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•GILEAD, BALM OF The region of Gilead abounded in spices and aromatic gums, which were exported to Egypt and Tyre (Genesis 37:25; Jeremiah 8:22; 46:11; Ezekiel 27:17). The word “balm” is a contracted form of “balsam,” a word derived from the Greek balsamon, which was adopted as the representative of the Hebrew words baal shemen, meaning “Lord” or “chief of oils.”
The Hebrew name of this balm was tsori. The tree yielding this medicinal oil was probably the Balsamodendron opobalsamum of botanists, and the Amyris opobalsamum of Linnaeus. It is an evergreen, rising to the height of about 14 feet. The oil or resin, exuding through an orifice made in its bark in very small quantities, is esteemed of great value for its supposed medicinal qualities. (See BALM.) It may be noted that Coverdale’s version reads in Jeremiah 8:22, “There is no triacle in Galaad.” The word “triacle”
= “treacle” is used in the sense of ointment.
•GILGAL rolling. (1.) From the solemn transaction of the reading of the law in the valley of Shechem between Ebal and Gerizim the Israelites moved forward to Gilgal, and there made a permanent camp (Joshua 9:6; 10:6). It was “beside the oaks of Moreh,” near which Abraham erected his first altar (Genesis 12:6, 7). This was one of the three towns to which Samuel resorted for the administration of justice (1 Samuel 7:16), and here also he offered sacrifices when the ark was no longer in the tabernacle at Shiloh (1 Samuel 10:8; 13:7-9). To this place, as to a central sanctuary, all Israel gathered to renew their allegiance to Saul (11:14). At a later period it became the scene of idolatrous worship (Hos. 4:15; 9:15). It has been identified with the ruins of Jiljilieh, about 5 miles south-west of Shiloh and about the same distance from Bethel.
(2.) The place in “the plains of Jericho,” “in the east border of Jericho,” where the Israelites first encamped after crossing the Jordan (Joshua 4:19, 20). Here they kept their first Passover in the land of Canaan (5:10) and