עוֹלָם
𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤌
ʻôwlâm
H5769 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A duration of time that is indefinitely long, either extending into the remote past, the indefinite future, or characterized by unending perpetuity; in some contexts, refers to ancient times, remote antiquity, or an ongoing period. Rarely, may denote a persistent status that endures for generations or ages. The term does not necessarily imply absolute, metaphysical eternity as later conceived, but rather a temporal span beyond clear human perception or memory.
Semantic Range
indefinitely long duration, remote antiquity, perpetual or enduring state, time beyond memory, ongoing generations, eternal, for ever, of old, always, continuous; rarely, world or cosmos (in poetic contexts)
Root / Etymology
From the root עלם (ʽ-l-m), which at the root level carries the meaning 'to conceal, hide, be hidden.' עוֹלָם (ʻôlâm) derives from this root, originally referring to what is hidden or beyond the horizon, hence by extension to remote times (past or future) that are hidden from immediate experience or understanding.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, עוֹלָם frequently describes categories such as 'ancient days' (remote past), perpetual covenants or statutes (an indefinite future), and enduring places (e.g., everlasting hills). Its precise meaning is context-dependent: it denotes very long duration or perpetuity in legal or ritual contexts (such as priestly service 'for olam'), but does not always signify absolute unending infinity as later interpreted in Jewish and Christian theological traditions. In wisdom and poetic texts, it may accentuate the mystery or unfathomable nature of past or future time. When contrasted with נֶצַח (neṣaḥ, 'perpetuity; forever') or עַד (ʽad, 'until; perpetually'), עוֹלָם tends to be broader or less specific. English translations such as 'eternity', 'everlasting', or 'forever' can obscure the more nuanced, relative sense of the term as used in ancient Israelite texts, sometimes implying total infinity where a very long or undetermined span is intended.
Translation Consistency
"Forever" is the most natural, commonly used English rendering for עוֹלָם’s primary sense of an indefinitely long duration or perpetual state. It is the single-word option most often found in existing renderings (highest frequency in the P2 data), is idiomatic in phrases like "from forever"/"for ever," and covers the typical usages (enduring/perpetual and extended past or future) better for consistent translation than more formal alternatives such as "eternal" or "perpetuity." Rare senses (e.g., poetic "world/age") are less common and can be handled by context notes or alternate phrasing where needed.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or עֹלָם; from עָלַם; properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial (especially with prepositional prefix) always; alway(-s), ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for, (n-)) ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of) old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world ([phrase] without end). Compare נֶצַח, עַד.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
עלם (Yaelam) — to hide, to conceal, to be secret, to be young
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3281 | יַעְלָם | Yaʿlam |
| H492 | אַלְמֹנִי | anonymous one |
| H5867 | עֵילָם | in Elam |
| H5934 | עָלוּם | your youthful years |
| H5957 | עָלַם | age-long duration |
Word Forms
13 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5769-08 |
עוֹלָֽם | olam | HNcmsa |
forever | hidden age | forever | 212 |
H5769-04 |
לְ/עוֹלָם֙ | leolam | HR/Ncmsa |
forever | for an unseen age | for forever | 176 |
H5769-07 |
מֵ/עוֹלָ֖ם | meolam | HR/Ncmsa |
from of old | from hidden antiquity | from forever | 16 |
H5769-03 |
הָ/עוֹלָ֖ם | haolam | HTd/Ncmsa |
everlasting | the hidden duration | the forever | 14 |
H5769-09 |
עוֹלָמִֽים | olamim | HNcmpa |
everlasting | hidden ages | forever ages | 9 |
H5769-13 |
וּ/מֵ֣/עֹלָ֔ם | umeolam | HC/R/Ncmsa |
even from everlasting | and from hidden antiquity | and from forever | 3 |
H5769-01 |
הַ/לְ/עוֹלָ֥ם | haleolam | HTi/R/Ncmsa |
forever | for the hidden age | for the forever | 2 |
H5769-02 |
הַֽ֭/לְ/עוֹלָמִים | haleolamim | HTi/R/Ncmpa |
forever? | to the enduring ages | to the enduring ages | 1 |
H5769-05 |
לְ/עֹֽלָמִ֔ים | leolamim | HR/Ncmpa |
for hidden ages | for ages past | 1 | |
H5769-06 |
מֵֽ֭/הָ/עוֹלָם | mehaolam | HR/Td/Ncmsa |
from everlasting | from hidden antiquity | from everlasting | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
438 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5769-04 |
Genesis 3:22 | לְ/עֹלָֽם | leolam | HR/Ncmsa |
forever | for an unseen age | for forever |
H5769-04 |
Genesis 6:3 | לְ/עֹלָ֔ם | leolam | HR/Ncmsa |
forever | for an unseen age | for forever |
H5769-07 |
Genesis 6:4 | מֵ/עוֹלָ֖ם | meolam | HR/Ncmsa |
from of old | from hidden antiquity | from forever |
H5769-08 |
Genesis 9:12 | עוֹלָֽם | olam | HNcmsa |
everlasting | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Genesis 9:16 | עוֹלָ֔ם | olam | HNcmsa |
everlasting | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Genesis 13:15 | עוֹלָֽם | olam | HNcmsa |
ever | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Genesis 17:7 | עוֹלָ֑ם | olam | HNcmsa |
everlasting | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Genesis 17:8 | עוֹלָ֑ם | olam | HNcmsa |
everlasting | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Genesis 17:13 | עוֹלָֽם | olam | HNcmsa |
everlasting | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Genesis 17:19 | עוֹלָ֖ם | olam | HNcmsa |
everlasting | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Genesis 21:33 | עוֹלָֽם | olam | HNcmsa |
Everlasting | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Genesis 48:4 | עוֹלָֽם | olam | HNcmsa |
everlasting | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Genesis 49:26 | עוֹלָ֑ם | olam | HNcmsa |
of the everlasting | hidden age | forever |
H5769-04 |
Exodus 3:15 | לְ/עֹלָ֔ם | leolam | HR/Ncmsa |
forever | for an unseen age | for forever |
H5769-08 |
Exodus 12:14 | עוֹלָ֖ם | olam | HNcmsa |
everlasting | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Exodus 12:17 | עוֹלָֽם | olam | HNcmsa |
eternal | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Exodus 12:24 | עוֹלָֽם | olam | HNcmsa |
forever | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Exodus 14:13 | עוֹלָֽם | olam | HNcmsa |
forever | hidden age | forever |
H5769-04 |
Exodus 15:18 | לְ/עֹלָ֥ם | leolam | HR/Ncmsa |
forever | for an unseen age | for forever |
H5769-04 |
Exodus 19:9 | לְ/עוֹלָ֑ם | leolam | HR/Ncmsa |
forever | for an unseen age | for forever |
H5769-04 |
Exodus 21:6 | לְ/עֹלָֽם | leolam | HR/Ncmsa |
forever | for an unseen age | for forever |
H5769-08 |
Exodus 27:21 | עוֹלָם֙ | olam | HNcmsa |
eternal | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Exodus 28:43 | עוֹלָ֛ם | olam | HNcmsa |
forever | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Exodus 29:9 | עוֹלָ֑ם | olam | HNcmsa |
perpetual | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Exodus 29:28 | עוֹלָ֗ם | olam | HNcmsa |
forever | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Exodus 30:21 | עוֹלָ֛ם | olam | HNcmsa |
eternal | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Exodus 31:16 | עוֹלָֽם | olam | HNcmsa |
perpetual | hidden age | forever |
H5769-04 |
Exodus 31:17 | לְ/עֹלָ֑ם | leolam | HR/Ncmsa |
forever | for an unseen age | for forever |
H5769-04 |
Exodus 32:13 | לְ/עֹלָֽם | leolam | HR/Ncmsa |
forever | for an unseen age | for forever |
H5769-08 |
Exodus 40:15 | עוֹלָ֖ם | olam | HNcmsa |
everlasting | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 3:17 | עוֹלָם֙ | olam | HNcmsa |
perpetual | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 6:11 | עוֹלָם֙ | olam | HNcmsa |
eternal | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 6:15 | עוֹלָ֕ם | olam | HNcmsa |
everlasting | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 7:34 | עוֹלָ֔ם | olam | HNcmsa |
forever | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 7:36 | עוֹלָ֖ם | olam | HNcmsa |
eternal | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 10:9 | עוֹלָ֖ם | olam | HNcmsa |
eternal | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 10:15 | עוֹלָ֔ם | olam | HNcmsa |
forever | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 16:29 | עוֹלָ֑ם | olam | HNcmsa |
forever | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 16:31 | עוֹלָֽם | olam | HNcmsa |
forever | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 16:34 | עוֹלָ֗ם | olam | HNcmsa |
forever | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 17:7 | עוֹלָ֛ם | olam | HNcmsa |
eternal | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 23:14 | עוֹלָם֙ | olam | HNcmsa |
eternal | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 23:21 | עוֹלָ֛ם | olam | HNcmsa |
eternal | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 23:31 | עוֹלָם֙ | olam | HNcmsa |
eternal | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 23:41 | עוֹלָם֙ | olam | HNcmsa |
forever | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 24:3 | עוֹלָ֖ם | olam | HNcmsa |
forever | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 24:8 | עוֹלָֽם | olam | HNcmsa |
everlasting | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 24:9 | עוֹלָֽם | olam | HNcmsa |
forever | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 25:32 | עוֹלָ֖ם | olam | HNcmsa |
perpetual | hidden age | forever |
H5769-08 |
Leviticus 25:34 | עוֹלָ֛ם | olam | HNcmsa |
eternal | hidden age | forever |