אָלַץ
𐤀𐤋𐤑
ʼâlats
H509 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To compel, force, or press someone to act; to urge or drive by exerting external pressure or insistence. In biblical usage, אָלַץ denotes coercion or the application of force, whether physical, moral, or psychological, causing an individual or group to submit, yield, or act against their natural inclination.
Semantic Range
to urge, press, compel, persuade insistently, force, exert pressure on, drive someone to act
Root / Etymology
From the root אלץ, a verb of uncertain derivation within Hebrew. The root appears primarily in the piel and hiphil binyanim with the general sense of pressing or compelling. It is not strongly paralleled with other Semitic languages, and its precise origin is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, אָלַץ occurs infrequently (e.g., Judges 4:16; 1 Samuel 28:23; 2 Kings 5:23; 2 Kings 6:7; 2 Chronicles 21:11). In these contexts, it often describes a situation where someone is coaxed, urged, or even forced to do something, sometimes against their will. The term is consistently used for acts of external compulsion, whether gentle urging, insistence, or overt force. In post-biblical Hebrew, the root retains this fundamental sense. English translations such as 'forced,' 'urged,' or 'compelled' adequately capture its basic idea, but nuance may be lost: the term can imply both gentle insistence and strong coercion depending on context. The word should be distinguished from related roots such as כפה (to coerce, often with stronger or more violent overtones) and דחק (to press, urge, or crowd, but with a greater sense of physical pressure). The term does not carry connotations of legal or judicial compulsion; its meaning depends mainly on interpersonal dynamics. Use in the Hebrew Bible spans the monarchic and early Second Temple periods, but the semantic sense is stable.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to press; urge.
Bantu Hebrew
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אלץ (ʾ-l-ṣ) — pressing, compelling, forcing, urging
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H509-01 |
וַ/תְּאַֽלֲצֵ֑/הוּ | vatealatsehu | HC/Vpw3fs/Sp3ms |
and urged him | she compelled him | and she compelled him | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H509-01 |
Judges 16:16 | וַ/תְּאַֽלֲצֵ֑/הוּ | vatealatsehu | HC/Vpw3fs/Sp3ms |
and urged him | she compelled him | and she compelled him |