; Participle גֹּאֵל Leviticus 25:26 24t., גּוֺאֵל Isaiah 59:20; Psalm 103:4; suffix גֹּאַלְךָ Isaiah 48:17, גֹּאֲלֵךְ Isaiah 54:8 (suffix 19 t.); passive plural גְּאוּלִים, etc. Isaiah 35:9 4t.; —

1 act as kinsman, do the part of next of kin (chiefly in D H P Ruth), גֹּאֵל kinsman Leviticus 25:25 (H) Numbers 5:8; Numbers 35:12 (P) Ruth 2:20; Ruth 3:9,12; Ruth 4:1,3,6,8,14; 1 Kings 16:11.

a. in taking a kinsman's widow אם יגאלך טוב יגאל ואם לא יחפץ לגאלך וגאלתיך if he will do thee the kinsman's part (raise up children by the widow) well, let him do the kinsman's part; but if he is not pleased to do thee the kinsman's part then I will do thee the kinsman's part Ruth 3:13;

b. in redeeming from bondage Leviticus 25:48,49 (H);

c. in redeeming a field Leviticus 25:26,33 (H) Ruth 4:4,6;

d. claim as kinsman Job 3:5;

e. גֹּאֵל הַדָּם the avenger of blood Numbers 35:19,21,24,25,27 (twice in verse); Joshua 20:3,5 (?; not in ᵐ5) Joshua 20:9 (P). Deuteronomy 19:6,12 (D) 2 Samuel 14:11.

2 redeem, by payment of value assessed, of consecrated things, by the original owner Leviticus 27:13,15,19,20,31 (P).

3 redeem, with God as subject implying personal relationship, chiefly in poetry: —

a. individuals, from death Psalm 103:4; Lamentations 3:58; Hosea 13:14, מכל רע Genesis 48:16 (E poetry), נפשׁ Psalm 69:19; Psalm 72:14, orphans Proverbs 23:11; Jeremiah 50:34, ריבה ריבי וגאלני Psalm 119:154, גֹּאֲלִי Job 19:25, צוּרִי וְגֹאֲלִי Psalm 19:15.

b. Israel, from Egyptian bondage Exodus 6:6 (P?) Exodus 15:13 (song) Psalm 74:2; Psalm 77:16; Psalm 78:35, מיד אויב Psalm 106:10.

c. from exile (chiefly Isa³, the verb not in Isa¹) Isaiah 43:1; Isaiah 44:22,23; Isaiah 48:20; Isaiah 52:9; Isaiah 63:9; Micah 4:10, מיד Psalm 107:2; Jeremiah 31:11; Yahweh is גֹּאֵל Isaiah 41:14; Isaiah 43:14; Isaiah 44:6,24; Isaiah 47:4; Isaiah 48:17; Isaiah 49:7,26; Isaiah 54:5,8; Isaiah 59:20; Isaiah 60:16; Isaiah 63:16; and the people גְּאוּלִים Isaiah 35:9; Isaiah 51:10; Isaiah 62:12; Isaiah 63:4 (compare גְּאוּלַי below), Psalm 107:2.

Niph`al Perfect נִגְאָ֑ל Leviticus 25:49; Imperfect יִגָּאֵל Leviticus 25:30 5t.; תִּגָּאֵ֑לוּ Isaiah 52:3; —

1 reflexive redeem oneself Leviticus 25:49 (H).

2 pass. be redeemed,

a. field Leviticus 25:30 (H), slave Leviticus 25:54 (H);

b. consecrated things Leviticus 27:20,27,28,33 (P);

c. Jerusalem by Yahweh Isaiah 52:3.

גְּאוּלַי Isaiah 63:4, in ׳שְׁנַת ג,

noun abstract redemption, according to ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ9 Ges Hi De MV Che Di RVm; then either plural abstract suffix year of (my) redemption (so most); or abstract form. in י֯, after Syriac analogy, Lag^{Symm. ii. 101 f. Semitic i. 19, 68. BN 192} (ᵐ5 omit my); but < Passive participle plural suffix my ransomed (released) ones Ew Br Brd AV RV compare below גאל above.

Overview

Gaʾal appears about 105 times and consistently unites three spheres—family duty, legal justice, and divine salvation—into one redemptive theme. Whether the subject is a human kinsman or the LORD Himself, the verb always moves toward release from loss, debt, slavery, or death and toward restored wholeness inside the covenant community.

Family and Land Redemption

Leviticus anchors the duty of the gōʾēl (kinsman-redeemer).
• Leviticus 25:25: “If your brother becomes poor and sells part of his property, his nearest redeemer is to come and redeem what his brother has sold.”
• Leviticus 25:48-49 provides the same privilege for an Israelite sold into slavery.

Ruth illustrates the beauty of the statute: Boaz tells Ruth, “…there is a redeemer closer than I” (Ruth 3:12). The climactic transaction at the gate (Ruth 4:1-10) safeguards family name, inheritance, and posterity, modeling covenant faithfulness in daily life.

Blood Avenger and Justice

When life is taken, gaʾal obligates the nearest relative to seek just recompense.
• Numbers 35:19: “The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death.”
• Deuteronomy 19:6 protects the manslayer by cities of refuge until a proper trial.

By linking redemption to retributive justice, Scripture upholds both mercy (provision of refuge) and equity (life for life), anticipating the necessity of atonement for homicide not covered by human courts (Numbers 35:33-34).

Redemption from Bondage

God applies the root to Himself in the Exodus.
• Exodus 6:6: “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.”

The pattern continues whenever Israel faces captivity. Isaiah layers past grace onto future hope:
• Isaiah 44:22-23: “I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud…Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”

Thus gaʾal moves Israel’s history from Egypt to Babylon and beyond, proving that no geopolitical power can nullify God’s covenant claim.

Covenant Faithfulness and Divine Compassion

The Psalms personalize the redemption motif:
• Psalm 19:14: “O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
• Psalm 34:22: “The LORD redeems His servants; none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.”

Here the Redeemer is not merely a distant rescuer but an intimate protector who guarantees the worshiper’s security and vindication.

Messianic Hope

Job 19:25 bursts through suffering with a prophetic certainty: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth.” Isaiah 59:20 names the coming Deliverer: “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.” The singular person behind gaʾal in these texts points forward to the incarnate Son, “who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness” (Titus 2:14) and “redeemed us from the curse of the law” (Galatians 3:13).

National Restoration

Jeremiah accords with Isaiah: “Their Redeemer is strong; He will vigorously plead their case” (Jeremiah 50:34). Lamentations 3:58, voiced amid ruin, clings to the same certainty: “You defended my cause, O Lord; You redeemed my life.” Post-exilic communities could rebuild walls and temple because the unseen Redeemer had already ransomed them from exile (Nehemiah 1:10).

Usage in Worship and Lament

Psalms and Lamentations repeatedly adopt gaʾal as urgent prayer. The worshiper cries, “Redeem me from human oppression” (Psalm 119:134) or “Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles” (Psalm 25:22). Corporate lament thus becomes an act of faith that the historical Redeemer still acts in the present.

Legal and Social Implications

1. Property rights: gaʾal guards ancestral allotments, preventing permanent alienation of land (Leviticus 25:23-28).
2. Social safety net: slavery due to poverty is temporary, not permanent (Leviticus 25:47-55).
3. Judicial balance: the blood-avenger system affirms both due process and the sanctity of life (Numbers 35).
4. Ethical economy: Proverbs 23:10-11 warns against moving ancient boundaries because “their Redeemer is strong; He will take up their case against you.”

Fulfillment and Continuing Ministry Significance

The New Testament explicitly identifies Jesus Christ as the ultimate gōʾēl. By purchasing believers “not with perishable things such as silver or gold…but with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19), He satisfies every aspect of the Old Testament pattern—family solidarity (Hebrews 2:11-15), ransom from slavery (Romans 6:17-18), restitution of inheritance (Ephesians 1:7,14), and avenging justice (Revelation 6:10; 19:2).

Pastoral ministry today proclaims that the same Redeemer still liberates the captive, restores the estranged, and will finally avenge all wrongs. The biblical tapestry woven by gaʾal assures the church that redemption is not a mere metaphor but a legal, relational, and cosmic reality secured by the character of God Himself and manifested in Christ Jesus.

אֶגְאָֽל׃ אֶגְאָלֵ֑ם אגאל׃ אגאלם גְּ֝אָלָ֗ם גְּאַל־ גְּאָ֔ל גְּאוּלִֽים׃ גְּאוּלֵ֣י גְּאוּלַ֖י גְאַלְתִּ֔יךָ גְאַלְתִּֽיךָ׃ גְאָלָ֑הּ גְאָלָ֑ם גָּ֭אַלְתָּ גָּאַ֖ל גָּאַ֣לְתָּ גָּאַ֥ל גָּאַ֥לְתָּ גָּאָ֑לְתָּ גָּאֹ֖ל גָּאֹ֤ל גָּאֹ֥ל גָאַ֤ל גֹּ֣אֲלִי גֹּאֲלֵ֕נוּ גֹּאֲלֵ֖ךְ גֹּאֲלֵ֥נוּ גֹּאֲלֶ֔ךָ גֹּאֲלָ֣ם ׀ גֹּאֲלָֽם׃ גֹּאֵ֑ל גֹּאֵ֖ל גֹּאֵ֗ל גֹּאֵ֣ל גֹּאֵ֤ל גֹּאֵ֥ל גֹּאֵ֨ל גֹּאַלְךָ֖ גֹּאַלְכֶ֖ם גֹֽאֲלוֹ֙ גֹאֲלָ֥ם גֹאֵ֖ל גּוֹאֵ֔ל גאולי גאולים׃ גאל גאל־ גאלה גאלו גאלי גאלך גאלכם גאלם גאלם׃ גאלנו גאלת גאלתיך גאלתיך׃ גואל הַגֹּאֵ֗ל הַגֹּאֵ֛ל הַגֹּאֵ֤ל הַגֹּאֵ֨ל הַגּוֹאֵ֣ל הגאל הגואל וְגָאַ֕ל וְגָאַלְתִּ֤י וְגֹֽאֲלֵךְ֙ וְגֹאֲל֖וֹ וְגֹאֲלִֽי׃ וְגֹאֲלֵ֖ךְ וְגֹאֲלָ֖יו וְנִגְאָֽל׃ וַ֝יִּגְאָלֵ֗ם וּגְאַלְתִּ֥יךְ וּגְאָל֕וֹ וּגְאָלֵ֑נִי וגאל וגאלו וגאלי׃ וגאליו וגאלך וגאלני וגאלתי וגאלתיך ויגאלם ונגאל׃ יִגְאַ֖ל יִגְאַ֛ל יִגְאַ֜ל יִגְאַ֣ל יִגְאַל֙ יִגְאָ֔ל יִגְאָלֵ֣ךְ יִגְאָלֵ֥ךְ יִגְאָלֶ֑נָּה יִגְאָלֶ֑נּוּ יִגְאָלֶ֔נּוּ יִגְאָלֶֽנּוּ׃ יִגְאָלֻ֡הוּ יִגָּאֵ֑ל יִגָּאֵ֖ל יִגָּאֵ֗ל יִגָּאֵֽל׃ יגאל יגאל׃ יגאלהו יגאלך יגאלנה יגאלנו יגאלנו׃ לְגָֽאֳלֵ֛ךְ לִגְא֔וֹל לִגְאָל־ לִגְאֹֽל׃ לַגֹּאֵ֔ל לגאול לגאל לגאל־ לגאל׃ לגאלך מִֽגֹּאֲלֵ֖נוּ מִגֹּאֵ֑ל מִגֹּאֵ֖ל מגאל מגאלנו ק תִּגְאַל֙ תִּגָּאֵֽלוּ׃ תגאל תגאלו׃ ’eḡ’āl ’eḡ’ālêm ’eḡ·’ā·lêm ’eḡ·’āl egAl egaLem gā’al ḡā’al gā’ālətā gā’altā gā’ōl gā·’ā·lə·tā gā·’al ḡā·’al gā·’al·tā gā·’ōl gaAl gaAleta Gaalta gaOl gə’āl gə’al- ḡə’ālāh gə’ālām ḡə’ālām ḡə’altîḵā gə’ūlay gə’ūlê gə’ūlîm ḡə·’ā·lāh gə·’ā·lām ḡə·’ā·lām gə·’āl gə·’al- ḡə·’al·tî·ḵā gə·’ū·lay gə·’ū·lê gə·’ū·lîm geAl geaLah geaLam gealTicha geuLai geuLei geuLim gō’ălām ḡō’ălām gō’ălêḵ gō’ăleḵā gō’ălênū gō’ălî gō’alḵā gō’alḵem ḡō’ălōw gō’êl ḡō’êl gō·’ă·lām ḡō·’ă·lām gō·’ă·le·ḵā gō·’ă·lê·nū gō·’ă·lêḵ gō·’ă·lî ḡō·’ă·lōw gō·’al·ḵā gō·’al·ḵem gō·’êl ḡō·’êl gō·w·’êl goaLam goalCha goalChem goaLech goaLecha goaLenu Goali goaLo goEl gōw’êl hag·gō·’êl hag·gō·w·’êl haggō’êl haggoEl haggōw’êl k lag·gō·’êl laggō’êl laggoEl lə·ḡā·’o·lêḵ ləḡā’olêḵ legooLech liḡ’āl- liḡ’ōl liḡ’ōwl liḡ·’āl- liḡ·’ō·wl liḡ·’ōl ligol mig·gō·’ă·lê·nū mig·gō·’êl miggō’ălênū miggō’êl miggoaLenu miggoEl q tiḡ’al tiḡ·’al tig·gā·’ê·lū tigAl tiggā’êlū tiggaElu ū·ḡə·’ā·lê·nî ū·ḡə·’ā·lōw ū·ḡə·’al·tîḵ ūḡə’ālênî ūḡə’ālōw ūḡə’altîḵ ugeaLeni ugeaLo ugealTich vaiyigaLem vegaAl vegaalTi vegoaLav vegoaLech vegoaLi vegoaLo venigAl way·yiḡ·’ā·lêm wayyiḡ’ālêm wə·ḡā·’al wə·ḡā·’al·tî wə·ḡō·’ă·lāw wə·ḡō·’ă·lêḵ wə·ḡō·’ă·lî wə·ḡō·’ă·lōw wə·niḡ·’āl wəḡā’al wəḡā’altî wəḡō’ălāw wəḡō’ălêḵ wəḡō’ălî wəḡō’ălōw wəniḡ’āl yiḡ’al yiḡ’āl yiḡ’ālêḵ yiḡ’ālennāh yiḡ’ālennū yiḡ’āluhū yiḡ·’ā·lêḵ yiḡ·’ā·len·nāh yiḡ·’ā·len·nū yiḡ·’ā·lu·hū yiḡ·’al yiḡ·’āl yig·gā·’êl yigAl yigaLech yigaLennah yigaLennu yigaLuhu yiggā’êl yiggaElInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts