l. A place on the E. border of Jericho (Jos.4.19), where the Israelites first encamped after crossing the Jordan, and which, according to Jos.14.6, remained the headquarters of the congregation till after the defeat of the northern kings at Merom. The stone circle from which it certainly took its name (cf the impossible etymology in Jos.5.9) was no doubt that to which the tradition embodied in Jos.4.20 refers, and the same as the 'images' by Gilgal in the story of Ehud (Jg.3.19 RVm; RSV 'sculptured stones'). The twelve stones are significant in view of the role of Gilgal as an amphictyonic shrine of the twelve-tribe confederacy of Israel. It was associated with the work of Samuel as a judge (1 S.7.16), and was the place where the kingship of Saul was formally consecrated (reading 'let us consecrate,' nekaddesh, for 'let us renew,' nehaddesh) after his succour of Jabesh-Gilead (1 S.11.14). 'It was the rallying-point for national resistance in Saul's Philistine wars (1 S.13.4-15), the scene of Samuel's breach with Saul (1 S.13.8-15), and of the hewing of the Amalekite king Agag in pieces before the Lord (1 S.15.12f). It was here that the men of Judah met David returning after Absalom's revolt (2 S.19.5), possibly to take a new oath of allegiance at the shrine, though that is not explicitly mentioned. The importance of the Gilgal sanctuary must have waned with the passing of the power from Benjamin to the House of David and the increased importance of Jerusalem as the seat of the Ark and a national shrine. It never quite lost its significance, however, and was probably always a centre of pilgrimage, a religious institution in favour among the Semites. It was certainly a place of pilgrimage in the middle of the 8th cent. and ranked with Bethel, the national shrine under royal patronage (Am.4.4, 5.5, Hos.4.15, 9.15, 12.11). The significance of this shrine as a conservatory of the traditions of the Hebrew occupation has recently been emphasized by A. Alt, M. Noth, G. von Rad, H. J. Kraus, and K. Galling. It is suggested that the sacramental experience of the shrine of Gilgal has coloured the narrative of the conquest in Jos.1-9 and Jg.2.1-5.
Modern tradition has varied regarding the location of Gilgal at Khirbet en-Nitla just over 2 miles SE. of old Jericho and, on the other hand, at Khirbet el-Mefjer, the site of the winter palace of the Umayyad Caliph Hisham (AD 724-743). Excavations by Kelso and Muilenburg at en-Nitia show no traces of occupation before the Byzantine period. Excavations by Muilenburg, however, revealed Iron Age remains near Khirbet el-Mefjer and the identification would seem to be clinched by Josephus' location of Gilgal 10 stadia from Jericho and 50 stadia from the Jordan, i.e. from the ford of el-Mukhdas (Ant. v. i. 4 [20]), directions which rule out en-Nitla. Pillars inscribed with the cross in the Umayyad palace at el-Mefjer are obviously from a Christian church, clearly associated with Gilgal and probably that noticed by mediaeval pilgrims N. (actually NE.) of Jericho.
2. A place of the same name near Dor mentioned in a list of conquered kings (Jos.12.23), possibly Jiljulieh about 4 miles N. of Antipatris (Ras el-'Ain).
3. A place in the hill-country of Ephraim (2 K.4.38) somewhere near Bethel (2.1), possibly Jiljilieh S miles NW. of Bethel.
4. Gilgal of Dt.11.30 is not certainly identified. The close connexion with Ebal and Gerizim suggests Juleijil 2+ miles SE. of Nablus.
5. A place on the border of Judah, near Adummim (q.v.), mentioned in Jos.15.7; possibly the same as 1.
The name is generally used in Hebrew with the definite article, which suggests that it is a common noun, 'stone-circle,' a relic of early local religion, hence its common usage as a place-name in Hebrew and Arabic.
[Article: Dictionary of the Bible, J.Hastings, 2nd Ed., T&T.Clark, 1963. - R.A.S.M. - J.Gr.]