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אֵלֶּה

𐤀𐤋𐤄

ʼêl-leh

H428 pronoun

SILEX Entry

Root אל to point out, to indicate (demonstrative function)

Definition

A demonstrative pronoun meaning 'these,' used to refer to multiple objects, persons, or concepts that are near to the speaker (proximal plural). In some contexts, can also function with reference to persons, items, or ideas already introduced or understood from context, with the force of 'these ones' or 'these people/things.' Employed both independently and adjectivally to mark a definite set, usually with anaphoric reference.

Semantic Range

these (proximal plural demonstrative), those (contextual or anaphoric plural), these people, those ones, these things

Root / Etymology

From root איל (uncertain, possibly to be strong or to go forward; etymology of pronoun forms is debated and may be unrelated to standard verbal roots). The form אֵלֶּה is an expanded (prolonged) plural of the basic demonstrative pronoun אֵל (this).

Historical & Contextual Notes

The form אֵלֶּה functions as the common plural demonstrative pronoun throughout Biblical Hebrew to refer to multiple referents, contrasted with זֹאת (feminine singular) and זֶה (masculine singular). It is used extensively in both prose and poetry, in legal, narrative, and prophetic contexts. While English translations render it as 'these' or 'those,' the Biblical Hebrew does not distinguish anaphoric (those) from deictic (these) in the way English does; אֵלֶּה depends on context and proximity, but is generally used for near or contextually focused plurals. The term is applied to both animate (persons, animals) and inanimate (objects, concepts) referents. In the later stages of Biblical Hebrew, the distinction between this pronoun and alternative forms (such as אֵלָּה) becomes less pronounced, but אֵלֶּה remains standard throughout the main biblical corpus. The use of 'which, who' as relative pronouns is rare and typically arises from syntactic constructions rather than from intrinsic meaning.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

prolonged from אֵל; these or those; an-(the) other; one sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those, thus, which, who(-m).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אל (ʾ-l) — to point out, to indicate

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1008 בֵּית־אֵל toward
H3317 יִפְתַּח־אֵל toward
H352 אַיִל toward
H3815 לָאֵל Belonging to El
H4027 מִגְדַּל־אֵל toward

Word Forms

16 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H428-03 אֵ֣לֶּה eleh HPdxcp these these ones 320
H428-04 הָ/אֵ֗לֶּה haeleh HTd/Pdxcp these these ones 275
H428-15 וְ/אֵ֨לֶּה֙ veeleh HC/Pdxcp And these and these 107
H428-11 מֵ֠/אֵלֶּה meeleh HR/Pdxcp of these from these 13
H428-06 כָּ/אֵ֨לֶּה֙ kaeleh HR/Pdxcp like these like these ones 5
H428-02 בְּ/אֵ֑לֶּה beeleh HR/Pdxcp by these in these 5
H428-09 לָ/אֵ֨לֶּה֙ laeleh HR/Pdxcp to these to these ones 5
H428-13 וּ/מֵ/אֵ֖לֶּה umeeleh HC/R/Pdxcp and from these and from these ones 3
H428-08 כְ/אֵ֜לֶּה kheeleh HR/Pdxcp like-these like these ones 3
H428-12 וּ/לְ/אֵ֖לֶּה uleeleh HC/R/Pdxcp And by these and to these ones 3

Occurrences in Scripture

747 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H428-03 Genesis 2:4 אֵ֣לֶּה eleh HPdxcp These are these ones
H428-03 Genesis 6:9 אֵ֚לֶּה eleh HPdxcp These these ones
H428-03 Genesis 9:19 אֵ֖לֶּה eleh HPdxcp these these ones
H428-13 Genesis 9:19 וּ/מֵ/אֵ֖לֶּה umeeleh HC/R/Pdxcp and-from these and from these ones
H428-15 Genesis 10:1 וְ/אֵ֨לֶּה֙ veeleh HC/Pdxcp And these are and these
H428-11 Genesis 10:5 מֵ֠/אֵלֶּה meeleh HR/Pdxcp From these from these
H428-03 Genesis 10:20 אֵ֣לֶּה eleh HPdxcp These are these ones
H428-03 Genesis 10:29 אֵ֖לֶּה eleh HPdxcp these these ones
H428-03 Genesis 10:31 אֵ֣לֶּה eleh HPdxcp These these ones
H428-03 Genesis 10:32 אֵ֣לֶּה eleh HPdxcp These these ones
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