Who was Galal in the bible?
Galal is a biblical name borne by two Israelites, appearing in lists of Levites in 1 Chronicles 9:15–16 and in a genealogy in Nehemiah 11:17.
Family Links
One Galal is an ancestor named in this line: “Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun” (1 Chronicles 9:16). Another is named as an ancestor of Abda: “Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun” (Nehemiah 11:17).
Learn More →Name Meaning
A lexicon connects the name Galal (Strong’s H1559) with an idea of “great,” from a root meaning “to roll,” and a related term associated with “weight or size.” The same lexicon gloss says Galal is “the name of two Israelites.”
Learn More →Galal (Hebrew Galal) is the name of two Israelites mentioned in lists connected with the Levites and their service. The name is linked (by lexicon derivation) with the idea of “great,” and with Hebrew word-components related to “rolling” and to “weight or size.”
Galal in Scripture
Galal appears in a setting where Levites are being identified in connection with “the work of the service of God’s house.” Immediately before Galal is named, the narrative frame speaks of capable leadership and then introduces a section specifically marked as Levites.
“and their brothers, heads of their fathers’ houses, one thousand seven hundred sixty; very able men for the work of the service of God’s house.” (1 Chronicles 9:13)
“Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari;” (1 Chronicles 9:14)
Within that Levite listing, Galal is placed among several names:
“and Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph,” (1 Chronicles 9:15)
The list continues by tracing another line of descent, where Galal is the ancestor named in the chain leading to Obadiah:
“and Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.” (1 Chronicles 9:16)
In the same immediate context, the focus shifts to those who served as gatekeepers. The narrative distinguishes these roles and also places them among “the children of Levi,” emphasizing that the broader discussion still concerns Levitical responsibilities.
“The gatekeepers: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brothers (Shallum was the chief),” (1 Chronicles 9:17)
“who previously served in the king’s gate eastward. They were the gatekeepers for the camp of the children of Levi.” (1 Chronicles 9:18)
“Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brothers, of his father’s house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent. Their fathers had been over Yahweh’s camp, keepers of the entry.” (1 Chronicles 9:19)
Nehemiah contains a closely related listing, again placing Galal within the identification of Levites. The setting begins with a heading for Levites and continues with assignments of oversight “of the outward business of God’s house,” before mentioning a Levite leader in thanksgiving and prayer and then a descendant linked to Galal.
“Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;” (Nehemiah 11:15)
“and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business of God’s house;” (Nehemiah 11:16)
“and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the chief to begin the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.” (Nehemiah 11:17)
The larger Nehemiah context continues by counting Levites “in the holy city” and then, separately, gatekeepers who “kept watch at the gates,” while also noting that the remainder of Israel—including priests and Levites—were spread through the cities of Judah.
“All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred eighty-four.” (Nehemiah 11:18)
“Moreover the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were one hundred seventy-two.” (Nehemiah 11:19)
“The residue of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance.” (Nehemiah 11:20)
Multiple bearers
A lexicon identity gloss identifies Galal as “the name of two Israelites,” and the verses reflect two distinct ways the name functions in the records.
(1) Galal named among Levites. In 1 Chronicles, Galal appears directly as a named individual within a Levite list:
“and Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph,” (1 Chronicles 9:15)
This places one Galal alongside others in a context framed as Levites and service related to God’s house (1 Chronicles 9:13–14).
(2) Galal as a forefather in a lineage. A second Galal appears as an ancestor in genealogical chains, in both Chronicles and Nehemiah. Chronicles traces Obadiah’s descent through Galal:
“Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun” (1 Chronicles 9:16)
Nehemiah traces Abda’s descent through a Galal in the same position relative to Jeduthun:
“Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.” (Nehemiah 11:17)
These references identify Galal as part of a line associated with Levites in the holy city (Nehemiah 11:15–18).
Name and Meaning
The name is written גָּלָל and transliterated Galal, pronounced gaw-lawl’. According to the lexicon derivation, it comes from a root connected with the sense of “great,” and it is related to Hebrew components: galal (גָּלַל), meaning “to roll” (used literally or figuratively), and gelal (גְּלָל), meaning “weight or size (as if rolled).”
Observation
Across both books, the name Galal is preserved within Levitical records tied to “the work of the service of God’s house” (1 Chronicles 9:13) and to ordered roles in the community, including oversight, prayer, and gatekeeping (Nehemiah 11:16–19).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Galal mean?
The name Galal is given as meaning “great.”
How many times does Galal appear in the Bible?
Galal appears 3 times.
Who was Galal in the Bible?
Galal is the name of two Israelites. He is listed among people in genealogical records, including “Galal” in 1 Chronicles 9:15 and as an ancestor in 1 Chronicles 9:16.
Where is Galal mentioned in a family line?
In 1 Chronicles 9:16, Obadiah is described as “the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.”
Explore Further
If you found this page about Galal interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.
Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).
