Gilead

Gilead is a term with multiple uses across history, geography, and fiction. In biblical geography, Gilead designates a mountainous region east of the Jordan River, north of Moab, within the Transjordan area. It is associated with the tribe of Manasseh and serves as the homeland of figures such as Jephthah; inhabitants are called Gileadites. The region is also the source of the biblical balm of Gilead, a resin historically used for healing and perfumery.

In modern popular culture, Gilead is the name of the theocratic state in Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and its television adaptation, set in what had been the United States. The regime uses religious authority to justify its rule. Within that universe, Gilead Sciences is a fictional pharmaceutical company that features prominently in the series.

The name Gilead is also used as a personal or place name in Jewish and other traditions, and the term balm of Gilead remains a common reference in literature and theology.