Original Word: גָּלַע
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: gala`
Pronunciation: gah-LAH
Phonetic Spelling: (gaw-lah')
KJV: (inter-)meddle (with)
NASB: breaks, quarrel, quarrels
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to be obstinate

intermeddle with

A primitive root; to be obstinate -- (inter-)meddle (with).

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to expose, lay bare
NASB Translation
breaks (1), quarrel (1), quarrels (1).

[גָּלַע] verb expose, lay bare (Late Hebrew Pi`el disclose, make known; compare Arabic (Frey)

a. exuit (vestem), removit (praeputium); nuda fuit (femina);

b. patuit (os) labiis non tegentibus dentes; impudica fuit (mulier); compare also Syriac circumcise (in Lexicons); Ethiopic cortex, crusta, testa; Gr^{Monatsschr. 1884, 24 f.}; Schult Thes De Proverbs 17:14 Fl in De, Now Str & most derive Hebrew meaning from Arabic b; shew the teeth, then snarl, quarrel (compare Arabic conjugation III), but see Gr^l.c.) —

Hithpa`el Perfect הִתְגַּלַּע Proverbs 17:14; Imperfect יִתְגַּלָּ֑ע Proverbs 18:1; Proverbs 20:3; — disclose oneself, break out, Proverbs 17:14 subject רִיב; break or burst out in contention, strife Proverbs 20:3 subject כָּלאֱֿוִיל; similarly Proverbs 18:1 (followed by בְּ against; Gr^l.c. proposes יִלְעַג or יַלְעִיג).

גַּלְעֵד see below II. גלל.

Overview

Strong’s 1566 portrays an abrupt bursting forth, a loss of restraint that releases contention into the open. All three occurrences lie in the Wisdom literature of Proverbs, where Solomon repeatedly uses the verb to paint the moment quarrelsome impulses cross the inner threshold and erupt into visible conflict.

Semantic Field and Imagery

1. Sudden release: likened to the first breach in a dam, small yet unstoppable once begun.
2. Exposure: what was private and controllable becomes public, loud, and damaging.
3. Moral boundary-breaking: the word does not merely describe noise; it marks a willful crossing of the line that wisdom had drawn.

Occurrences in Proverbs

• Proverbs 17:14 – “To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.”

The verb stands at the critical tipping point—warning that an argument, once “let loose,” gains destructive momentum.

• Proverbs 18:1 – “He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment.”

Here the isolationist is said to “break out” against wisdom itself. The quarrel is not with another person first, but with God-given counsel.

• Proverbs 20:3 – “It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel.”

The verb contrasts honor and folly. Refusing to let contention burst forth reflects dignity; yielding to the impulse brands one a fool.

Historical and Cultural Insights

Ancient Near-Eastern city walls and irrigation canals depended on vigilance at the weakest point. A cracked wall or breached levee spelled communal disaster. Solomon appropriates that imagery for interpersonal life: relationships are societal infrastructure, and uncontrolled strife threatens the well-being of the community just as surely as a flood threatens crops.

Theology of Conflict

Scripture never masks the reality of human conflict, yet from Genesis onward the righteous are called to restrain wrath (Genesis 13:8; James 1:19-20). Strong’s 1566 pinpoints the decisive instant when inner passions spurn that calling. In Proverbs the outbreak of strife is consistently portrayed as avoidable through humility, patience, and early intervention.

Practical Ministry Application

• Early Intervention: Pastoral counseling should identify brewing resentments before they “break out,” following the wisdom of Proverbs 17:14.
• Teaching Self-Control: Discipleship curricula can pair this verb with New Testament exhortations to self-control (Galatians 5:23).
• Conflict Resolution Training: Church leaders may use Proverbs 20:3 to model honorable peacemaking, highlighting that dignity attaches to restraint, not to winning an argument.
• Accountability Structures: Small groups offer relational “levees,” where believers help one another detect cracks that precede larger eruptions.

Christlike Character Formation

Jesus fulfills the wisdom ideal by absorbing hostility without retaliation (1 Peter 2:23). Believers, conformed to His image, are called to prevent 1566-type outbreaks by:

1. Cultivating meekness (Matthew 5:5).
2. Seeking reconciliation promptly (Matthew 5:24).
3. Overcoming evil with good (Romans 12:21).

Conclusion

Strong’s 1566 serves as a concise yet potent warning in the book of Proverbs: unguarded moments can unleash far-reaching damage. By heeding the Spirit and practicing early, humble peacemaking, the people of God exchange the destructive “breaking out” of strife for the life-giving overflow of grace.

הִ֝תְגַּלַּ֗ע התגלע יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃ יתגלע׃ hiṯ·gal·la‘ hitgalLa hiṯgalla‘ yiṯ·gal·lā‘ yitgalLa yiṯgallā‘Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts