Location:

• Biblical: : East of the Jordan River, in the hill country of Gilead (Gen 31:21, 23, 25; Deut 3:12–16; Josh 13:24–31).
• Modern Location: East of the Jordan river, but south of the sea of Galilee. It is now part of the kingdom of Jordan. Northern Jordan (Ajloun and Jerash governorates), extending south into parts of Irbid and Mafraq; roughly between the Yarmouk and Zarqa rivers.
• Encyclopedia Britannica Inc Map

Significance:

• First mention: Gen-31#v21 – Jacob flees toward the hill country of Gilead.
• Last mention: Zech-10#v10 – “I will bring them home from… Gilead and Lebanon.”
• Symbolic:
  • Covenant boundary and divine watchpost (Mizpah, Gen-31#v49).
  • Refuge and restoration (Jer-50#v19; Micah-07#v14).
  • Healing balm (Gilead’s resin, Jer-08#v22; Jer-46#v11).
• Major Events:
  • Jacob-Laban covenant; Galeed and Mizpah established (Gen-31#v44–54).
  • Land allotted to Gad, Reuben, and half-Manasseh (Num-32#v1–33; Josh-13#v24–31).
  • Jephthah’s victory over Ammonites from Mizpah of Gilead (Judg-11#v29–33).
  • Eastern tribes’ altar of witness nearly causes war (Josh-22#v10–34).
  • Elijah the Tishbite from Gilead (1 Kings-17#v1).

People

• Jacob and Laban (covenant makers)

• Jephthah (judge and military leader)

• Elijah (prophet)

• Barzillai the Gileadite (aided David, 2 Sam-17#v27; 2 Sam-19#v31)

• Deut-03#v12–16 Land of Gilead given to Reuben, Gad, half-Manasseh. Becomes Israelite territory.

• Josh-22#v9–34 Eastern tribes build altar in Gilead → almost causes civil war

• Judg-11#v1–11 Jephthah from Gilead; Mizpah of Gilead = assembly place. Mizpah name persists.

• Hos-06#v8 “Gilead is a city of evildoers…”