← H420 H422 →

אָלָה

𐤀𐤋𐤄

ʼâlâh

H421 verb

SILEX Entry

Root אָלה to utter aloud, to lament, to bewail

Definition

To utter a lament or mournful cry, to bewail, to express deep sorrow or grief, typically in a communal or ritual context. The word connotes both individual and collective acts of lamentation, especially over death or calamity.

Semantic Range

to bewail, to lament, to utter a mournful cry, to mourn aloud, especially in ritual or poetic contexts

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root אָלָה (Aleph-Lamed-He), which conveys the idea of uttering aloud, particularly in the context of a lament or wail. While the Hebrew root אָלָה also appears as a noun meaning 'oath' (with a distinct semantic development relating to invocation and imprecation), in the verbal form it denotes audible expressions of mourning rather than oath-taking. The relationship between these disparate senses is debated; most modern lexicographers consider them as distinct homonyms.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The verb אָלָה (ʼâlâh), when used in the Hebrew Bible, appears in poetical or lamentation contexts (e.g., Jeremiah 51:52), where the act of bewailing has ritual or social significance in response to loss, disaster, or national calamity. This term should not be confused with the homonymous root אָלָה meaning 'to swear, to bind by oath,' though both may derive from audible invocation. The usage of אָלָה in lament contexts is relatively rare and poetic, less common than other Hebrew verbs for 'to mourn' such as ספד (sāphad) 'to wail professionally' or אבל (ʼābal) 'to mourn.' English translations such as 'to bewail' or 'to lament' are accurate but may not capture the communal and often liturgical aspect of the act in ancient Israelite society. In later periods, the lament terminology diverged further, and this root becomes less central in post-exilic Hebrew.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root (rather identical with אָלָה through the idea of invocation); to bewail; lament.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

עלה (ʿ-l-h) — go up, ascend, be high

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H422 אָלָה he ascended
H4605 מַעַל upward
H4607 מֹעַל in hand-raising
H4608 מַעֲלֶה at the ascent
H4609 מַעֲלָה in the ascents

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H421-01 אֱלִ֕י eli HVqv2fs Lament Lofty One 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H421-01 Joel 1:8 אֱלִ֕י eli HVqv2fs Lament Lofty One
← H420 Hebrew Lexicon H422 →