Gilead N of the torrent valley of Jabbok.—Gen. 31:17-25.

Peaceably settling the points over which they had disputed, Jacob and Laban concluded a covenant with each other. In this connection, Jacob set up a stone pillar and directed his “brothers” to make a heap of stones, perhaps in the form of a table, upon which the covenant meal was eaten. Thereupon, Laban called the place after this heap, giving it the Aramaic (Syrian) name “Jegar-sahadutha,” but which Jacob called “Galeed,” the Hebrew equivalent. Laban said: “This heap [Heb., hag-galʹ] is a witness [Heb., ʽedh] between me and you today.” (Gen. 31:44-48) The heap of stones (and the stone pillar) served as a witness to all passersby. It was as verse 49 says, “The Watchtower” (Heb., mits·pahʹ, meaning “outlook-point, watchtower”), testifying that Jacob and Laban had agreed to preserve the peace between and within their respective families. (Gen. 31:50-53) On later occasions stones were used in a similar fashion as silent witnesses.—Josh. 4:4-7; 24:25-27.

GALILEE

(Galʹi·lee), Galilean (Gal·i·leʹan) [circle, region, district].

The first mention of Galilee in the Bible identifies it as a district in the mountainous region of Naphtali, where the city of refuge Kedesh was located. (Josh. 20:7) If not earlier, at least by Isaiah’s time, Galilee included the territory of Zebulun. Perhaps many non-Israelites lived in Galilee; whence the expression “Galilee of the nations.” (Isa. 9:1) Some scholars think that the twenty cities of Galilee that King Solomon offered to Hiram the king of Tyre were probably inhabited by pagans. (1 Ki. 9:10-13; see CABUL No. 2.) The Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser III conquered Galilee during the reign of the Israelite king Pekah (in the eighth century B.C.E.).—2 Ki. 15:29.

BOUNDARIES

Over the years the territorial boundaries of Galilee did not remain constant. Their greatest extent seems to have been approximately sixty by thirty miles (97 by 48 kilometers), and embraced the ancient territories of the tribes of Asher, Issachar, Naphtali and Zebulun. However, during the time of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, Galilee, while under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas (Luke 3:1), extended only about twenty-five miles (40 kilometers) from E to W and about forty miles (64 kilometers) from N to S.

To the S lay Samaria, Galilee’s southern boundary extending from the foot of Mount Carmel along the Plain of Esdraelon toward Scythopolis (Beth-shean) and then to the Jordan. The Jordan River, with the Sea of Galilee and Lake Huleh (now mostly drained), constituted the eastern boundary. The territory of Tyre, reaching below the ancient city of Kedesh (Kedasa, Cydessa), bounded Galilee on the N. (Wars