Aramaic word · H1535
גַּלְגַּל
galgilohi
wheel
'Wheel'. In Hebrew it can also mean a whirl or whirlwind (Ps 77:18; Isa 17:13). Ezekiel uses the same word for the wheels of the cherub-throne (Ezek 10:2, 6, 13).
A Biblical Aramaic word, from the parts of the Old Testament written in Aramaic. Why Aramaic?
Appears once in the Aramaic of the Old Testament.
What it means
wheel
Aramaic of gal.gal (גַּלְגַּל "wheel" H1534)
Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
'Wheel'. In Hebrew it can also mean a whirl or whirlwind (Ps 77:18; Isa 17:13). Ezekiel uses the same word for the wheels of the cherub-throne (Ezek 10:2, 6, 13).
- Against the English
'Wheels' is accurate, but English readers may not see that a throne with wheels is a chariot-throne, a seat that moves.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Ezekiel 1 and 10 describe God's movable throne with wheels full of eyes. Sirach 49:8 recalls Ezekiel's vision of the 'chariot' (Hebrew text, merkābâ). The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice from Qumran (4Q405) describe the chariot-throne's wheels in worship. Later Jewish mysticism made this throne-chariot ('merkabah') a central theme.
Where it appears
Daniel · 1
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Daniel 7:9 גַּלְגִּלּ֖וֹהִי wheels its
As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
Here: 'Its wheels'. The throne has wheels, so it is a chariot-throne, like the moving throne Ezekiel saw (Ezek 1; 10).
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.