Encompasses physical growth (a child growing up, plants growing), becoming great in power or reputation, and the act of magnifying or extolling. In the Piel stem, it means to bring up, rear, or nurture children. In the Hiphil, it means to make great, magnify, or do great things. The adjective gādôl (great) and the noun gĕdullâ (greatness) derive from this root.
When Hannah declares, 'My heart rejoiceth in the LORD' and Mary echoes, 'My soul doth magnify the Lord' (Luke 1:46, reflecting the Hebrew concept), both are employing the theology of gādal. To magnify God is not to make Him bigger — He is already infinite — but to declare His greatness rightly, to make His greatness visible and known. God Himself 'does great things' (gĕdōlôt) — creation, exodus, salvation — and calls His people to respond with magnification. The name Gideon is possibly related. Psalm 34:3 — 'O magnify (gaddĕlû) the LORD with me' — invites corporate worship as the fitting response to God's demonstrated greatness.