אֱלִילֵ֣י
𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤉
eliley
idols
apparently from אַל; good for nothing, by anal. vain or vanity; specifically an idol; idol, no value, thing of nought.
Isaiah 2:20 · Word #6
Lexicon H457
| Lemma | אֱלִיל |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤋 |
| Transliteration | ʼĕlîyl |
| Strong's | H457 |
| In-context | idols |
Morphology HNcmpc
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | p — Plural — Plural |
| State | c — Construct — The noun is bound to the following word |
SIBI-P1 H457-03
worthless idols of
| Root | אלל (ʾ-l-l) |
| Core Meanings | weakness, worthlessness, nothingness, non-entity |
| Semantic Range | idols, false gods, worthless things, non-entities, objects of vain worship |
| Conceptual Significance | Used in prophetic and poetic polemic to stress that pagan deities are not true powers but empty nothings, highlighting the absolute uniqueness and reality of YHWH in contrast to the nations’ "worthless idols." |
| Morphological Notes | Common masculine plural noun in construct state (אֱלִילֵי), linking it to a following noun ("idols of …"). |
| Rendering Rationale | The noun derives from a root conveying worthlessness or nothingness, so "worthless idols" preserves the polemical sense of non-entities rather than neutral "gods." The masculine plural construct form (HNcmpc) is reflected by the plural "idols" and the construct relationship indicated by "of." |
AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)
Words from Root אלל (weakness, worthlessness, nothingness, non-entity)
| SILEX Code | Transliteration | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
H457-01 |
baelilim | in the worthless idols |
H457-04 |
elilim | worthless-gods |
H457-05 |
haelil | the worthless-thing |
Word Usage (20 occurrences of H457)
| Location | Form | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leviticus 19:4 | הָ֣/אֱלִילִ֔ים | haelilim | idols |
| Leviticus 26:1 | אֱלִילִ֗ם | elilim | idols |
| Isaiah 2:8 | אֱלִילִ֑ים | elilim | idols |