Gilgal
Landmark · Gilgal → near Jericho, West Bank
Israel’s first camp in the land. They set up twelve stones from the Jordan as a memorial.
People
- Joshua
- Samuel
- Saul
- Elijah
- Elisha
At a glance
- Realm
- Israel (near Jericho)
- Role
- First camp and memorial in the land
- Peoples
- Israel
- First mention
- Joshua 4 (the twelve stones)
The story
Gilgal was Israel’s first camp west of the Jordan, near Jericho, where Joshua set up twelve stones taken from the riverbed as a memorial of the crossing. There the new generation was circumcised and kept the Passover, and the manna ceased as they ate the fruit of the land. Its exact place is no longer known.
Gilgal became a gathering place of Israel: Samuel judged here on his yearly circuit and confirmed Saul as king, and here Saul was later rejected for his disobedience. From Gilgal Elijah and Elisha set out on the day Elijah was taken up, though in the end the prophets had to warn against the false worship that grew here.