גַּל

From the study of Genesis 1:16

Range of meaning

gādôl: great, large, important, elder. qāṭōn: small, little, young, lesser. Paired together they rank people: the elder and younger son (Gen 27:15; 44:12), "small and great" meaning everyone (Gen 19:11).

Against the English

Most versions have "greater/lesser" (KJV, BSB, ESV, NIV, WEB), NLT has "larger/smaller", and YLT has "great/small". "Greater/lesser" is accurate as a comparative. YLT shows the actual form: Hebrew sets two plain adjectives side by side to make the comparison.

Used elsewhere in the period

Hebrew forms comparisons by context, or with the preposition min ("great from" = "greater than"). Here the article plus a plain adjective ("the great … the small") does the job, which Hebrew grammars recognise as a standard pattern. The rabbis noticed that the verse calls both "great" and then calls one "small", and built a famous story on it (b. Chullin 60b; see textual notes).

From the study of Proverbs 18:16

Range of meaning

'Great', used as a noun for people of high standing: nobles, officials, the powerful (Prov 25:6; 2 Kgs 10:6, 'the great men of the city'; Jonah 3:7).

Against the English

'Great men' (KJV/BSB) or 'the great' (ESV) is accurate. It refers to social rank and power, not moral greatness.

Used elsewhere in the period

Prov 25:6–7 advises against putting yourself forward 'in the place of the great'. Access to such people was carefully controlled.

From the study of Jeremiah 10:6

Range of meaning

Big in size, great in number or intensity, and high in rank or importance. The word is used of great kings, great cities, great deeds and great fear. With a person it often means status and power, not physical size.

Against the English

English 'great' is a fair match. The loss comes in translation choices: the BSB and NIV render the second 'great' as 'mighty', and the NLT drops it, so the doubled 'great… great' of the Hebrew disappears.

Used elsewhere in the period

'Great king' (melek gadol) matches the Assyrian imperial title šarru rabû and is used of Yahweh in Psalm 47:2 (Hebrew 47:3) and Psalm 95:3 ('a great God, a great King above all gods'). Verse 7 goes on to call Yahweh 'King of the nations,' so the royal sense is in view.