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עֹלֵלָה

𐤏𐤋𐤋𐤄

ʻôlêlâh

H5955 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ע-ל-ל to go over, to glean, to act severely

Definition

Grapes left on the vine after the main harvest, especially those remaining for gleaning; by extension, the process or period of gleaning grapes. The word usually appears in the plural and refers to unharvested clusters or berries left for the poor or sojourners to gather after the primary vintage.

Semantic Range

grape gleanings, left-over grapes after harvest, gleaning-time (for grapes), residual grape clusters after the vintage

Root / Etymology

From the root עָלַל (ʻ-l-l), which fundamentally means 'to go over, to act severely, to glean.' עֹלֵלָה derives as a feminine active participle, but is used substantivally to denote the outcome of the action, i.e., that which is gleaned or left over.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, עֹלֵלָה specifically refers to grape clusters or individual grapes left purposely on the vine in accordance with Israelite law as part of provisions for the marginalized (Leviticus 19:10; Deuteronomy 24:21; Isaiah 17:6). The practice distinguishes between the main harvest and secondary collection, the latter being an explicit legal and social category. The term is generally limited to viticulture contexts and is not used for other crops—gleanings from grain harvests are typically expressed with other terms (e.g., לֶקֶט leqet). English translations often simply render עֹלֵלָה as "gleanings," which may obscure its specific association with grape harvests and with regulated social provision in Israelite society. No evidence suggests an extension to other fruits in the biblical period. The term retains its restricted scope in both narrative and legal passages, and its usage diminishes in post-exilic literature, reflecting shifting agricultural realities and changing social structures.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine active participle of עָלַל; only in plural gleanings; by extension gleaning-time; (gleaning) (of the) grapes, grapegleanings.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עלל (ʿ-l-l) — to go over, to glean, to deal severely

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4606 מֵעָל from sunset-enterings-of
H4611 מַעֲלָל in his deeds
H5931 עִלָּה contrived pretext
H5943 עִלַּי the Exalted One
H5948 עֲלִיל refining crucible

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5955-02 עֹלְל֥וֹת olelot HNcfpc gleanings grape-gleanings of 4
H5955-01 כְּ/עוֹלֵלֹ֖ת keolelot HR/Ncfpa like-gleanings grape-gleanings 2

Occurrences in Scripture

6 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5955-02 Judges 8:2 עֹלְל֥וֹת olelot HNcfpc the gleaning grape-gleanings of
H5955-02 Isaiah 17:6 עֽוֹלֵלֹת֙ olelot HNcfpa gleanings grape-gleanings of
H5955-01 Isaiah 24:13 כְּ/עוֹלֵלֹ֖ת keolelot HR/Ncfpa like-gleanings grape-gleanings
H5955-02 Jeremiah 49:9 עֽוֹלֵל֑וֹת olelot HNcfpa gleanings grape-gleanings of
H5955-02 Obadiah 1:5 עֹלֵלֽוֹת olelot HNcfpa some gleanings grape-gleanings of
H5955-01 Micah 7:1 כְּ/עֹלְלֹ֖ת keolelot HR/Ncfpc like the gleanings grape-gleanings
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