Gillûlîm: Rollers, Scarabs in Ezekiel

In keeping with the semantic core of the root גלל , the term גלולים designates "rollers." Connections with Egypt suggest a more specific use of גלולים in a number of passages of the Hebrew text of Ezekiel. It is a designation of the widely spread iconographic concept of the scarab, with it...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Catholic Biblical quarterly 2021-04, Vol.83 (2), p.220-240
Main Author: Adam, Klaus-Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Hebrew language
Iconography
Ideology
Semantics
Symbolism
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:In keeping with the semantic core of the root גלל , the term גלולים designates "rollers." Connections with Egypt suggest a more specific use of גלולים in a number of passages of the Hebrew text of Ezekiel. It is a designation of the widely spread iconographic concept of the scarab, with its phenotypes of scarab-shaped and scaraboid stamp seals, heart scarabs, and depictions on reliefs. Heart-shaped amulets alluding to the scarab ideology provide the backdrop of Ezek 14:3. The scarab's association with the heart replacement in Egyptian mortuary cult shapes the backdrop of Ezek 6:5–6 and 36:25–27.
ISSN:0008-7912
2163-2529
2163-2529
DOI:10.1353/cbq.2021.0046