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עָלָה

𐤏𐤋𐤄

ʻâlâh

H5927 verb

SILEX Entry

Root עלה to ascend, go up, climb, increase

Definition

To ascend or go up, either literally (e.g., movement from a lower to higher location) or figuratively (e.g., increased rank, status, or intensity); also used transitively for bringing, causing, or offering something up. In sacrificial and cultic contexts, used for offering an animal or object up (as in 'making an offering ascend'). The word encompasses both physical ascent and metaphorical advancements such as promotion, increase, or escalation.

Semantic Range

to ascend, to go up, to bring up, to offer up (sacrifice), to rise, to grow up (plants), to be led up, to advance in status or rank, to cause to ascend, to escalate, to be restored, to mount, to approach (from a lower to higher place), to recover, to incite or stir up; figuratively: to improve, to reach a higher stage or phase

Root / Etymology

עָלָה derives from the root עלה, which primarily means 'to go up, ascend, arise.' The root conveys notions of movement upward or an increase in status, position, or intensity. The verb is used both intransitively (subject going up) and transitively (causing something or someone to go up).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, עָלָה is widely used for physical ascent, such as traveling to higher ground (especially Jerusalem, which was geographically elevated) or going up a mountain. It is the standard verb for 'going up' to Jerusalem, reflecting both the topography and the city's status as the cultic center; this usage persists into the post-exilic period and later Jewish tradition. In cultic language, עָלָה refers to offering sacrifices—particularly whole burnt offerings (עֹלָה), which are 'caused to ascend' upon the altar, reflecting the rising of smoke. The term is used in narratives for going up to worship, for personal advancement, for growth (e.g., plants), and as a metaphor for events or conditions increasing or intensifying. While English translations render עָלָה in many different ways ('go up,' 'ascend,' 'offer,' 'rise'), the unifying concept is upward movement or increase, whether literal or metaphorical. The nuance may shift depending on context: from a simple change in physical elevation to promotion in position or rank, or to the act of bringing something into a higher status or state, especially in sacrificial contexts. In some post-exilic and later Second Temple or Rabbinic Hebrew, עָלָה acquires the specific religious sense of 'going up' (making aliyah) to the land of Israel, especially Jerusalem, which becomes a central concept in later Jewish identity; however, in biblical usage this is typically geographic or cultic rather than nationalistic. The semantic flexibility of עָלָה allows it to occupy a central place in biblical vocabulary for both literal and symbolic ascents.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative; arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, [idiom] mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, [phrase] perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עלה (ʿ-l-h) — to ascend, go up, climb, increase

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H421 אָלָה Lofty One
H422 אָלָה he ascended
H4605 מַעַל upward
H4607 מֹעַל in hand-raising
H4608 מַעֲלֶה at the ascent

Word Forms

157 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5927-110 וַ/יַּ֥עַל vayaal HC/Vhw3ms and went up and he caused to ascend 110
H5927-115 וַ/יַּֽעֲל֤וּ vayaalu HC/Vhw3mp and they went up they caused to ascend 65
H5927-03 עָלָ֔ה alah HVqp3ms went up he ascended 63
H5927-152 יַֽעֲלֶ֣ה yaaleh HVqi3ms shall go up he ascends 55
H5927-17 עֲל֥וּ alu HVqv2mp went up Ascend! 38
H5927-05 עֲלֵ֥ה aleh HVqv2ms go up leaf of 36
H5927-154 יַעֲל֖וּ yaalu HVqi3mp go up they will ascend 25
H5927-66 לְ/הַעֲלֹ֥ת lehaalot HR/Vhc to offer up to cause to ascend 23
H5927-64 לַ/עֲלֹ֖ת laalot HR/Vqc to go up to ascend 23
H5927-118 וְ/עָלָ֥ה vealah HC/Vqq3ms and went up and he ascended 18

Occurrences in Scripture

894 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5927-152 Genesis 2:6 יַֽעֲלֶ֣ה yaaleh HVqi3ms would well up/rise he ascends
H5927-110 Genesis 8:20 וַ/יַּ֥עַל vayaal HC/Vhw3ms and offered and he caused to ascend
H5927-110 Genesis 13:1 וַ/יַּעַל֩ vayaal HC/Vqw3ms went up and he caused to ascend
H5927-110 Genesis 17:22 וַ/יַּ֣עַל vayaal HC/Vqw3ms and went up and he caused to ascend
H5927-03 Genesis 19:15 עָלָ֔ה alah HVqp3ms arose he ascended
H5927-03 Genesis 19:28 עָלָה֙ alah HVqp3ms rising he ascended
H5927-110 Genesis 19:30 וַ/יַּעַל֩ vayaal HC/Vqw3ms went up and he caused to ascend
H5927-125 Genesis 22:2 וְ/הַעֲלֵ֤/הוּ vehaalehu HC/Vhv2ms/Sp3ms and offer him and make him ascend
H5927-112 Genesis 22:13 וַ/יַּעֲלֵ֥/הוּ vayaalehu HC/Vhw3ms/Sp3ms offered it up and he caused him to ascend
H5927-103 Genesis 24:16 וַ/תָּֽעַל vataal HC/Vqw3fs and came up and she ascended
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