Lexical Summary Galal: To roll, roll away, roll down Original Word: גָּלָל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Galal From galal, in the sense of glal; great; Galal, the name of two Israelites -- Galal. see HEBREW galal see HEBREW glal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom galal Definition two Levites NASB Translation Galal (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs III. גָּלָל proper name, masculine of two Levites; — 2 1 Chronicles 9:16; Nehemiah 11:17. Topical Lexicon Name and Meaning The name Galal is usually rendered “Galal” in English Bibles and is most naturally connected with the Hebrew root for “rolling” or “turning.” Although Scripture does not elaborate on the etymology, the imagery of movement is suggestive for Levites whose calling involved the ongoing—almost rhythmic—service of praise and temple order. Biblical Occurrences 1 Chronicles 9:15 places Galal among the Levites who resettled Jerusalem after the exile: “and Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, Mattaniah son of Mika, son of Zikri, son of Asaph”. 1 Chronicles 9:16 identifies another Galal (or the same figure a generation back) in the line of Jeduthun: “Obadiah son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun….” Nehemiah 11:17 records that, a century later, descendants of Galal still served: “Abda son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun.” Genealogical Context The Chronicler and Nehemiah both weave Galal into Levitical catalogs that highlight continuity. By tracing descent through Asaph and Jeduthun—families of royal musicians under King David (see 1 Chronicles 25)—the record shows that the post-exilic community consciously re-anchored its worship to pre-exilic patterns. Galal thus serves as a genealogical hinge, linking the golden age of Davidic worship to the fragile days of restoration. Role in Levitical Worship Every list that names Galal circles around corporate praise. Asaph’s line specialized in cymbals and prophetic song; Jeduthun’s house was renowned for giving thanks and sounding the harp (1 Chronicles 16:41–42; 25:1–3). By resting Galal inside both lineages, Scripture underscores the collaborative nature of temple music. Whether Galal himself led, composed, or simply preserved family tradition, his position keeps alive the cadence of thanksgiving: “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34). Continuity from Exile to Restoration Nehemiah 11 shows that Levites bearing Galal’s name remained faithful more than one hundred years after the return from Babylon. This persistence testifies to God’s covenant faithfulness and to the resolve of the Levites to guard their ministry even when the nation had no king and faced foreign pressures. The listing of Galal’s progeny among the “leaders to begin the thanksgiving in prayer” (Nehemiah 11:17) indicates that worship, not civil power, defined Israel’s restored identity. Theological Implications 1. Covenant Memory: Galal’s repeated appearance in Chronicles and Nehemiah affirms that God remembers names, families, and callings even after judgment and exile. Practical Ministry Takeaways • Heritage in service: Modern worship leaders and church musicians stand in a long line that stretches back to people like Galal; honoring that lineage fosters humility and excellence. In sum, Galal reminds readers that God treasures both the melody of praise and the names of those who keep it rolling from age to age. Forms and Transliterations גָּלָ֖ל גלל וְגָלָ֑ל וגלל gā·lāl gaLal gālāl vegaLal wə·ḡā·lāl wəḡālālLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 9:15 HEB: וּבַקְבַּקַּ֥ר חֶ֖רֶשׁ וְגָלָ֑ל וּמַתַּנְיָה֙ בֶּן־ NAS: Heresh and Galal and Mattaniah KJV: Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah INT: and Bakbakkar Heresh and Galal and Mattaniah the son 1 Chronicles 9:16 Nehemiah 11:17 3 Occurrences |
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