← H351 H353 →

אַיִל

𐤀𐤉𐤋

ʼayil

H352 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A male ram, particularly of the sheep species, widely used for sacrificial purposes and symbolically representing strength and leadership. By extension, refers to strong leaders or chiefs (especially tribal or military heads), and metaphorically to any strong support or structure (e.g., a pillar, post, or architectural support), and occasionally to strong trees such as oaks. Semantic range encompasses literal zoological reference (ram), metaphorical human leadership or strength, and architectural or botanical usages emphasizing might or stability.

Semantic Range

ram (male sheep), chief or leader (person of strength), strong support or pillar in architecture, strong tree (oak), literal strength, metaphorical might or leadership

Root / Etymology

Root: אול, meaning 'to be strong, powerful'. The noun אַיִל takes the abstract sense of the root 'strength' and applies it concretely both to the ram (noted for its physical vigor), and metaphorically to a leader or a prominent supporting structure. While consistently linked to the root concept of strength, the specific lexical meanings diverge by context.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, אַיִל most frequently denotes a male ram, especially as a sacrificial animal in Israelite cultic practice (Genesis 15:9; Leviticus 5:15). Rhetorically, the ram's strength led to its use as a metaphor for military or tribal leaders (e.g., Exodus 15:15, signifying 'chief'). The same term describes architectural supports (as in pillars or posts in structures, e.g., 1 Kings 6:31), and robust trees—most notably oaks—due to their strength and endurance (Isaiah 1:29). English translations often shift between 'ram', 'chief', 'pillar', or 'oak' depending on context, but the unifying thread is the quality of strength. In Late Biblical and post-biblical Hebrew, the term retains similar semantic breadth but may become more specialized in certain uses (e.g., rabbinic use for doors or posts as strong supports). Distinct from other Hebrew words for strong trees or leaders (e.g., אֵלוֹן for 'oak', נשיא for 'prince/chief'), though sometimes overlapping in usage and meaning; context is key for precise interpretation.

Translation Consistency

primary "ram" 48 occurrences

The primary, literal sense of אַיִל in the SILEX is a male sheep used in sacrifice—best and most natural rendered as “ram.” This form is the most frequent attested meaning; other metaphorical senses (leader, pillar, oak) can be handled by context or alternate phrasing, while keeping “ram” as the single consistent base form for all inflections.

Alternatives (2 occurrences):
"leaders of" (1x) "strong-ram of" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the same as אוּל; properly, strength; hence, anything strong; specifically a chief (politically); also a ram (from his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support); an oak or other strong tree; mighty (man), lintel, oak, post, ram, tree.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

אול (ʼĕvîyl) — to be foolish, to lack sense, to act ignorantly (root meaning uncertain; these reflect the word's developed semantic field)

Root אול to be strong, to be mighty, to support
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H191 אֱוִיל senseless man
H196 אֱוִלִי foolish one
H200 אִוֶּלֶת in his foolishness

Word Forms

32 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H352-13 אֵילִֽים eylim HNcmpa rams rams rams 42
H352-14 הָ/אַ֥יִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa the ram the strong ram the strong ram 26
H352-01 אַ֣יִל ayil HNcmsa ram mighty ram mighty ram 22
H352-19 לָ/אַ֖יִל laayil HRd/Ncmsa for the ram to a mighty ram to a mighty ram 15
H352-10 אֵ֥יל eyl HNcmsc ram mighty ram mighty ram 10
H352-25 וְ/אַ֥יִל veayil HC/Ncmsa and a ram and a strong ram and a ram 10
H352-20 לָ/אֵילִ֖ים laeylim HRd/Ncmpa for the rams to the rams to the rams 8
H352-29 וְ/אֵילִ֣ם veeylim HC/Ncmpa and rams strong rams and rams 7
H352-16 הָ/אֵילִֽם haeylim HTd/Ncmpa rams the mighty rams the rams 6
H352-24 וָ/אַ֖יִל vaayil HC/Ncmsa and a ram strong ram and a ram 6

Occurrences in Scripture

196 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H352-25 Genesis 15:9 וְ/אַ֣יִל veayil HC/Ncmsa and a ram and a strong ram and a ram
H352-01 Genesis 22:13 אַ֔יִל ayil HNcmsa a ram mighty ram a ram
H352-14 Genesis 22:13 הָ/אַ֔יִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa the ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-28 Genesis 31:38 וְ/אֵילֵ֥י veeyley HC/Ncmpc and the rams of strong rams of and the rams of
H352-29 Genesis 32:15 וְ/אֵילִ֥ים veeylim HC/Ncmpa and rams strong rams and rams
H352-12 Exodus 15:15 אֵילֵ֣י eyley HNcmpc leaders of rams of leaders of
H352-13 Exodus 25:5 אֵילִ֧ם eylim HNcmpa rams' rams rams
H352-13 Exodus 26:14 אֵילִ֖ם eylim HNcmpa of rams rams rams
H352-29 Exodus 29:1 וְ/אֵילִ֥ם veeylim HC/Ncmpa and rams strong rams and rams
H352-16 Exodus 29:3 הָ/אֵילִֽם haeylim HTd/Ncmpa rams the mighty rams the mighty rams
H352-14 Exodus 29:15 הָ/אַ֥יִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa the ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-14 Exodus 29:15 הָ/אָֽיִל haayil-2 HTd/Ncmsa of the ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-14 Exodus 29:16 הָ/אָ֑יִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa the ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-14 Exodus 29:17 הָ/אַ֔יִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-14 Exodus 29:18 הָ/אַ֨יִל֙ haayil HTd/Ncmsa the ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-14 Exodus 29:19 הָ/אַ֣יִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-14 Exodus 29:19 הָ/אָֽיִל haayil-2 HTd/Ncmsa of the ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-14 Exodus 29:20 הָ/אַ֗יִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-14 Exodus 29:22 הָ֠/אַיִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa the ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-10 Exodus 29:22 אֵ֥יל eyl HNcmsc ram mighty ram the ram
H352-22 Exodus 29:26 מֵ/אֵ֤יל meeyl HR/Ncmsc from the ram from a strong-ram of from the ram
H352-22 Exodus 29:27 מֵ/אֵיל֙ meeyl HR/Ncmsc from the ram from a strong-ram of from a strong-ram of
H352-10 Exodus 29:31 אֵ֥יל eyl HNcmsc ram mighty ram mighty ram
H352-14 Exodus 29:32 הָ/אַ֔יִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa of the ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-13 Exodus 35:7 אֵילִ֧ם eylim HNcmpa rams' rams rams
H352-13 Exodus 35:23 אֵילִ֧ם eylim HNcmpa rams' rams rams
H352-09 Exodus 36:19 אֵלִ֖ים elim HNcmpa of rams mighty rams rams
H352-16 Exodus 39:34 הָֽ/אֵילִם֙ haeylim HTd/Ncmpa of rams the mighty rams the rams
H352-01 Leviticus 5:15 אַ֧יִל ayil HNcmsa a ram mighty ram a ram
H352-03 Leviticus 5:16 בְּ/אֵ֥יל beeyl HR/Ncmsc with a ram strong ram in a ram
H352-01 Leviticus 5:18 אַ֣יִל ayil HNcmsa a ram mighty ram a ram
H352-01 Leviticus 5:25 אַ֣יִל ayil HNcmsa ram mighty ram mighty ram
H352-16 Leviticus 8:2 הָֽ/אֵילִ֔ים haeylim HTd/Ncmpa the rams the mighty rams the rams
H352-10 Leviticus 8:18 אֵ֣יל eyl HNcmsc ram mighty ram mighty ram
H352-14 Leviticus 8:18 הָ/אָֽיִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa of the ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-14 Leviticus 8:20 הָ/אַ֔יִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-14 Leviticus 8:21 הָ/אַ֜יִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-14 Leviticus 8:22 הָ/אַ֣יִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa the ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-10 Leviticus 8:22 אֵ֖יל eyl HNcmsc ram mighty ram mighty ram
H352-14 Leviticus 8:22 הָ/אָֽיִל haayil-2 HTd/Ncmsa of the ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-22 Leviticus 8:29 מֵ/אֵ֣יל meeyl HR/Ncmsc from ram from a strong-ram of from the ram
H352-25 Leviticus 9:2 וְ/אַ֥יִל veayil HC/Ncmsa and a ram and a strong ram and a ram
H352-24 Leviticus 9:4 וָ/אַ֜יִל vaayil HC/Ncmsa and a ram strong ram and a ram
H352-14 Leviticus 9:18 הָ/אַ֔יִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa the ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-14 Leviticus 9:19 הָ/אַ֔יִל haayil HTd/Ncmsa the ram the strong ram the strong ram
H352-25 Leviticus 16:3 וְ/אַ֥יִל veayil HC/Ncmsa and a ram and a strong ram and a ram
H352-25 Leviticus 16:5 וְ/אַ֥יִל veayil HC/Ncmsa and one ram and a strong ram and a ram
H352-10 Leviticus 19:21 אֵ֖יל eyl HNcmsc a ram mighty ram a ram
H352-03 Leviticus 19:22 בְּ/אֵ֤יל beeyl HR/Ncmsc with the ram strong ram in a ram
H352-29 Leviticus 23:18 וְ/אֵילִ֣ם veeylim HC/Ncmpa and-rams strong rams and rams
← H351 Hebrew Lexicon H353 →