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מֹעַל

𐤌𐤏𐤋

môʻal

H4607 noun

SILEX Entry

Root עלה to go up, ascend, rise

Definition

Raising, lifting up, or elevation, particularly of one's hands, often as a gesture of prayer, blessing, supplication, or oath-taking. May denote the physical act of lifting hands or a symbolic act of seeking divine attention or invoking an oath.

Semantic Range

lifting up (hands in prayer or oath), elevation (of the hands), gesture of supplication, act of invoking or blessing

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root עָלָה (ע-ל-ה), which fundamentally means 'to go up, ascend, rise.' While the root commonly expresses ascent or movement upward, the nominal form מֹעַל focuses specifically on the act or gesture of raising (usually the hands) rather than general ascent.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term מֹעַל is rare in the Hebrew Bible and appears in contexts signifying the elevation or lifting up of hands, commonly associated with acts of worship, prayer, or invoking an oath. This physical gesture was significant in ancient Israelite ritual and social contexts. The meaning is distinct from other words for 'elevation' or 'ascent' (such as מַעֲלֶה or עֲלִיָּה) which refer more generally to upward movement or stairs. Later periods sometimes interpreted the gesture as worshipful or supplicatory, and in some translations, the nuance of oath-taking is lost. The act of raising hands is not exclusive to Israelites but is attested in ancient Near Eastern ritual practice more broadly.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from עָלָה; a raising (of the hands); lifting up.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עלה (ʿ-l-h) — go up, ascend, rise

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H421 אָלָה Lofty One
H422 אָלָה he ascended
H4605 מַעַל upward
H4608 מַעֲלֶה at the ascent
H4609 מַעֲלָה in the ascents

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4607-01 בְּ/מֹ֣עַל bemoal HR/Ncmsc lifting up in hand-raising 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4607-01 Nehemiah 8:6 בְּ/מֹ֣עַל bemoal HR/Ncmsc lifting up in hand-raising
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