Original Word: גִּיל
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: giyl
Pronunciation: geel
Phonetic Spelling: (gheel)
KJV: be glad, joy, be joyful, rejoice
NASB: rejoice, glad, cry, exult, rejoiced, rejoices
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. (properly) to spin round (under the influence of any violent emotion), i.e. usually rejoice, or (as cringing) fear

be glad, joy, be joyful, rejoice

Or (by permutation) guwl {gool}; a primitive root; properly, to spin round (under the influence of any violent emotion), i.e. Usually rejoice, or (as cringing) fear -- be glad, joy, be joyful, rejoice.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to rejoice
NASB Translation
cry (1), exult (1), glad (3), rejoice (38), rejoiced (1), rejoices (1).

[גִּיל] verb rejoice (Nö^{ZMG 1883, 537}; compare Arabic go round or about, be excited to levity, etc.) —

Qal Perfect גַּלְתִּי Isaiah 65:19; Imperfect יָגִיל, תָּגִיל Psalm 21:2 4t. (Psalm 21:2 Kt יגיל, Qr יָ֫גֶל with retracted tone); יָגֵל, תָּגֵל Psalm 13:6 11t., וַיָּגֶל Psalm 16:9, אָגִילָה, נָגִילָה Psalm 9:15 5t., יָגִילוּ Psalm 13:5 5t., יְגִילוּן Psalm 89:17, תָּגֵלְנָה Psalm 48:12 2t.; יָגִו֯ל Proverbs 23:24; Imperative גִּילוּ Psalm 2:11 4t., גִּילִי Isaiah 49:13 2t.; —

1 rejoice,

a. absolute Psalm 13:5; Psalm 51:10; Zechariah 9:9; "" שׂמח Psalm 14:7; Psalm 16:9; Psalm 32:11; Psalm 48:12; Psalm 53:7; Psalm 96:11; Psalm 97:1; Psalm 97:8; Proverbs 23:24,25; 1 Chronicles 16:31; Habakkuk 1:15; "" שׂושׂ, שׂישׂ Isaiah 35:1; Isaiah 65:18.

b. with בְּ Psalm 149:2; Proverbs 2:14; Proverbs 24:17; Isaiah 9:2; בירושׁלם Isaiah 65:19; Isaiah 66:10; בישׁועתך Psalm 9:15; Psalm 13:6; Psalm 21:2; ביהוה Psalm 35:9; Isaiah 41:16; Zechariah 10:7; באלהים Isaiah 61:10; Habakkuk 3:18; ׳בשׁם י Psalm 89:17; בקדושׁ ישׂראל Isaiah 29:19; ׳גיל ושׂמח ב Psalm 31:8; Psalm 118:24; Songs 1:4; Isaiah 25:9; Joel 2:23; ׳גילי ושׂמחי כ Joel 2:21.

c. with עַל Zephaniah 3:17. Besides persons the subject is לֵב Psalm 13:6; Proverbs 24:17; Zechariah 10:7; נפשׁ Psalm 35:9; Isaiah 61:10, כבוד ( = נפשׁ) Psalm 16:9, ארץ 1 Chronicles 16:31; Psalm 96:11; Psalm 97:1; Isaiah 49:13, ערבה Isaiah 35:1,2.

2 tremble (compare Arabic ) Psalm 2:11 "" עבד (Thes Ew Hi Che, but ᵐ5 Hu De Pe AV RV rejoice), Hosea 10:5 "" אבל (Thes and most modern, but AV RV that rejoiced over it), possibly error for חיל Ew Gr Che.

Overview of Biblical Usage

The verb גִּיל appears about forty-five times and consistently conveys an animated, vocal, even bodily outburst of joy. Whether it is Zion’s citizens, the whole earth, the righteous individual, or the Lord Himself, the word marks a celebration that springs from covenant relationship and confidence in God’s acts.

Covenant Joy in Corporate Worship

Many occurrences fall in liturgical settings where Israel is summoned to public praise. “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous; shout for joy, all you upright in heart” (Psalm 32:11). Such texts underline that true worship is never cold formality; it is an exuberant response to Yahweh’s steadfast love, often accompanied by singing, dancing, and instruments (Psalm 68:3; Psalm 149:2). 1 Chronicles 16:31 weaves גִּיל into David’s dedication of the ark, binding royal ritual to congregational delight.

Creation Called to Rejoice

The word frequently widens the circle beyond Israel. “The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the distant shores be glad” (Psalm 97:1). Isaiah 49:13 commands heaven, earth, and mountains alike to share the jubilation. Such universal summons anticipate the global scope of redemption and reject any notion that biblical joy is parochial or merely private.

Personal Rejoicing in Salvation

Individual psalmists employ גִּיל for intimate testimony: “My heart rejoices in Your salvation” (Psalm 13:5); “I will rejoice and be glad in Your loving devotion” (Psalm 31:7). In dark moments the same note sounds: Habakkuk, facing crop failure and economic collapse, concludes, “Yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!” (Habakkuk 3:18). Biblical joy, therefore, is rooted not in circumstances but in the unchanging character of God.

Eschatological and Messianic Rejoicing

Prophets tether גִּיל to future hope. Joel 2:23 links rejoicing with latter-rain restoration; Isaiah 61:10 envisions the clothed righteousness of the age to come; Zechariah 9:9 commands Jerusalem to rejoice at the advent of her humble, victorious King—a text the Gospels apply to Jesus’ triumphal entry. The repeated “rejoice” of Isaiah 65:18-19 frames the new heavens and new earth, demonstrating that eschatological glory is marked first by holy delight.

Divine Rejoicing over His People

Remarkably, the Lord Himself is twice said to גִּיל. Zephaniah 3:17: “He will rejoice over you with gladness… He will rejoice over you with singing.” The covenant relationship is mutual; the redeemed rejoice in God, and God rejoices in them. This revelation grounds human joy in the very character of the Lord and anticipates the New Testament picture of heavenly celebration over every sinner who repents.

Warning against Misplaced Rejoicing

While the majority of uses are positive, Proverbs 2:14 and 24:17 caution against gloating over evil or an enemy’s downfall. Lamentations 4:21 condemns Edom’s cruel rejoicing at Judah’s calamity, reminding readers that joy divorced from righteousness invites judgment.

Ministry Implications for Today

1. Preaching: גִּיל texts urge proclamation of a joy that is rooted in the gospel, not in circumstance.
2. Worship Planning: Liturgies should allow space for bodily, audible celebration reflecting the biblical pattern.
3. Discipleship and Counseling: Habakkuk’s example equips believers to rejoice amid suffering, while Proverbs warns against sinful schadenfreude.
4. Missions: The universal calls to rejoice encourage global evangelism; all nations are destined for doxology.
5. Pastoral Assurance: Zephaniah 3:17 offers profound comfort—God delights in His people, a truth to apply to the weary and ashamed.

Christological Fulfillment

The Septuagint often renders גִּיל with ἀγαλλιάομαι, the verb used of Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:47) and of Jesus Himself “rejoicing in the Holy Spirit” (Luke 10:21). Thus the joy commanded and modeled in the Old Testament finds its fullness in Christ, whose atoning work secures the everlasting rejoicing envisioned by the prophets (Revelation 19:7).

Summary Statement

גִּיל portrays exuberant covenant joy—grounded in God’s past acts, experienced in present worship, and bursting forward into eschatological hope—while warning against corrupt rejoicing and revealing a God who Himself sings over His redeemed.

אָ֝גִ֗ילָה אָגִ֖ילָה אָגִ֥ילָה אגילה גִּ֣ילִי גִּ֤ילוּ גִּילִ֨י גִּ֣יל גיל גילו גילי וְ֝גִ֗ילוּ וְ֝תָגֵ֗ל וְ֭גִילוּ וְגִ֙ילוּ֙ וְגִ֣ילִי וְגִ֥ילוּ וְגַלְתִּ֥י וְיָגִֽיל׃ וְתָגֵ֗ל וְתָגֵ֣ל וְתָגֵ֧ל וַ֭תָּגֵלְנָה וַיָּ֣גֶל וגילו וגילי וגלתי ויגיל׃ ויגל ותגל ותגלנה יְגִיל֣וּן יָ֝גִ֗ילוּ יָ֤גֵ֥ל יָ֭גִיל יָּ֥גֶיל יָגִ֔ילוּ יָגִ֖ילוּ יָגִ֥יל יָגִ֥ילוּ יָגִֽילוּ׃ יָגֵ֥ל יגיל יגילו יגילו׃ יגילון יגל נָגִ֖ילָה נָגִ֤ילָה נָגִ֥ילָה נגילה תָּ֝גֵ֗לְנָה תָּ֭גֵלְנָה תָּגִ֣יל תָּגֵ֣ל תָּגֵ֤ל תגיל תגל תגלנה ’ā·ḡî·lāh ’āḡîlāh aGilah gî·lî gî·lū Gil gîl Gili gîlî Gilu gîlū nā·ḡî·lāh naGilah nāḡîlāh tā·ḡê·lə·nāh tā·ḡêl tā·ḡîl taGel tāḡêl Tagelenah tāḡêlənāh taGil tāḡîl vaiYagel Vattagelenah vegalTi veGili veGilu vetaGel veyaGil wat·tā·ḡê·lə·nāh wattāḡêlənāh way·yā·ḡel wayyāḡel wə·ḡal·tî wə·ḡî·lî wə·ḡî·lū wə·ṯā·ḡêl wə·yā·ḡîl wəḡaltî wəḡîlî wəḡîlū wəṯāḡêl wəyāḡîl yā·ḡel yā·ḡêl yā·ḡî·lū yā·ḡîl Yageil yaGel yāḡel yāḡêl Yagil yāḡîl yaGilu yāḡîlū yə·ḡî·lūn yegiLun yəḡîlūnInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts