Who was Gaal in the Bible?
Lived before Israel had a king
Gaal, the son of Ebed, appears in Judges 9 as the leader of a revolt against Abimelech, the ruler of Shechem. Gaal appears in 8 verses of the Bible.
What does the Bible say about Gaal?
Gaal, the son of Ebed, appears in Judges 9 as the leader of a revolt against Abimelech, the ruler of Shechem. After Abimelech had ruled Shechem for three years, Gaal arrived in the city and gained the trust of the people (Jdg.9.26-29). He challenged Abimelech's authority and encouraged the people to follow him instead. When Abimelech was informed of Gaal's actions, he devised a plan to attack the city (Jdg.9.30-33). Gaal and his followers went out to fight against Abimelech but were defeated and driven out of Shechem (Jdg.9.34-41). Abimelech then destroyed the city and scattered salt over it, symbolizing its complete destruction (Jdg.9.45). The story of Gaal's failed revolt illustrates the internal conflicts and power struggles that occurred during the period of the judges in Israel.
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Where does Gaal appear in the Bible?
Gaal is referenced in 8 verses. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- Judges 9:26
- Judges 9:28
- Judges 9:30
- Judges 9:31
- Judges 9:35
- Judges 9:36
- Judges 9:37
- Judges 9:39
What else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Gaal.
Common questions
How many times does the Bible mention Gaal?
Gaal appears in 8 verses, all of them in Judges.
Which books of the Bible mention Gaal?
Just one: Judges.
Where can I read every verse about Gaal?
This page lists 8 of them. Protos carries all 8, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
