Redeem

gaal

A transfer of possession.

Exodus 6: I will gaal you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of justice. And I will take you as my people and I will be your God.

Notes:

Tim Mackie - Bible Project: It typically gets translated “redeem.” But there’s no mention of a payment. But we would call that a rescue. But this word gaal is used, and it gets translated redeem, making you think that God’s buying Israel. But they belong to God - not to Egypt. The point is, redeem, as an English translation, kind of muddies the waters here. So at its root, gaal refers to when a family member comes to help another family member out of a dire situation, often debt or debt slavery to another. But it can refer to any situations of danger or just bad circumstances. Gaal is the word that comes from traditional family practice. You would even call it family law, almost like a legal term. To take possession of, to, to take that family member into their care or possession. That’s what gaal means. Gaal, is the obligation of next of kin to take responsibility, and care of them. Boaz in the book of Ruth is called the goel, which it gets translated “kinsman redeemer.” So through an act of marriage and buying land, he gaals this family

from death. This is the word used to describe what Yahweh does for Israel. Lutron Greek doesn’t really have a word that works.