Lexical Summary ma'alah: Ascent, step, stair, elevation, degree Original Word: מַעֲלָה 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 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 RSOTJC 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 DiIs) 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). Topical Lexicon General ScopeThe word מַעֲלָה occurs about forty-seven times in the Hebrew Scriptures, describing any upward movement, grade, or elevation—whether in geography, architecture, worship, or spiritual progress. Its distribution stretches from the early monarchy through the post-exilic period and into prophetic vision, weaving the theme of ascent into Israel’s history and worship life. Physical Ascents and Architectural Steps 1. Royal and civic architecture: Solomon’s throne rested on “six steps” (1 Kings 10:19; 2 Chronicles 9:18), and the Queen of Sheba was awestruck by “the stairway by which he went up to the house of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 9:4). These references show that graded approaches to royal or sacred spaces served to magnify dignity and point hearts upward toward covenant authority. 2. City infrastructure: After the exile Nehemiah rebuilt “the steps of the City of David” (Nehemiah 3:15; 12:37), restoring both defensive function and the symbolic reminder that the capital of God’s people stood on a hill to which the tribes go up. 3. Temple vision: Ezekiel’s tour of the future sanctuary repeatedly notes graded approaches—“seven steps” at the outer gates and “eight steps” at the inner gates (Ezekiel 40:6, 22, 26, 31, 34, 37)—culminating in the altar platform that has “steps facing east” (Ezekiel 43:17). The carefully measured elevations emphasize ordered access into God’s presence. The Miraculous Sign to Hezekiah In response to King Hezekiah’s plea for assurance of healing, Isaiah called upon the LORD, and “He brought the shadow back the ten steps it had descended on the stairway of Ahaz” (2 Kings 20:11; Isaiah 38:8). Here מַעֲלָה is both literal (a physical stairway) and symbolic (God sovereign over time and nature). The reversal of the sun’s shadow prophetically affirmed God’s power to prolong life and, by extension, the Davidic dynasty. Pilgrimage and Worship: The Songs of Ascents Fifteen psalms (Psalms 120–134) open with the superscription “A Song of Ascents.” These pilgrimage hymns prepared worshipers for the tri-annual feasts in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:16). Themes of communal unity (Psalm 133), divine protection (Psalm 121), joyful anticipation (Psalm 122), and priestly blessing (Psalm 134) are framed by the notion of ascending: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2) The gradual climb toward the Temple mirrored the heart’s upward movement toward the LORD. Spiritual and Moral Elevation Beyond physical ascent, מַעֲלָה becomes a metaphor for ethical and spiritual progress. Proverbs likens the path of the righteous to dawning light that “shines ever brighter till the full day” (Proverbs 4:18), an image resonating with upward orientation even when the term itself is absent. The physical motif of climbing steps invites reflection on sanctification—a steady, God-enabled rise from sin toward holiness. Prophetic and Eschatological Resonance Ezekiel’s stepped Temple anticipates a restored worship order in the messianic age, when nations will ascend to learn God’s ways (Isaiah 2:2-3). The New Testament continues the trajectory: believers are being “built together into a dwelling place for God” (Ephesians 2:22), an ever-increasing structure that culminates in the heavenly city where “its street was pure gold, like transparent glass” (Revelation 21:21)—the ultimate, eternal מַעֲלָה. Practical Ministry Implications • Worship Planning: Incorporate liturgical journeys—from call to confession to benediction—mirroring the upward flow seen in the Songs of Ascents. Key References Genesis 13:1; 1 Kings 10:19; 2 Kings 20:9-11; 2 Chronicles 9:4, 9:18; Nehemiah 3:15; Nehemiah 12:37; Psalms 120–134 titles; Ezekiel 40:6-37; Ezekiel 43:17; Isaiah 38:8. 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 vemaaLotLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman'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 1 Kings 10:19 1 Kings 10:20 2 Kings 9:13 2 Kings 20:9 2 Kings 20:9 2 Kings 20:10 2 Kings 20:10 2 Kings 20:11 2 Kings 20:11 1 Chronicles 17:17 2 Chronicles 9:18 2 Chronicles 9:19 Ezra 7:9 Nehemiah 3:15 Nehemiah 12:37 Psalm 120:1 Psalm 121:1 Psalm 122:1 Psalm 123:1 Psalm 124:1 Psalm 125:1 Psalm 126:1 Psalm 127:1 47 Occurrences |
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