This was the name given to the "heap" by Jacob. Youve deceived me, and youve carried off my daughters like captives in war." Important people who were from the region included the prophet Elijah (1Kings 17:1) as well as Israel's Judges Jephthah (Judges 11) and Jair (10:3 - 4). But does the balm have a deeper meaning beyond a physical salve for cuts and abrasions? So, even though we know about the land, did a special balm exist there? The Syrians asserted their supremacy in Gilead (2Kings 10:32) where Moab and Israel had contended with varying fortune (M S). Satan knows He has no power over those who belong to God. In pre-Israelite times the Jabbok (Nahr ez-Zerqa), which cuts the country in two, divided the kingdom of Sihon from that of Og (Deuteronomy 3:16; Joshua 12:2). This section of the Bible details Labans pursuit of his son-in-law after Jacob unexpectedly fled from Laban and his oppressive demands. New International Version (NIV). Elijah was from Gilead (1 Kings 17:1). Anyone who attempted to cross was tested to see if he was an Ephraimite by asking him to say Shibboleth. I mourn, dismay has taken hold of me. The uplands of Gilead may be described as the crumpling of the edge of the great eastern plateau ere it plunges into the Ghor. All rights reserved. What does Gilead mean in The Handmaid's Tale? The territory where this salve came from (an area north of the Salt (Dead) Sea in the land of Israel) was originally given by God to Manasseh as an inheritance when the children of Israel entered the Promised Land. What does Gilead symbolize in the Bible? Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? Noun (gulla) means bowl, basin or spring; noun (gelila), circuit, boundary or territory. where it is contrasted to the Land of Canaan, i.e., Cisjordan). The name Gilead is mentioned in Genesis as the area south of the Jabbok river, according to Bible Hub, which is known today as the Zarqa river in Jordan. Salem Media Group. It was used more generally for the entire region east of the Jordan River. He condemned the cruelty of the Ammonites toward innocent women of Gilead in time of war (Amos 1:13). It greatly increases the difficulty that so many of the cities named are still unidentified. Genesis 31:20 - 21 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. (2) A mountain named in Judges 7:3. More than 1400 of her works have been featured in various publications. It is Hebrew, while the name Jegar-sahadutha, given to it by Laban, is Aramaic (Chaldee or Syriac). Verb ('ud) means to return and repeat. "Gilead" mentioned in the Book of Hosea may refer to the cities of Ramoth-Gilead, Jabesh-Gilead, or the whole Gilead region; "Gilead is a city of those who work iniquity; it is stained with blood" (Hosea 6:8). The term was applied to the entire central section of Israelite Trans-Jordan (2 Kings 10:33). The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh did not want to cross over the Jordan with the other tribes, as the Trans-Jordan territory appealed to them. Once again, in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 46:11), God tells the Israelites to get a balm in Gilead, because theyve wounded themselves beyond repair. It has been suggested (Studer, Comm., at the place) that, as the Midianites lay between the men of the northern tribes and their homes, they were told to cross the Jordan, make a detour through Gilead, and thus avoid the enemy. Although the Egyptians were a world power at the time, King Nebuchadnezzars army would overpower them, and the demoralized army would return home traveling through the land of Gilead. Genesis 37:25 describes a caravan carrying balm on their way to Egypt. The tree or shrub producing the balm is commonly identified as Commiphora gileadensis. The Balm of Gilead is a powerful symbol of Christ's power in the life of a believer beginning with the initial covenant established in the book of Genesis. Several people and places in the Bible bear the name and the name Gilead means mountain or hill country, according to Bible Hub. It was bounded on the north by Bashan, and on the south by Moab and Ammon ( Genesis 31:21 ; Deuteronomy 3:12-17 ). This seems to have led to a reconquest of the land by heathenism, and return to Gilead was promised to Israel (Zechariah 10:10). Why is Gilead called Gilead in The Handmaids Tale? What Did Jeremiah Mean by 'There Is Balm in Gilead'? Jeremiah looked to the time of restoration of Gilead to Israel (Jer 50:19), and Obadiah foresaw its restoration to Benjamin (Obad 19). A generic definition is that it is an aromatic salve or ointment derived from a plant (or a tree) that may (though not always) be used for its believed medicinal properties. The surveys directed by the Palestine Exploration Fund, in so far as they have been carried out, are invaluable. These words are the heart-cry from Gods prophet who used the example of a FRANK medicine of the day to create a picture of spiritual healing. Is there no balm in Gilead? where it is contrasted to the Land of Canaan, i.e., Cisjordan). It is at Peniel (Penuel) that Jacob wrestled with a mysterious man who proved to be the member of the Godhead who became Jesus Christ (Genesis 32). ( 1 Kings 4:13 ) During the invasion related in ( 1 Kings 15:20 . Location. The name is still preserved today in Jebel Jelad, Khirbet Jelad, and Ain Jelad S of the Nahr ez-Zerq (Jabbok). It was from the ruggedness of this hard limestone that Gilead obtained its name. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manassehinherit this land (Joshua 13:24-31). The name Gilead first appears in the biblical account of the last meeting of Jacob and Laban (Genesis 31:2122). California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The most known location that produced this type of ointment was the city of Ein Gedi (or Engedi, located on the western shore of the Dead Sea). The N part of Gilead was settled as early as the 23rd cent. Jacob tells him that he ran away in order to protect his wives and children, in fear that Laban would trick him again and take them away. Josh 22:9ff. Nouns (gil) and (gila) mean a rejoicing. Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be cured (Jeremiah 46:10 - 11). In The Handmaid's Tale's Gilead, women have limited rights and the Handmaids were taken away from the lives they once knew. What is the significance of Mount Hermon in the Bible. In the Old Testament, the balm of Gilead is taken most directly from Jeremiah chapter 8 v. 22: "Is there no . How Can Christians Bounce Back from Spiritual Complacency? Meaning of Gilead. A balm is an aromatic, medicinal substance derived from plants. The Balm of Gilead has a deeper symbolic purpose in Scripture. An example of a non-medicinal use of a fragrant ointment is when some was made in order to embalm Jesus' dead body and mask the smell of decaying flesh (Luke 23:56). In the North we have Jebel Hakart (3,408 ft.) W, of Reimun. Gilead was eminent for balm, Genesis 43:11, taken for rosin or turpentine, which is a kind of more liquid rosin, and either flows or drops from certain trees of its own accord, or their juice flows from several holes pierced into them, as from the pine, cedar, cypress, or terebinth tree. Jesus is truly the "balm of Gilead" for all the hurting people of the world. Like Laban with Jacob, we have an . At length Tiglath-pileser overran the country and transported many of the inhabitants (2Kings 15:29). More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! When the Promised Land was divided among the twelve tribes of . The kingdoms Ammon and Moab sometimes expanded to include southern Gilead. The Rose of Sharon is not truly a rose. Jesus Christ is called the Rose of Sharon in Christian works because of the similarities between the plant and Christ. Hadnt He provided spiritual leaders, or physicians of the soul, like Jeremiah to guide the people? Gilead was the scene of the battle between Gideon and the Midianites and was also the home of the prophet Elijah. For the shattering of the daughter of my people have I been shattered (in heart). From the Yarmuk to Nahr ez-Zerqa is the district of `Ajlun; and from the Zerqa to the Arnon is el-Belqa. We only need to turn from our sin, or repent, and seek His will in our lives. gain access to 50+ premium resources to enhance your study of Scripture. The name Gilead itself is taken from the Bible, referring to several different locations and generally translated as "hill of testimony." In particular, Gilead is a patriarchal society, where only men have access to higher education. Hawthorn, mastic and arbutus abound, while many a glen and slope is shady with shaggy oak woods, and, in the higher reaches, with pines. rhtinh, from rew, to flow, or run; Lat. If we circle back to the book of Jeremiah, we read about the prophets dismay as he foretells Israel about its coming captivity. Is there no physician there? At the end of Jacob's tenure, Laban tricks Jacob and has him marry his other daughter Leah instead. In the lower ground are found the tamarisk and the lotus, with many a waving cane-brake. Unable to outrun Laban and his men, Jacob faced his adversary in the hill country where they made a covenant with one anothera heap or mass of testimony.. It was bounded on the W by the Jordan River, extended near the Yarmuk on the N, to the S-N branches of the Jabbok and the Arabian desert to the E, and to the Arnon on the S. Its cities included Jabesh-gilead, Mahanaim, Mizpah, Ramothgilead, and Succoth. Three Biblical men are named Gilead. It was bounded on the north by Bashan, and on the south by Moab and Ammon (Genesis 31:21 KJV; Deuteronomy 3:1217). The Bible records that in ancient times there came from Gilead, beyond the Jordan, a substance used to heal and soothe. For less than $5/mo. It is famous for its raisins. Balm of Gilead was a rare perfume used medicinally, that was mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, and named for the region of Gilead, where it was produced.The expression stems from William Tyndale's language in the King James Bible of 1611, and has come to signify a universal cure in figurative speech. Bibliography M. Noth, The History of Israel (1960), 158, 274, 371; J. The name Gilead first appears in the biblical account of the last meeting of Jacob and Laban (Gen. 31:21-22). And they (the sons of Israel) sat down to eat bread. 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