422. alah

Lexicon

alah: To go up, ascend, climb, rise

Original Word: אָלָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: alah
Pronunciation: ah-LAH
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-law')
Definition: To go up, ascend, climb, rise
Meaning: to adjure, imprecate

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

adjure, curse, swear

A primitive root; properly, to adjure, i.e. (usually in a bad sense) imprecate -- adjure, curse, swear.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to swear, curse
NASB Translation
oaths (1), put the under oath (1), swearing (1), take (2), takes an oath (2), under oath (1), uttered a curse (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

II. אָלָה verb swear, curse (compare I. אלה ? so Thes Lag^{Or ii. 3}) —

Qal Perfect 1 Kings 8:31 ( = 2 Chronicles 6:22 all Vrss Th Bö Bä Kp reading וְאָלָה); אָלִית Judges 17:2; Infinitive absolute אָלֹה Hosea 4:2; אָלוֺת Hosea 10:4.

1 swear, take oath before God 1 Kings 8:31 ( = 2 Chronicles 6:22); in covenants Hosea 4:2; Hosea 10:4 (falsely).

2 curse Judges 17:2.

Hiph`il Imperfect וַיּאֶֹל 1 Samuel 14:24; Infinitive לְהַאֲלֹתוֺ 1 Kings 8:31 2Chronicles 6:22 adjure, put under oath.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root אָלָה (alah), which is a primitive root.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • The Greek equivalent for the concept of swearing an oath or invoking a curse can be found in Strong's Greek entries such as 3660 (ὀμνύω • omnyo), which means to swear or take an oath, and 332 (ἀνάθεμα • anathema), which refers to a curse or something devoted to destruction. These Greek terms capture similar themes of solemn commitment and the invocation of divine judgment.

Usage: The term is used in the context of making solemn oaths or invoking curses. It appears in various forms throughout the Hebrew Bible, often in legal or covenantal contexts.

Context: • The Hebrew word אָלָה (alah) is primarily used to denote the act of swearing an oath or invoking a curse. It is a term that carries significant weight in the context of ancient Israelite society, where oaths and curses were considered binding and sacred.
• In the Old Testament, אָלָה is often associated with covenants and legal agreements. For example, in Deuteronomy 29:12, the Israelites are reminded of the covenant they have entered into with God, which includes both blessings and curses (alah) depending on their obedience or disobedience.
• The word is also used in the context of judicial proceedings, where individuals might be required to swear an oath to affirm the truth of their statements. In Numbers 5:21, the priest uses an oath of cursing (alah) in the ritual for a woman suspected of adultery.
• The concept of invoking a curse is also evident in the narrative of Nehemiah 10:29, where the people of Israel bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God.
• The use of אָלָה underscores the seriousness with which oaths and curses were regarded in the biblical world, reflecting a deep belief in the power of words and the divine enforcement of spoken commitments.

Forms and Transliterations

אָל֥וֹת אָלִית֙ אָלָ֖ה אָלֹ֣ה אלה אלות אלית וַיֹּאֶל֩ ויאל לְהַֽאֲלֹת֑וֹ להאלתו ’ā·lāh ’ā·lîṯ ’ā·lō·wṯ ’ā·lōh ’ālāh ’ālîṯ ’ālōh ’ālōwṯ aLah aLit aLoh aLot lə·ha·’ă·lō·ṯōw ləha’ălōṯōw lehaaloTo vaiyoEl way·yō·’el wayyō’el

Englishman's Concordance

Judges 17:2
HEB: (וְאַ֤תְּ ק) אָלִית֙ וְגַם֙ אָמַ֣רְתְּ
NAS: were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse in my hearing,
KJV: that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest
INT: were taken you uttered again said

1 Samuel 14:24
HEB: בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַיֹּאֶל֩ שָׁא֨וּל אֶת־
NAS: for Saul had put the people
KJV: for Saul had adjured the people,
INT: day he had put Saul the people

1 Kings 8:31
HEB: ב֥וֹ אָלָ֖ה לְהַֽאֲלֹת֑וֹ וּבָ֗א אָלָ֛ה
NAS: and is made to take an oath,
KJV: be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath
INT: debt an oath to take comes an oath

2 Chronicles 6:22
HEB: וְנָֽשָׁא־ ב֥וֹ אָלָ֖ה לְהַֽאֲלֹת֑וֹ וּבָ֗א
NAS: and is made to take an oath,
KJV: be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath
INT: his neighbor be laid to take an oath comes

Hosea 4:2
HEB: אָלֹ֣ה וְכַחֵ֔שׁ וְרָצֹ֥חַ
NAS: [There is] swearing, deception,
KJV: By swearing, and lying, and killing,
INT: swearing deception murder

Hosea 10:4
HEB: דִּבְּר֣וּ דְבָרִ֔ים אָל֥וֹת שָׁ֖וְא כָּרֹ֣ת
NAS: With worthless oaths they make
KJV: words, swearing falsely
INT: speak words oaths worthless make

6 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 422
6 Occurrences

’ā·lāh — 1 Occ.
’ā·lîṯ — 1 Occ.
’ā·lōh — 1 Occ.
’ā·lō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
lə·ha·’ă·lō·ṯōw — 1 Occ.
way·yō·’el — 1 Occ.