5968. alaph

Lexicon

alaph: To learn, to teach, to be accustomed

Original Word: עָלַף
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: `alaph
Pronunciation: ah-laf'
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-laf')
Definition: To learn, to teach, to be accustomed
Meaning: to veil, cover, to be languid

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

faint, overlaid, wrap self

A primitive root; to veil or cover; figuratively, to be languid -- faint, overlaid, wrap self.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to cover
NASB Translation
became faint (1), faint (1), fainted (1), inlaid (1), wilted away (1), wrapped (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[עָלַף] verb cover (Late Hebrew id., cover, faint; Arabic smear, II. cover, sheath; Assyrian elpitu, pining, exhaustion); —

Pu`al Participle feminine covered, encrusted, construct מְעֻלֶּפֶת Songs 5:14 his belly if ivory encrusted with sapphires. Perfect3plural בָּנַיִךְ עֻלְּפוּ Isaiah 51:20 thy sons are enshrouded, enwrapped, i.e. their senses obscured = have swooned away; so also Ezekiel 31:15, reading 3feminine singular עֻלָּ֑פָה for substantive עֻלְמֶּה (Kö^{ii. 1, 118}), all the trees have fainted for (עַל) him (so ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ9 Hi Co and others).

Hithpa`el enwrap oneself, Imperfect3feminine singular וַתִּתְעַלָּ֑ף Genesis 38:14 (J); = swoon away, 3 masculine singular וַיִּתְעַלָּ֑ף Jonah 4:8; 3feminine plural תִּתְעַלַּפְנָה Amos 8:13.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G639 (ἀποκαλύπτω, apokalyptō): While not a direct equivalent, this Greek term means "to uncover" or "to reveal," which contrasts with the covering aspect of עָלַף (ʿālap̄).
• G1587 (ἐκλείπω, ekleipō): This Greek term means "to fail" or "to faint," aligning with the languid or faint aspect of עָלַף (ʿālap̄).

In summary, עָלַף (ʿālap̄) is a multifaceted Hebrew verb that captures the dual concepts of covering and faintness, reflecting both physical actions and metaphorical states of being. Its usage in the Hebrew Bible provides rich imagery for understanding human vulnerability and the need for divine intervention.

Usage: This verb is used in the context of covering or veiling, often metaphorically to describe a state of faintness or languor. It appears in various forms in the Hebrew Bible, illustrating both physical and metaphorical coverings or states of weakness.

Context: • The verb עָלַף (ʿālap̄) is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe actions related to covering or veiling, as well as states of faintness or languor. It is a versatile term that can be applied both literally and figuratively.
• In its literal sense, it can refer to the act of covering oneself with a garment or veil, as seen in contexts where individuals are described as veiling themselves.
• Figuratively, עָלַף (ʿālap̄) is used to describe a state of weakness or faintness, often in a spiritual or emotional sense. This usage highlights the human experience of exhaustion or being overwhelmed, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
• The term is found in poetic and prophetic literature, where it enriches the imagery of human frailty and the need for divine strength and protection.
• An example from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB) can be found in Isaiah 51:20: "Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of every street like antelope caught in a net. They are full of the wrath of the LORD, the rebuke of your God."

Forms and Transliterations

וַיִּתְעַלָּ֑ף וַתִּתְעַלָּ֔ף ויתעלף ותתעלף מְעֻלֶּ֖פֶת מעלפת עֻלְּפ֥וּ עלפו תִּ֠תְעַלַּפְנָה תתעלפנה ‘ul·lə·p̄ū ‘ulləp̄ū mə‘ullep̄eṯ mə·‘ul·le·p̄eṯ meulLefet tiṯ‘allap̄nāh tiṯ·‘al·lap̄·nāh Titallafnah ulleFu vaiyitalLaf vattitalLaf wat·tiṯ·‘al·lāp̄ wattiṯ‘allāp̄ way·yiṯ·‘al·lāp̄ wayyiṯ‘allāp̄

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 38:14
HEB: וַתְּכַ֤ס בַּצָּעִיף֙ וַתִּתְעַלָּ֔ף וַתֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ בְּפֶ֣תַח
NAS: [herself] with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat
KJV: with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in
INT: and covered A veil and wrapped and sat the gateway

Songs 5:14
HEB: עֶ֣שֶׁת שֵׁ֔ן מְעֻלֶּ֖פֶת סַפִּירִֽים׃
NAS: is carved ivory Inlaid with sapphires.
KJV: ivory overlaid [with] sapphires.
INT: is carved ivory Inlaid sapphires

Isaiah 51:20
HEB: בָּנַ֜יִךְ עֻלְּפ֥וּ שָׁכְב֛וּ בְּרֹ֥אשׁ
NAS: Your sons have fainted, They lie
KJV: Thy sons have fainted, they lie
INT: your sons have fainted lie the head

Amos 8:13
HEB: בַּיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא תִּ֠תְעַלַּפְנָה הַבְּתוּלֹ֧ת הַיָּפ֛וֹת
NAS: And the young men will faint from thirst.
KJV: and young men faint for thirst.
INT: day he will faint virgins the beautiful

Jonah 4:8
HEB: רֹ֥אשׁ יוֹנָ֖ה וַיִּתְעַלָּ֑ף וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל אֶת־
NAS: head so that he became faint and begged
KJV: of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished
INT: head Jonah's became and begged with his soul

5 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5968
5 Occurrences

mə·‘ul·le·p̄eṯ — 1 Occ.
tiṯ·‘al·lap̄·nāh — 1 Occ.
‘ul·lə·p̄ū — 1 Occ.
way·yiṯ·‘al·lāp̄ — 1 Occ.
wat·tiṯ·‘al·lāp̄ — 1 Occ.