H1581 H1581
camel — the domesticated one-humped beast of burden, a marker of wealth and travel in the ancient Near East
Gamal designates the domesticated camel (Camelus dromedarius), the indispensable beast of burden, transport, and wealth measurement across the biblical world. Its 54 occurrences span patriarchal narratives — Abraham's servant takes ten camels to find Rebekah (Gen 24:10), Jacob's caravan includes camels as a peace offering to Esau (Gen 32:15) — and extend into legal texts where camels are listed among unclean animals (Lev 11:4). The Ishmaelite traders bearing Joseph to Egypt ride camels loaded with spices (Gen 37:25). Cognates in Arabic (jamal), Aramaic (gamla), and Ethiopic (gamal) confirm the pan-Semitic antiquity of this word. Every translation renders it straightforwardly: Spanish 'camellos,' French 'chameaux,' German 'Kamele.'
Senses
1. camel (domestic animal) — The one-humped domesticated camel used for long-distance transport, trade caravans, and as a measure of pastoral wealth. Appears throughout patriarchal cycles (Gen 12:16; 24:10-64), in Mosaic dietary law as an unclean animal (Lev 11:4; Deut 14:7), and in later narratives of trade and warfare. All 54 occurrences denote the same animal referent; grammatical variants (construct, suffixed, plural) reflect syntax rather than semantic differentiation. 54×
AR["الجِمالِ", "الْ-جِمالِ", "الْجِمَالَ", "الْجِمَالُ", "الْجِمَالِ", "جَمَلاً", "جِمَالٌ", "جِمَالٍ", "وَ-جِمَالٌ", "وَجَمالاً", "وَجِمالاً", "وَجِمالٍ", "وَجِمَالًا", "وَجِمَالٌ"]·ben["-উটের-উপর", "আর-উট", "উট", "উটগুলি", "উটগুলিকে", "উটগুলির", "উটের", "এবং-উট", "ও-উট"]·DE["Kamele", "[הגמלים]", "[וגמלים]", "camels", "den-Kamelen", "der-camels", "die-Kamele", "und-Kamele", "und-camels"]·EN["and-camels", "camels", "the-camels"]·FR["camels", "chameau", "chameaux", "et-camels", "et-chameau", "et-chameaux", "le-camels", "le-chameau", "le-chameaux"]·heb["גְּמַלִּים", "גמל", "ה-גמל", "ה-גמלים", "ו-גמל", "ו-גמלים"]·HI["-के-ऊँट", "ऊँट", "ऊँटों", "ऊँटों-के", "ऊँटों-को", "ऊँटों-ने", "ओओन्तोन", "और-उन्त", "और-ऊँट", "और-ऊँटों", "और-ऊँटों-से", "और-ऊंट", "और-ओओन्त", "गामाल"]·ID["-unta-unta", "dan-unta", "dan-unta-unta", "unta", "unta-unta", "unta-unta-itu"]·IT["cammelli", "cammello", "e-cammelli", "e-cammello", "il-cammelli", "il-cammello"]·jav["lan-unta", "lan-unta-unta", "unta", "unta-unta", "unta-unta-punika"]·KO["그-낙타들", "그-낙타들에게도", "그-낙타들을", "그-낙타들이", "그리고-낙타들", "그리고-낙타들-이", "그리고-낙타들과", "그리고-낙타들을", "그리고-낚타들과", "낙타들과", "낙타들을", "낙타들이", "낙타의"]·PT["camelos", "e-camelos", "os-camelos"]·RU["-верблюдов", "верблюдами", "верблюдов", "верблюды", "и-верблюдами", "и-верблюдов", "и-верблюды"]·ES["camellos", "los-camellos", "y-camellos"]·SW["na-ngamia", "ngamia"]·TR["-develer", "-develeri", "-develerin", "deve", "develer", "develere", "develerin", "ve-develer"]·urd["-اونٹوں", "-اونٹوں-کے", "اور-اونٹ", "اور-اونٹوں-نے", "اونٹ", "اونٹوں", "اونٹوں-نے", "اونٹوں-کو"]
Related Senses
H6629 1. flock, sheep/goats (small livestock) (274×)H1241 1. cattle, herd (bovine livestock) (183×)H0352a 1. ram (male sheep) (156×)H6499 1. young bull, bullock (130×)H3532 1. lamb, young male sheep (105×)H2543 1. donkey (male ass) (96×)H7794 1. ox, bull (79×)H7462b 1. shepherd (agent noun) (76×)H5795 1. she-goat(s), female goat(s) (68×)H7462b 2. to shepherd, tend, pasture (60×)H0738b 1. lion (46×)G4263 1. sheep (39×)H5739 1. flock or herd of livestock (38×)H5695 1. calf, young bull (35×)H0738a 1. lion (large predatory feline) (34×)H0860 1. female donkey (34×)H3611 1. dog (animal) (32×)H3715a 1. young lion, lion cub (31×)G0721 1. Lamb (29×)H6260 1. male goat, he-goat (28×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† גָּמָל n.m. Gn 24:10 + 9 times, f. & m. Gn 32:16 (cf. infr.), camel (NH id. Arabic جَمَلٌ (جَمْلٌ), Ethiopic ገመል Assyrian gammalu COTGloss Aramaic גַּמְלָא, ܓܰܡܠܴܐ; Palm. Tariff pl. גמלין ReckendorfZMG 1888, 401; √גמל but meaning of √ dub.; BoHieroz i. 73 der. from גמל requite, so LagBN 20, 49 (camel as μνησίκακος); v. also conject. in MV, Dl in HptF 70 HptBAS i 171; A. v. KremerSemit.…