Original Word: גּילנִי
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: Giyloniy
Pronunciation: ghee-lo-nee
Phonetic Spelling: (ghee-lo-nee')
KJV: Gilonite
NASB: Gilonite
Word Origin: [patrial from H1542 (גִּלוֹה גִּילוֹה - Giloh)]

1. a Gilonite or inhabitant of Giloh

Gilonite

Patrial from Giloh; a Gilonite or inhabitant of Giloh -- Gilonite.

see HEBREW Giloh

Word Origin
from Giloh
Definition
an inhab. of Giloh
NASB Translation
Gilonite (2).

גִּילֹנִי adjective, of a people 2 Samuel 15:12, 23:34 = 1 Chronicles 11:36, where also read ׳הַגּ (for ᵑ0 הַמְּלֹנִי).

גִּיגַת see below גנן.

גיר (boil, boil up? compare Aramaic גִּיר wave, Late Hebrew id. foam; Arabic quicklime, also heat in chest from rage or hunger (Lane); admodum aestuans according to Fl NHWB^{i. 433 b}; but compare below)

Geographical Setting

Giloh was a town situated in the Judean hill country, listed among the southern cities allotted to Judah (Joshua 15:51). Its elevated location afforded natural defenses and easy access to the central ridge route that linked Bethlehem, Hebron, and Jerusalem. Residents of Giloh were therefore familiar with both agrarian life and the political currents of Judah’s heartland. A “Gilonite” is simply a native or inhabitant of this town.

Notable Bearers of the Designation

1. Ahithophel the Gilonite (2 Samuel 15:12)
• Renowned for extraordinary wisdom, his counsel “was like one who inquires of God” (2 Samuel 16:23).
• Became a chief conspirator with Absalom against King David, marking one of Scripture’s most poignant betrayals.
• His end—suicide after his advice was rejected (2 Samuel 17:23)—foreshadows Judas Iscariot’s fate and underlines the peril of wisdom divorced from covenant faithfulness.

2. Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite (2 Samuel 23:34)
• Numbered among David’s “mighty men,” exemplifying military valor and covenant loyalty to the king.
• Almost certainly the same Eliam who fathered Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:3), making Bathsheba the granddaughter of Ahithophel and weaving the Gilonite line deeply into the narrative of David’s rise, sin, and restoration.

Historical Context

Ahithophel enters the biblical storyline during Absalom’s rebellion. “While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing” (2 Samuel 15:12). The calculated timing—amid sacrificial worship—reveals the rebellion’s religious façade and underscores the gravity of Ahithophel’s defection. His involvement lent the coup an intellectual and strategic edge, prompting David to pray, “O LORD, please turn Ahithophel’s counsel into folly” (2 Samuel 15:31).

Eliam’s appearance among the Thirty (2 Samuel 23:8-39) shows that the Gilonites were not uniformly disloyal. The juxtaposition of Eliam’s fidelity and Ahithophel’s treachery highlights individual responsibility within the same family and town.

Theological and Ministry Significance

Wisdom and Counsel

The Gilonite narrative warns that wisdom, however celebrated, can be weaponized against God’s anointed if severed from covenant allegiance. Ministry leaders must therefore cultivate not merely strategic insight but submission to divine authority.

Generational Influence

Eliam and Bathsheba connect Ahithophel’s lineage to both scandal (David’s adultery and murder) and redemption (the Messianic line through Solomon). The Gilonite thread testifies that God’s redemptive purposes endure even through human failure.

Foreshadowing Betrayal

Ahithophel’s suicide after his counsel failed (2 Samuel 17:23) prefigures Judas’s despair (Matthew 27:5). Both men shared close proximity to a king—David or Jesus—yet turned their knowledge into treachery. The comparison reinforces Scripture’s unified message regarding the tragic end of betrayal.

Prayer and Providence

David’s simple prayer in 2 Samuel 15:31 becomes a pivot for divine intervention, reminding believers that God can overturn the most formidable human schemes. Intercessory prayer remains vital for contemporary ministry facing spiritual opposition.

Intertextual Connections

• Psalm 41:9 is traditionally linked to Ahithophel: “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” The verse resonates through John 13:18 concerning Judas, showing the prophetic echo of the Gilonite’s actions.
• Psalm 55 captures the anguish of betrayal by an intimate companion; many scholars see Ahithophel behind the psalmist’s lament.
• The genealogical tie to Bathsheba anchors the Gilonites in Matthew 1:6-7, where Solomon’s birth ensures the promise of an enduring dynasty leading to Jesus Christ.

Lessons for Discipleship

1. Guard the heart: intellectual gifting must remain tethered to humble obedience.
2. Uphold covenant loyalty above personal ambition.
3. Trust God to thwart counsel opposed to His kingdom purposes.
4. Remember that God can redeem family lines marked by failure, weaving them into His gracious plan.

Summary

Strong’s Hebrew 1526 identifies people whose hometown of Giloh placed them at crucial intersections of Israel’s history: one wielded wisdom for wicked ends, another embodied valor, and through them God advanced both warning and hope. The Gilonite legacy ultimately calls the church to faithful counsel, enduring loyalty, and confidence in the sovereign orchestration of God’s redemptive story.

הַגִּֽילֹנִ֜י הַגִּלֹנִֽי׃ הגילני הגלני׃ hag·gi·lō·nî hag·gî·lō·nî haggiloNi haggilōnî haggîlōnîInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts