Strong's Hebrew: 4609. מַעֲלָה (ma'alah) -- Ascent, step, stair, elevation, degree

◄ 4609. ma'alah ►

Strong's Lexicon

ma'alah: Ascent, step, stair, elevation, degree

Original Word: מַעֲלָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: ma`alah
Pronunciation: mah-ah-lah
Phonetic Spelling: (mah-al-aw')
Definition: Ascent, step, stair, elevation, degree
Meaning: elevation, the act, the condition, a climactic progression

Word Origin: Derived from the root עָלָה (alah), meaning "to go up" or "ascend."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G305: ἀναβαίνω (anabainō) - to go up, ascend

- G306: ἀνάβασις (anabasis) - ascent, going up

Usage: The Hebrew word "ma'alah" primarily refers to a physical or metaphorical ascent or step. It can denote a literal step or stair in a structure, an elevation in geographical terms, or a figurative rise in status or spiritual condition. In the context of the Psalms, it is often associated with the "Songs of Ascents" (Psalms 120-134), which were sung by pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem for the feasts.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israel, the concept of ascent was significant both physically and spiritually. Jerusalem, situated on a hill, required physical ascent for pilgrims traveling to the city for religious festivals. This journey symbolized a spiritual ascent towards God. The "Songs of Ascents" were likely sung during these pilgrimages, reflecting themes of worship, repentance, and divine protection. The idea of ascent also appears in the construction of the Temple, where steps led to the holy places, symbolizing a journey towards holiness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. [מַעֲלָה] noun feminine what comes up; — plural construct מַעֲלוֺת רוּחֲכֶם Ezekiel 11:5, i.e. your thoughts.

II. מַעֲלָה₄₆ noun feminine step, stair; — ׳מ Ezra 7:9; 1 Chronicles 17:17; plural מַעֲלוֺת Isaiah 38:8 +, suffix מַעֲלֹתָו֯ Amos 9:6, etc.; —

1 step, stair of temple Ezekiel 40:6 5t. 40, and temple porch Ezekiel 40:49; of altar Exodus 20:26 (E) (forbidden, compare RS^{OTJC xii, n. l; 2nd ed. 358}) Ezekiel 43:17 (prescribed); of house 2 Kings 9:13, of throne 1 Kings 10:19,20; 2Chronicles 9:18,19; to the city of David Nehemiah 3:15; Nehemiah 12:37.

2 steps (forming sun-dial, compare Di^Is) 2 Kings 20:9 (twice in verse); 2 Kings 20:10 (twice in verse); 2 Kings 20:11 (3 t. in verse) = Isaiah 38:8 (5 t. in verse)

3 stories of heaven Amos 9:6.

4 ascent, מִבָּבֶל Ezra 7:9.

5. (ל)הַמַּעֲלוֺת שִׁיר song of ascents, to the three great pilgrim feasts, i.e. to be sung on way up to Jerusalem, titles of Psalm 120-134 + Psalm 84:6 We and others — כְּתוֺר האדם המעלה 1 Chronicles 17:17 is corrupt, see Commentaries on the passage (and on "" 2 Samuel 7:19).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

things that come up, high degree, deal, go up, stair, step, story

Feminine of ma'aleh; elevation, i.e. The act (literally, a journey to a higher place, figuratively, a thought arising), or (concretely) the condition (literally, a step or grade-mark, figuratively, a superiority of station); specifically a climactic progression (in certain Psalms) -- things that come up, (high) degree, deal, go up, stair, step, story.

see HEBREW ma'aleh

Forms and Transliterations

בְּמַעֲל֥וֹת בְמַעֲל֨וֹת בְמַעֲלֹ֖ת בַּֽמַּעֲל֖וֹת בְּמַֽעֲלֹותָ֑יו במעלות במעלותיו במעלת הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹת הַֽמַּעֲל֑וֹת הַֽמַּעֲל֔וֹת הַֽמַּעֲל֖וֹת הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת הַֽמַּעֲל֡וֹת הַֽמַּעֲלָ֖ה המעלה המעלות וּבְמַעֲל֥וֹת וּבַֽמַּעֲל֔וֹת וּמַעֲל֤וֹת וּמַעֲל֥וֹת וּמַעֲלֹתֵ֖הוּ ובמעלות ומעלות ומעלתהו לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת למעלות מַֽעֲל֔וֹת מַעֲל֑וֹת מַעֲל֔וֹת מַעֲל֖וֹת מַעֲל֣וֹת מַעֲלֵ֣ה מַעֲלֹותָ֔יו מַעֲלֽוֹת׃ מַעֲלוֹת֙ מעלה מעלות מעלות׃ מעלותיו bam·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ bamma‘ălōwṯ bammaaLot bə·ma·‘ă·lō·w·ṯāw bə·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ ḇə·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ ḇə·ma·‘ă·lōṯ ḇəma‘ălōṯ bəma‘ălōwṯ ḇəma‘ălōwṯ bəma‘ălōwṯāw bemaaLot bemaaloTav ham·ma·‘ă·lāh ham·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ hamma‘ălāh hamma‘ălōwṯ hammaaLah hammaaLot lam·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ lamma‘ălōwṯ lamMaaLot ma‘ălêh ma‘ălōwṯ ma‘ălōwṯāw ma·‘ă·lêh ma·‘ă·lō·w·ṯāw ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ maaLeh maaLot maaloTav ū·ḇam·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ ū·ḇə·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ ū·ma·‘ă·lō·ṯê·hū ū·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ ūḇamma‘ălōwṯ ūḇəma‘ălōwṯ ūma‘ălōṯêhū ūma‘ălōwṯ umaaLot umaaloTehu uvammaaLot uvemaaLot vemaaLot

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Englishman's Concordance

Exodus 20:26
HEB: וְלֹֽא־ תַעֲלֶ֥ה בְמַעֲלֹ֖ת עַֽל־ מִזְבְּחִ֑י
NAS: And you shall not go up by steps to My altar,
KJV: Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar,
INT: shall not go steps unto my altar

Joshua 10:10
HEB: וַֽיִּרְדְּפֵ֗ם דֶּ֚רֶךְ מַעֲלֵ֣ה בֵית־ חוֹרֹ֔ן
INT: and pursued the way step of Beth-horon and struck

1 Kings 10:19
HEB: שֵׁ֧שׁ מַעֲל֣וֹת לַכִּסֵּ֗ה וְרֹאשׁ־
NAS: [There] [were] six steps to the throne
KJV: had six steps, and the top
INT: six steps to the throne top

1 Kings 10:20
HEB: עַל־ שֵׁ֥שׁ הַֽמַּעֲל֖וֹת מִזֶּ֣ה וּמִזֶּ֑ה
NAS: on the six steps on the one
KJV: there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like
INT: on the six steps the one side

2 Kings 9:13
HEB: אֶל־ גֶּ֣רֶם הַֽמַּעֲל֑וֹת וַֽיִּתְקְעוּ֙ בַּשּׁוֹפָ֔ר
NAS: him on the bare steps, and blew
KJV: [it] under him on the top of the stairs, and blew
INT: on the bare steps and blew the trumpet

2 Kings 20:9
HEB: הַצֵּל֙ עֶ֣שֶׂר מַֽעֲל֔וֹת אִם־ יָשׁ֖וּב
NAS: go forward ten steps or go back
KJV: go forward ten degrees, or go back ten
INT: shall the shadow ten steps or go

2 Kings 20:9
HEB: יָשׁ֖וּב עֶ֥שֶׂר מַעֲלֽוֹת׃
NAS: go back ten steps?
KJV: or go back ten degrees?
INT: go ten steps

2 Kings 20:10
HEB: לִנְט֖וֹת עֶ֣שֶׂר מַעֲל֑וֹת לֹ֣א כִ֔י
NAS: ten steps; no,
KJV: ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow
INT: to decline ten steps no for

2 Kings 20:10
HEB: אֲחֹרַנִּ֖ית עֶ֥שֶׂר מַעֲלֽוֹת׃
NAS: backward ten steps.
KJV: backward ten degrees.
INT: backward ten steps

2 Kings 20:11
HEB: אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרְדָ֜ה בְּמַעֲל֥וֹת אָחָ֛ז אֲחֹֽרַנִּ֖ית
NAS: the shadow on the stairway back
KJV: the shadow ten degrees backward, by
INT: which had gone the stairway of Ahaz back

2 Kings 20:11
HEB: אֲחֹֽרַנִּ֖ית עֶ֥שֶׂר מַעֲלֽוֹת׃ פ
NAS: ten steps by which
KJV: backward, by which it had gone down
INT: back ten steps

1 Chronicles 17:17
HEB: כְּת֧וֹר הָאָדָ֛ם הַֽמַּעֲלָ֖ה יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִֽים׃
NAS: of a man of high degree, O LORD
KJV: of a man of high degree, O LORD
INT: to the estate of a man of high LORD God

2 Chronicles 9:18
HEB: וְשֵׁ֣שׁ מַעֲל֣וֹת לַ֠כִּסֵּא וְכֶ֨בֶשׁ
NAS: [There were] six steps to the throne
KJV: And [there were] six steps to the throne,
INT: six steps to the throne footstool

2 Chronicles 9:19
HEB: עַל־ שֵׁ֥שׁ הַֽמַּעֲל֖וֹת מִזֶּ֣ה וּמִזֶּ֑ה
NAS: on the six steps on the one
KJV: there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made
INT: on the six steps the one side

Ezra 7:9
HEB: ה֣וּא יְסֻ֔ד הַֽמַּעֲלָ֖ה מִבָּבֶ֑ל וּבְאֶחָ֞ד
NAS: he began to go up from Babylon;
KJV: began he to go up from Babylon,
INT: he began to go Babylon the first

Nehemiah 3:15
HEB: הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְעַד־ הַֽמַּעֲל֔וֹת הַיּוֹרְד֖וֹת מֵעִ֥יר
NAS: as far as the steps that descend
KJV: garden, and unto the stairs that go down
INT: the king's far as the steps descend the city

Nehemiah 12:37
HEB: עָלוּ֙ עַֽל־ מַעֲלוֹת֙ עִ֣יר דָּוִ֔יד
NAS: directly up the steps of the city
KJV: which was over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city
INT: went by the stairs of the city of David

Psalm 120:1
HEB: שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֶל־ יְ֭הוָה
KJV: <of degrees.>>
INT: Song of degrees to the LORD

Psalm 121:1
HEB: שִׁ֗יר לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֶשָּׂ֣א עֵ֭ינַי
KJV: <of degrees.>>
INT: Song of degrees up my eyes

Psalm 122:1
HEB: שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד שָׂ֭מַחְתִּי
KJV: <of degrees of David.>>
INT: Song of degrees of David was glad

Psalm 123:1
HEB: שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֵ֭לֶיךָ נָשָׂ֣אתִי
KJV: <of degrees.>>
INT: Song of degrees unto up

Psalm 124:1
HEB: שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד לוּלֵ֣י
KJV: <of degrees of David.>>
INT: Song of degrees of David If

Psalm 125:1
HEB: שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים בַּיהוָ֑ה
KJV: <of degrees.>>
INT: Song of degrees trust the LORD

Psalm 126:1
HEB: שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת בְּשׁ֣וּב יְ֭הוָה
KJV: <of degrees.>>
INT: Song of degrees brought the LORD

Psalm 127:1
HEB: שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹת לִשְׁלֹ֫מֹ֥ה אִם־
KJV: <of degrees for Solomon.>>
INT: Song of degrees Solomon lo