GALAAD. - 1. A mountainous plateau of Transjordan, from the river Arnon (Māǧib) to the Jarmūk (Seri'at el-Menādirah; Josh. 22:9-15; II Kings 10:37), but more ordinarily from the Wādi Ḥesbān to the Jarmūk. It is divided by the Jabbok (Nahr ez-Zerqā) into two sections: the northern one, today 'Aǧlūn, the highest part of the plateau (800-900 m.), with Mount Umm ed-Dereǧ (1300) to the south, is well watered, with pasture areas, and as in ancient times (II Sam. 18:6) alternating with woods of oaks, terebinths and pines. The southern section, today el-Belqā, with hills (850-1000 m.), is cut by various wādi that flow to the Jarmūk or the Jordan and has notable cultivable zones; but it is predominantly pasture country.

(courtesy of Max. A. P. Fratze. VIII i *Rerum Gallicarum Annales*. Miniature from the manuscript offered to the King - Paris, National Library.

With the simple name of G. there is sometimes designated either 1) 'Aǧlūn (Num. 32:39-40; Deut. 3:15; Josh. 17:6) or the Belqā (Num. 32:1; Josh. 13:25). The "mountain of G.", in which the last conversation between Jacob and Laban took place (Gen. 31:21-25) is the whole of Transjordan, and not only the mountainous zone between es-Salṭ and the Jabbok, still today called Gabel Gel'ad.

At the time of the Israelite invasion, the region occupied by Sihon king of the Amorites and by Og king of Bashan became part of the territory of Gad in the south and of Manasseh in the north (Deut. 3:12-13; Josh. 13:24-31). G. formed the Assyrian province of Transjordan while "Gileaditis" extended only into Bashan (I Macc. 5:17-36).

2. Name of the son of Machir, descendant of Manasseh, and head of an Israelite house (Num. 26:29; Josh. 17:1). Name of the father of Jephthah (Judg. 11:1 ff.).

Bibliography

BIBL.: L. Heidet, s. v. in DB, III, col. 47.

Donato Baldi

@incollection{ec5_galaad, author = {Baldi, Donato}, title = {Galaad}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {V}, pages = {1852}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1950}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/galaad} }

One of some 20,000 entries brought back from the twelve printed volumes (1948–54). Spotted something? Help us improve it.

About this entry