עָלָה
to go up
also: ascend, climb fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Qal verb in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Verb
- An action or state-of-being word.
Stem
- Qal
- The basic, simple active stem — the plain form of the verb (“he wrote”). Here: ‘of persons’
- Hiphil
- The causative active stem (“he caused / brought about”). Here: ‘bring up persons’
- Niphal
- Usually the simple passive or reflexive of the Qal (“he was written”). Here: ‘be brought up’
- Hophal
- The passive counterpart of the Hiphil (“he was caused to…”). Here: ‘be carried away’
- Hithpael
- The reflexive or reciprocal stem (the subject acts on itself). Here: ‘lift oneself’
Form
- Sequential Imperfect
- An imperfect with prefixed waw — the standard past-narrative form (waw-consecutive imperfect).
- Perfect
- A completed action or state — Hebrew marks aspect (completeness) more than strict tense (“he wrote”).
- Imperfect
- An incomplete, ongoing, or future action (“he will / would write”).
- Infinitive Construct
- A bound verbal noun, frequently with prepositions (“to write / in writing”).
- Imperative
- A direct command (“write!”).
- Participle Active
- A verbal adjective expressing ongoing or characteristic action (“writing / one who writes”).
- Sequential Perfect
- A perfect with prefixed waw continuing a preceding imperfect or command (waw-consecutive perfect).
- Cohortative
- A first-person volitional form expressing wish or resolve (“let me / let us write”).
- Jussive
- A third- or second-person volitional form expressing wish or command (“let him write”).
- Infinitive Absolute
- An unbound verbal noun, often intensifying or standing in for a finite verb.
State
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
Person
- 3rd Person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
- 2nd Person
- The one addressed (“you”).
- 1st Person
- The speaker (“I / we”).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
- Common
- Either gender — not distinguished for this form.
- Feminine
- Grammatically feminine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
Every verse where H5927 appears in the Book of 2 Samuel — 30 distinct verses. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
2 Samuel
- 2 Samuel 1:24 הַֽ/מַּעֲלֶה֙ ptcl def.art + Hiphil ptcp.act ms You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, Who clothed you in scarlet delicately, Who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.
- 2 Samuel 2:1 הַ/אֶעֱלֶ֗ה עֲלֵ֑ה אֶעֱלֶ֖ה ptcl inter + Qal impf 1cs Qal impv 2ms Qal impf 1cs It happened after this, that David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? Yahweh said to him, Go up. David said, Where shall I go up? He said, To Hebron.
- 2 Samuel 2:2 וַ/יַּ֤עַל conj + Qal wimpf 3ms So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
- 2 Samuel 2:3 הֶעֱלָ֥ה Hiphil pf 3ms His men who were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they lived in the cities of Hebron.
- 2 Samuel 2:27 נַעֲלָ֣ה Niphal pf 3ms Joab said, As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone away, nor followed everyone his brother.
- 2 Samuel 5:17 וַ/יַּעֲל֥וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold.
- 2 Samuel 5:19 הַ/אֶֽעֱלֶה֙ עֲלֵ֔ה ptcl inter + Qal impf 1cs Qal impv 2ms David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? will you deliver them into my hand? Yahweh said to David, Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand.
- 2 Samuel 5:22 לַֽ/עֲל֑וֹת prep + Qal inf.cs The Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
- 2 Samuel 5:23 תַעֲלֶ֑ה Qal impf 2ms When David inquired of Yahweh, he said, You shall not go up: make a circuit behind them, and come on them over against the mulberry trees.
- 2 Samuel 6:2 לְ/הַעֲל֣וֹת prep + Hiphil inf.cs David arose, and went with all the people who were with him, from Baale Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, even the name of Yahweh of Hosts who sits [above] the cherubim.
- 2 Samuel 6:12 וַ/יַּעַל֩ conj + Hiphil wimpf 3ms It was told king David, saying, Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertains to him, because of the ark of God. David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with joy.
- 2 Samuel 6:15 מַעֲלִ֖ים Hiphil ptcp.act mp So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Yahweh with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
- 2 Samuel 6:17 וַ/יַּ֨עַל conj + Hiphil wimpf 3ms They brought in the ark of Yahweh, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace-offerings before Yahweh.
- 2 Samuel 6:18 מֵ/הַעֲל֥וֹת prep + Hiphil inf.cs When David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of Hosts.
- 2 Samuel 7:6 הַעֲלֹתִ֞/י Hiphil inf.cs + sfx pers 1cs for I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tent.
- 2 Samuel 11:20 תַּעֲלֶה֙ Qal impf 3fs it shall be that, if the king's wrath arise, and he tells you, 'Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn't you know that they would shoot from the wall?
- 2 Samuel 15:24 וַ/יַּ֖עַל conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Behold, Zadok also [came], and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.
- 2 Samuel 15:30 עֹלֶה֩ עֹלֶ֣ה וְ/עָל֥וּ עָלֹ֖ה Qal ptcp.act ms Qal ptcp.act ms conj + Qal wpf 3cp Qal inf.abs David went up by the ascent of the [Mount of] Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people who were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
- 2 Samuel 17:21 וַֽ/יַּעֲלוּ֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp It happened, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said to David, Arise you, and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counseled against you.
- 2 Samuel 18:33 וַ/יַּ֛עַל conj + Qal wimpf 3ms The king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for you, Absalom, my son, my son!
- 2 Samuel 19:34 אֶעֱלֶ֥ה Qal impf 1cs Barzillai said to the king, How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?
- 2 Samuel 20:2 וַ/יַּ֜עַל conj + Qal wimpf 3ms So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
- 2 Samuel 21:13 וַ/יַּ֤עַל conj + Hiphil wimpf 3ms and he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son: and they gathered the bones of those who were hanged.
- 2 Samuel 22:9 עָלָ֤ה Qal pf 3ms There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, Fire out of his mouth devoured: Coals were kindled by it.
- 2 Samuel 23:9 וַֽ/יַּעֲל֖וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away.
- 2 Samuel 24:18 עֲלֵה֙ Qal impv 2ms Gad came that day to David, and said to him, Go up, rear an altar to Yahweh in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
- 2 Samuel 24:19 וַ/יַּ֤עַל conj + Qal wimpf 3ms David went up according to the saying of Gad, as Yahweh commanded.
- 2 Samuel 24:22 וְ/יַ֛עַל conj + Hiphil juss 3ms Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him: behold, the oxen for the burnt offering, and the threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood:
- 2 Samuel 24:24 אַעֲלֶ֛ה Hiphil impf 1cs The king said to Araunah, No; but I will most assuredly buy it of you at a price. Neither will I offer burnt-offerings to Yahweh my God which cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
- 2 Samuel 24:25 וַ/יַּ֥עַל conj + Hiphil wimpf 3ms David built there an altar to Yahweh, and offered burnt offerings and peace-offerings. So Yahweh was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
At its core, עלה (ʻâlâh) means “to go up.” Read the stem: it spans 5 stems, including Qal and Niphal. With 817 verses in 36 books, it is one of the most common word in the Hebrew Bible. Scripture first uses it in Genesis 2:6. Sharing its root, it stands alongside מעל, מעל and מעלה. Each statement above links to its evidence; the full detail follows below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H5927 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 817
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 817 distinct verses.
- 36 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 36 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #47
- by frequency
- Top 50 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 47 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 817 occurrences in the concordance →
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 817 distinct verses.
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 481 verses · 59%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 187 verses · 23%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 149 verses · 18%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Went up 114×, Go up 55×, Came up 49×
- American Standard Version: Went up 116×, Came up 42×, Go up 37×
- Berean Standard Bible: Went up 75×, Go up 63×, Came up 24×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Went up 133×, Go up 107×, And 88×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H5927 across 894 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 260 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 1 further occurrence.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H5927 across 900 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 296 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H5927 across 873 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 286 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 15 further occurrences.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H5927 across 1,088 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 214 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
49 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
Hebrew verbs can shift meaning by stem (binyan): Qal is the basic action, Niphal is often passive or reflexive, Piel often intensifies or makes it factitive, and Hiphil is typically causative. The senses below are grouped under the stem BDB assigns to each. This entry also uses Hophal (the passive of Hiphil) and Hithpael (reflexive or reciprocal).
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 49 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
Qal
- Pf. 3 ms. ע׳ Gn 19:15 +; 3 fs. עָֽלְתָה 40:10 +; עָלָ֑תָה Je 14:2 1 S 1:22; 2 ms. עָלִיתָ Gn 49:4 +, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יַעֲלֶה 2:6 +, יַ֫עַל 44:33 +, וַיַּעַל 13:1 +; sf. יַעֲלֶנָּה Is 35:9, etc.; Inf. abs. עָלֹה Gn 46:4 + 2 times; cstr. עֲלוֹת 32:25 +, etc.; Imv. עֲלֵה 35:1 +; fs. עֲלִי Nu 21:17 +, pl. עֲלוּ Gn 44:17 +; Pt. עֹלֶה 38:13 +; עוֹלֶה Is 24:18 +, pl. עֹלִים Gn 28:12 +, etc.;— e.g. Genesis 19:15
- 1. of persons, go up, ascend, in local relations:
- a. from low place to high, c. מִן, מִמִּצְרַיִם Gn 45:25 (E) + 6 times; מארץ מצרים Ex 13:18 (E) + 3 times; †מִבָּבֶל Ezr 7:6; 8:1; מִן הירדן Jos 4:16, 17, 19 (P); ם(ן־ה)מדבר Ct 3:6; 8:5 etc. e.g. Genesis 45:25
- b. out of a place, c. מִן, מִן הארץ 1 S 28:13; מֵהַבְּאֵר 2 S 17:21; הַפַּחַת (תּוֹךְ)םִ Is 24:18 Je 48:44. e.g. 1 Samuel 28:13
- c. c. acc. of place whither: a city ביתאל Gn 35:1, 3 (E); באר שׁבע 26:23 (J); a mountain ההר Nu 13:17 (JE) Dt 1:24 +, etc.; a bed Gn 49:4(×2) (J) 2 K 1:4, 16, gate Ru 4:1; (הַ)שָּׁיִם Dt 30:12; 2 K 2:11 Am 9:2 + 4 times; c. אֶל־, אל (ה)הר Ex 19:23; 34:2, 4 (J) 24:15, 18 (P) + 5 times P; אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם Dt 17:8, אל ירושׁלם Ezr 7:7; Is 2:3 = Mi 4:2 (אל הר), c. acc. loc. + אֶל־י׳ (v. 2 b) Je 31:6, of going up to Jerusalem (from a distance), etc.; c. לְ to, לירושׁלם Ezr 1:3 (from Babylon); לבית 1 S 25:35, etc.; c. עַד unto, עד־נחל Nu 32:9 (J); †c. בְּ, בְּאַחַת עָרֵי 2 S 2:1 (constr. praegn.); בְּבעל פְּרָצִים 1 Ch 14:11, בָּהָר Dt 5:5; בְּגֹרָלִי Ju 1:3. e.g. Genesis 35:1
- d. to sacred places, Ex 34:24, c. acc. †בית יהוה, from palace 2 K 19:14; 20:5, 8; 23:2; 2 Ch 29:20; 34:30; Is 37:14; 38:22 Je 26:10; במה 1 S 9:13, 14, 19; c. אֶל, אל הר האלהים Ex 24:13 (E); בּבית י׳ 1 S 1:7 (בּ dittogr.); בהר יהוה ψ 24:3. e.g. Exodus 34:24
- e. c. acc. דֶּרֶךְ by the way to †Nu 21:33 (E) Dt 3:1; Ju 8:11; 1 S 6:9; 2 K 3:8; מעלה Je 48:5; חוֹמָה Jo 2:7. e.g. Numbers 21:33
- f. ascent, climb, c. בְּ by, a ladder Gn 28:12 (E), Ez 40:6, 22, 49, etc.; c. עַל upon, altar by (ב) steps, of priest, Ex 20:23 (Gi van d. H. v 26; E) the roof Jos 2:8 Ju 9:51, bed ψ 132:3; עַל־יָדָיו on his hands 1 S 14:13; על במתי עב Is 14:14 (‖ ממעל לכוכבי אֵל), etc. e.g. Genesis 28:12
- 2. go up, in personal relations:
- a. to meet or visit, c. אֶל pers., Gn 44:17, 24, 34; 45:9 (J) Jos 10:4, 6 (all with implication of ascent), Dt 25:7 (to gate of city), +; c. †על pers., Gn 38:12 (+ ה loc., up to Timnah); לקראת 46:29 (J) Ju 6:35; 2 K 1:3, 6, 7 e.g. Genesis 44:17
- b. go up unto (אֶל) God, on a height, אל האלהים Ex 19:3 (E) 1 S 10:3; אל יהוה Ex 24:1 (E) 19:24; 32:30 (J) Ju 21:5(×2), 8 (to war); אֵלַי Ex 24:12 (E) Dt 10:1; unto Deborah Ju 4:5. e.g. Exodus 19:3
- c. go up, in war, c. אֶל against Nu 13:31 (E) Ju 1:1; 12:12:3 1 S 7:7 Is 36:10 (= על 2 K 18:25) +; oftener c. על, 1 S 14:10 Ju 6:3; 15:10; 18:9; 1 K 14:25 +; c. על + לַצָּבָא Jos 22:12, 33 (P); c. בְּ, Is 7:6; Je 48:18; c. לְ, Hb 3:16; + למלחמה Ju 20:18 + 3 times; + במלחמה 1 S 29:9; וַתּעל(ה) המלחמה 1 K 22:35 = 2 Ch 18:34. e.g. Numbers 13:31
- d. go up after, c. אחרי = follow 1 S 25:13; 1 K 1:35, 40. e.g. 1 Samuel 25:13
- e. go up, depart, c. מֵעַל (q.v.) 1 S 6:20 Gn 17:22; 35:13 (P) +, subj. כבוד י׳ Ez 11:23, 24; = withdraw, retreat, 1 K 15:19; 2 K 12:19; Je 21:2, abs. 2 S 23:9, and so read ‖ 1 Ch 11:13 (v. DrSm). e.g. 1 Samuel 6:20
- 3. of animals, go or come up: abs. frogs Ex 7:28 (J) 8:2 (P), quails Ex 16:13 (P); lion Is 35:9; fox Ne 3:25; rise up, fly up, eagle Is 40:31; Je 49:22; c. מִן, cattle out of water Gn 41:2, 3, 18, 19 Ct 4:2; 6:6, lion מִגְּאוֹן הַיַּרְדֵּן Je 49:19 = 50:44, מִסֻּבְּכוֹ Je 4:7, from prey Gn 49:9 (J); climb up into (ב) houses, locusts Jo 2:9; frogs, on (ב) persons Ex 7:29 (J); c. על, of cattle, sexually Gn 31:10, 12 (E); locusts upon the land Ex 10:12, 14 (E) Jo 1:6. e.g. Exodus 7:28
- 4. of vegetation, spring up, grow, shoot forth: trees Is 55:13(×2) Ez 47:12; קיקיון Jon 4:6; grass Dt 29:22; Am 7:1; ears of grain Gn 41:5, 22 (E), also Gn 40:10 (E) Is 5:6; 32:13 cf. sim. 53:2; Ho 10:8; Pr 26:9; ע׳ כֻלּוֹ קמשׂנים Pr 24:31 all of it grown up with thorns, Is 34:13; fig. קֶרֶן Dn 8:3, 8. e.g. Isaiah 55:13
- 5. of natural phenom. go up, rise: dew, Ex 16:14, i.e. disappear (P); אֵד ע׳ מִן־הָאָרֶץ Gn 2:6 (J), cloud 1 K 18:44; Je 4:13; ע׳ הַשַּׁחַר dawn, etc. Gn 19:15 (JE) Ju 19:25; 1 S 9:26 +; smoke Gn 19:28; Ex 19:18 (J) Ju 20:40 +; fire 6:21; flame 13:20; stench Is 34:3; Jo 2:20; incense Ez 8:11; well Nu 21:17 (E); waters Je 47:2; Nile Je 46:7, 8; Am 8:8; 9:5; c. על, of overflow Is 8:7 +. e.g. Exodus 16:14
- 6. of inanimate things (instead of passive construction), abs., shock of grain (to גֹּרֶן) Jb 5:26; of בָּשָׂר (covering bones in Ezek.’s vision) Ez 37:8; c. על, of garments upon the body Lv 19:19 (P) Ez 44:17; razor on head Ju 13:5; 16:17; 1 S 1:11; yoke upon oxen Nu 19:2 (P) 1 S 6:7; lot upon an animal Lv 16:9, 10 (P); c. בְּ, weight in balance ψ 62:10; entry in (ב) a book 1 Ch 27:24; = be offered (of sacrif.) 1 K 18:29; 2 K 3:20; Is 60:7; אֲרוּכָה (q.v.) in healing, Je 8:22, fig. 2 Ch 24:13; Ne 4:1. e.g. Job 5:26
- 7. of thoughts, ע׳ על לב 2 K 12:5; Is 65:17 + 5 times; ע׳ על לבב Je 51:50; Ez 38:10; ע׳ אל לב 14:7; ע׳ על רוּחַ 20:32; of anger 2 S 11:20; 2 Ch 36:16 (ב pers.) + 3 times; temper Ec 10:4 (עָלֶיךָ). e.g. 2 Kings 12:5
- 8. come up before God, arrogance, בְּאָזְנָיו 2 K 19:28 = Is 37:29; cry, אֶל־א׳ Ex 2:23 (P), c. acc. 1 S 5:12, abs. Je 14:2; tumult ψ 74:23; of evil Jon 1:2 (לְפָנַי). e.g. 2 Kings 19:28
- 9. go up, extend, of boundary, c. מִן whence, + acc., אֶל, לְ and even בְ whither Jos 15:3, 6, 8; 18:12(×2) + (all P). e.g. Joshua 15:3
- 10. excel: thou excellest (עַל) them Pr 31:29; be superior to יעלה עליך מעלה מעלה Dt 28:43.—עוֹלֶה Jb 36:33 is difficult, cf. Comm., and v. עַוְלָה. e.g. Proverbs 31:29
Niphal
- Pf. 3 ms. נַעֲלָה Nu 10:11 +; 2 ms. נַעֲלֵיתָ ψ 97:9; Impf. יֵעָלֶה Ex 40:37, etc.; Inf. cstr. הֵעָלוֹת Nu 9:17 +, etc.; Imv. mpl. הֵעָלוּ 16:24;— e.g. Numbers 10:11
- 1.
- a. be brought up: מבבל לירושׁלם Ezr 1:11. e.g. Ezra 1:11
- b. be taken up, וַתֵּעֲלוּ על שׂפת לשׁון Ez 36:3 (Köi 553; talked about). e.g. Ezekiel 36:3
- c. (1) pass., be taken up, away, of (pillar of) cloud, sq. מֵעַל of tabern. Ex 40:36; Nu 9:17; 10:11 (P); abs. Ex 40:37(×2); Nu 9:21(×2), 22 (P); of the glory from upon the cherubim Ez 9:3; (2) reflex., take oneself away from, get up from: מִסָּבִיב Nu 16:24; מֵעַל v 27; of a besieging army Je 37:5, 11. e.g. Exodus 40:36
- 2. reflex.: take oneself away מאחרי pers., from following after, 2 S 2:27. e.g. 2 Samuel 2:27
- 3. be exalted, of God ψ 47:10; c. על, over all gods 97:9. e.g. Psalms 47:10
Hiphil
- Pf. הֶעֱלָה Nu 8:3 +, הֵעֲלָה Hb 1:15 (Ges§ 63 p); sf. הֶעֶלְךָ Ne 9:18, הֶעֱלָנוּ Ex 32:1 + 2 times; 3 fs. וְהַעַלְתָה 1 S 2:19 consec.; sf. הֶעֱלָ֫תַם Jos 2:6; 2 ms. הֶעֱלִיתָ Ex 33:1 +; וְהַעֲלִיתָ Dt 27:6 +; הֶעֱלֵיתָ Ex 32:7; וְהַעֲלֵיתָ consec 40:4; 1 p. הֶעֱלִיתִי Am 2:10; 2 mpl. sf. הֶעֱלִיתֻנוּ Nu 20:5; 21:5, etc.; Impf. יַעֲלֶה Lv 17:8 +; וְיַ֫עַל 2 S 24:22; וַיַּעֲלֶה Je 10:13; וַיַּ֫עַל Gn 8:20 +, sf. יַעְלֵם Dt 28:61, etc.; Inf. abs. הַעֲלֵה Ez 23:46; cstr. הַעֲלוֹת 1 Ch 23:31 +, etc.; Imv. הַ֫עַל Ex 33:12 + 2 times; fs. הַעֲלִי 1 S 28:8, 11 +, etc.; Pt. מַעֲלֶה 7:10 +; cstr. מַעֲלֵה Lv 11:4 +; sf. מַעַלְךָ Dt 20:1 ψ 81:11; f. מַעֲלָה Lv 11:26; cstr. מַעֲלַת Lv 11:3, 6; Dt 14:6, etc.;— e.g. Numbers 8:3
- 1. bring up persons:
- a. from a place, c. מִן: מִן הַסָּ֑לַע Ju 15:13; מִמִּצְרַיִם Ex 17:3 (E) + 3 times E, + 8 times; מארץ מצרים Ex 32:1 (J) + 5 times J, + Lv 11:45 (P), Dt 20:1; Jos 24:17 (E), + 13 times; מארץ צפון Je 16:15 = 23:8. e.g. Judges 15:13
- b. (1) out of a place, c. כן: †םִ(ן הַ)בּוֹר Gn 37:28 (E) ψ 40:3 Je 38:10; 13; משּׁחת Jon 2:7; מקּברות Ez 37:12, 13; מן־שׁאול ψ 30:4, etc.; (2) c. בְּ by means of, בְּחֶרְמִי Ez 32:3 (Hb 1:15 v. 3 infr.). e.g. Genesis 37:28
- c. c. acc. of place whither, Nu 20:25 (P) 22:41 (E) Jos 2:6; 7:24 (J) Ezr 4:2; השׁמים 2 K 2:1; c. אֶל: אֶל־הָעֲלִיָּה 1 K 17:19; c. לְ: לבית 2 Ch 8:11. e.g. Numbers 20:25
- d. cause to ascend, climb: על המרכבה 1 K 20:33 (אֶל 2 K 10:15 prob. error), על־המגדלות 2 Ch 32:5 (𝔙 built towers thereon, i.e. ע׳ עָלָיו); מֵעַל לחומה Ne 12:31 vid. עַל IV 2 e. e.g. 1 Kings 20:33
- 2. in personal relations:
- a. bring up, c. אל, 1 S 19:15 2 K 10:15; 25:6; Je 39:5; 52:9; c. לְ, 1 S 28:8, 11(×2). e.g. 1 Samuel 19:15
- b. in war, c. עַל against 2 Ch 36:17; Je 50:9; Ez 16:40; 23:46; 26:3. e.g. 2 Chronicles 36:17
- c. take away (from life) ψ 102:25 Jb 36:20. e.g. Psalms 102:25
- 3. bring up animals, c. על, frogs על הארץ Ex 8:1, 3 (P); bring up horses to a charge Je 51:27, cf. Na 3:3; draw up men, under fig. of fish (בְּחַכָּה) Hb 1:15; train, young lion Ez 19:3; of cattle, מעלה גֵרָה, i.e. chewing the cud Lv 11:3, 4(×2), 5, 6, 26 Dt 14:6, 7(×2) e.g. Exodus 8:1
- 4. cause to ascend: c. acc. rei, smoke מן העיר Ju 20:38; stench באף Am 4:10, etc.; bring waters upon, על Is 8:7; bring up from (מן loc.) 2 S 6:2, 12; 1 K 8:1; Gn 50:25 (JE), +; c. אֶל loc., Ju 16:3; 1 Ch 15:3, 12, c. acc. loc. 2 Ch 2:15; c. אל pers. 1 S 6:21; c. לְ pers. Ju 16:8; 1 S 2:19; c. על, bring sickness upon Dt 28:61; †הע׳ עפר על ראשׁ throw dust on the head Jos 7:6; La 2:10; Ez 27:30; clothe sackcloth upon Am 8:10; flesh upon Ez 37:6; put ornaments on 2 S 1:24; cf. also 1 K 10:16, 17 = 2 Ch 9:15, 16; 2 Ch 3:5, 14; הע׳ נֵר light lamp (make flame go up; Thes; al. of raising lamp upon the lamp-stand) Ex 25:37; 27:20 + 6 times P; bring up new flesh (heal; v. אֲרוּכָה Je 30:17; 33:6. e.g. Judges 20:38
- 5. mentally: הע׳ גִּלּוּלִים על לב Ez 14:3, אל לב v 7, i.e. make object of thought; rouse, stir up, c. acc. אַף, anger Pr 15:1, cf. Ez 24:8. e.g. Ezekiel 14:3
- 6. הע׳ מנחה ל׳ 2 K 17:4 offer a present; bring up tithe to (ל) Ne 10:39; הע׳מַם raise a levy 1 K 5:27; 9:15, למם v 21 2 Ch 8:8. e.g. 2 Kings 17:4
- 7. exalt: ψ 137:6 if I exalt not Jerus. above (עַל) my chief joy; אנכי אַעַלְךָ גם־(מ)עלה Gn 46:4 (E) I will exalt thee exceedingly (cf; Qal 10; מ lost in MT, after ם; Di and most bring up). e.g. Psalms 137:6
- 8. cause to ascend (in flame; Thes al. to go up on altar), offer sacrifice, usually עֹלָה, either alone or foll. by other sacrif.: העלה עלות Ex 24:5 (E) 32:6 (J) Lv 17:8 (H) Dt 12:13, 14 + (see עֹלָה); seldom: †קטרת Ex 30:9 (P), cf. ψ 66:15; †מנחה Is 57:6; 66:3, also prob. 1 K 18:29, 36; 2 K 3:20 (> Qal); פר(ים) Nu 23:2, 4, 14, 30 (E) ψ 51:21; הטוב בעיניו 2 S 24:22; הע׳ ליהוה Ju 13:16; abs. 2 Ch 8:13; 29:29; †הע׳ לעולה Gn 22:2, 13 (E); c. acc. loc. מַעֲלֶה בָמָה Je 48:35; מזבח(ה) Lv 14:20 (P) Is 60:7 (> Qal); c. לְ loc. 2 Ch 29:27; c. בְּ loc. Gn 8:20 (J) Nu 23:2, 4, 14, 30 (E); עַל־הַחֹמָה 2 K 3:27; usually על loc., על הַצּוּר Ju 13:19, הע׳ על מזבח 1 K 12:32, 33(×2); 2 K 16:12; 2 Ch 1:6; 29:21; 1 S 2:28, פרים על מזבח ψ 51:21; elsewhere הע׳ עלות על מזבח Ex 40:29 (P) Jos 22:23; 1 K 3:4; 9:25; 2 Ch 1:6; 35:16; Ezr 3:2; Ez 43:18, הע׳ עלות ליהוה על מז׳ Dt 27:6;Jos 8:31; 1 Ch 16:40; 2 Ch 8:12; Ezr 3:3. e.g. Exodus 24:5
Hophal
- Pf.;—
- 1. be carried away, 3 fs. הֹעֲלָ֑תָה Na 2:8. e.g. Nahum 2:8
- 2. be taken up into, inserted in 3 ms. הֹעֲלָה 2 Ch 20:34 (על ספר) (pass. of Qal 6). e.g. 2 Chronicles 20:34
- 3. 3 ms. be offered, of פר Ju 6:28 (על המזבח). e.g. Judges 6:28
Hithpael
- lift oneself: Impf. 3 ms. אֶל־יִתְעַל Je 51:3 against (him that) lifts himself, but corrupt; either read אַל־, let him not, etc. (𝔖 𝔗 𝔙 Hi Gf Gie Rothst), or del. אל (𝔊 CoHpt). e.g. Jeremiah 51:3
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
vb. go up, ascend, climb (NH id.; MI 33 (?); Ph. עלה; Assyrian elû; Arabic عَلَا; 𝔗 and Syriac in der. species; cf. perhaps Ethiopic ለዐለ: (for ለዐዐለ: ዐልዐለ: Di 54); Sab. עלי = عَلَّى DHMZMG xxxvii. 415, cf. עלוהו = عُلْوَهُ Sab Denkm 91);—
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Origin: a primitive root
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
עָלֶה
- [cover,] foliage, leaf. Gen. R. s. 19 (play on עֲלֵי תאנה, Gen. III, 7) ע׳ שהביאו תואנה וכ׳ the leaves which brought grief into the world; Yalk. ib. 27 ע׳ שהביא וכ׳. Shebi. VII, 1 עֲלֵה הלוף השוטה, v. לוֹף; a. fr.—Pl. עָלִים, עָלִין; constr. עֲלֵי. Y. ib. V, 35ᵈ bot. מהוצאת ע׳ ועד וכ׳ from the sprouting of leaves to the coming forth of buds of fruits there is an interval of fifty days. Ib. עלי בצלים leaves of onions. Ḥull. 92ᵃ ע׳ שבה וכ׳ the leaves thereon (on the vine Israel) are the untutored, v. אֶשְׁכּוֹל; a. fr. e.g. Genesis 3:7
עִלָּה
- , v. עִילָה
עָלָה
- , v. עלי
עלי
- (b. h.) to go up, rise; to come up, arrive. Pes. VIII, 3 מי שיַּעֲלֶה מכם וכ׳ whichever of you shall first arrive at Jerusalem (for the Passover), v. infra. Snh. X, 3 אינה עתידה לַעֲלוֹת shall not rise (from the grave at the time of resurrection). Y. Peah V, end, 19ᵃ (ref. to גבול עולם, Prov. XXII, 28) זו עוֹלֵי מצרים this refers to those who came up from Egypt; Ḥag. 3ᵇ. Ib. עולי בבל those who came back from Babylonia. Ber. 20ᵃ, a. e. (ref. to Gen. XLIX, 22) א"ת עֲלֵי עין אלא עוֹלֵי עין read not ‘ăle ‘ayin, but ‘ole ‘ayin, those rising above the (evil) eye (whom the evil eye cannot affect). Snh. 111ᵃ כשע׳ משה למרום when Moses came up to heaven. Keth. 61ᵃ עוֹלָה עמו וכ׳ she rises with him, but does not go down with him, i.e. the wife rises to the husband’s social position and can claim its comforts, if it be a higher one than her own, &c.; a. v. fr.—Ḥull. 17ᵇ עוֹלֶה ויורד בסכין a going up and down in a slaughtering knife, i.e. a curved blade.—קרבן עולה ויורד, v. יָרַד.—עלה על דעת, v. דַּעַת.—Esp. to be put on the altar, be offered. Zeb. IX, 1 אם עָלְתָה לא תרד if it has been offered, it must not be taken down again. Ib. 2. Men. 22ᵇ מכאן לעוֹלִין שאינן מבטלין וכ׳ this proves that things which are offered up (e.g. blood of several sacrifices that has become mixed up) do not neutralize one another. Ib. 23ᵃ חיבורי עולין that which is attached to things which go on the altar; a. fr.—Idiomatic uses: a) (sub. לחשבון) to be counted in; to be accounted as. M. Kat. III, 5 שבת עולה ואינה וכ׳ the Sabbath counts as one of the seven days of mourning, and does not discontinue the mourning, i.e. the mourning continues after the Sabbath; רגלים מפסיקין ואינן עולין festivals discontinue (the mourning begun before), but do not count, i.e. if the burial took place on a festive day, the mourning days begin after the festival. Ab. IV, 13 עוֹלָה זדון, v. זָדוֹן. Zeb. I, 3 לא עָלוּ לבעלים משום חובה the owners of the sacrifices are not credited with them as a compliance with their obligation; a. fr.—b) to rise in value; to be esteemed. Ab. l. c. וכתר שם טוב עוֹלֶה על גביהן the crown of a good name is worth more than all of them; a. e.—c) [to rise on the scale, be outweighed,] to be void, be neutralized (cmp. בָּטֵל). Ter. IV, 7 תרומה עולה באחד ומאה T’rumah (mixed up in secular matter) is neutralized in one hundred and one (i.e. one against one hundred). Ib. 11 תַּעֲלֶה באחד ומאה is neutralized in &c.; לא תעלה is not neutralized. Ib. 13; a. fr.—d) ע׳ לרגל, or ע׳ to go up (to Jerusalem and the Temple) for the festival. Yoma 21 בשעה שישראל עולין לרגל when the Israelites were in the Temple on the festivals. Ḥag. I, 1. Ib. 4ᵃ שאינן ראויין לעלות who are not fit for the pilgrimage. Pes. 8ᵇ, a. e. עוֹלֵי רגלים pilgrims; a. fr.—e) ע׳ בידו to obtain, achieve. Ber. 35ᵇ עָלְתָה בידן they were successful. Naz. 23ᵃ מי שנתכוון לעלות בידו בשר חזיר וע׳ בידו בשר טלה he who intended to obtain flesh of the swine, and happened to obtain mutton; a. fr. e.g. Proverbs 22:28
- 1. to elevate, exalt, praise. Sabb. 33ᵇ יהודה שעי׳ יִתְעַלֶּה Judah who elevated (praised the Roman government), shall be elevated (to high office). Y. Snh. X, 29ᶜ top שעִילּוּ אותי וכ׳ who exalted me &c., v. זָבַח. Gen. R. s. 15 (ref. to וישם, Gen. II, 8) עי׳ אותו God raised him (made him a dignitary, by analogy to Deut. XVII, 15); a. fr. e.g. Genesis 2:8
- 2. to prize, to acquire at the highest price, bid for. Gen. R. s. 16 (ref. to ויקח, Gen. II, 15) עי׳ אותו he acquired him (by analogy to Is. XIV, 2; v. infra Hithpa.); Yalk. ib. 22. Gen. R. s. 40 (ref. to ויעלו, Jer. XXXVIII, 13) מְעַלִּין אותו (or מַעֲלִין, Hif.) they bade for him. e.g. Genesis 2:15
- 1. to raise, bring up. Makhsh. VI, 1 המַעֲלֶה פירותיו וכ׳ if one carries his fruits up to the roof, v. כְּנִימָה; Tosef. ib. III, 1. Pesik. R. s. 26 ובקושי הֶעֱלוּהוּ and with hard work they brought him up (out of the pit); a. v. fr.—Esp. to offer on the altar. Zeb. XIV, 3 המַעֲלֶה מבשר וכ׳ he who offers parts of the flesh of a sin offering &c. Ib. XIII, 1 שחט בפנים וה׳ בחוץ if he slaughtered a sacrifice within the Temple precincts, and offered it without; a. v. fr.
- 2. to raise, promote to a higher dignity. Yoma 20ᵇ, a. fr. מַעֲלִין בקדש ולא מורידין we may promote (a person or thing) to a higher grade of sanctity, but must not degrade. Tosef. Ned. VI, 5 שמעלה … מטומאתן which raises (relieves) the unclean from their uncleanness; Ned. 75ᵇ; Y. ib. X, 42ᵃ; a. fr.—לא מעלה ולא מוריד, v. יָרַד.—Idiomatic uses: a) to cause to go up from the reader’s place (which was low, v. תֵּיבה); to remove, discharge. Ber. 29ᵃ ולא הָעֱלוּהוּ and they did not remove him. Ib. טעה … מעלין אותו if a reader makes a mistake in the twelfth section of the T’fillah (v. מִין III), he must be removed; a. fr.—b) (v. Kal, c) to neutralize. Ter. IV, 8 תאנים שחורות מַעֲלוֹת וכ׳ black figs help to neutralize in conjunction with white ones, i.e. the black and the white secular figs are counted together against the admixture of figs of T’rumah whether black or white; a. fr.—c) (v. Kal, a) to account, credit or charge. B. Mets. 69ᵇ אני אעלה לך סלע וכ׳ I will give thee credit for one Sela each month (as a compensation for the use of the cow). Ab. II, 2 מעלה אני עליכם וכ׳ I (the Lord) shall credit you with a large reward, just as if you had accomplished (the good you had intended to do). Ib. III, 7, sq. מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו וכ׳ the Bible text (the Lord) charges him as if he had endangered his life (v. חוּב). Yoma 81ᵇ מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו וכ׳ it is accounted to his credit, as if he had fasted on the ninth and the tenth; a. fr.—d) (v. Kal, e) to succeed, profit. Snh. 90ᵇ הֶעֱלֵיתֶם בידכם, v. יָעַל.—f) ה׳ חן to effect grace; to find favor. Gen. R. s. 9 הלואי תהא מַעֲלַת חן לפני … כשם שהֶעֱלִית וכ׳ Oh, that thou wouldst find favor before me (please me) at all times, as thou dost now; a. e.—g) ה׳ חֵמָה [to let anger rise,] to become angry. Gen. R. s. 93 בשעה שהיה יהודה מעלה ח׳ וכ׳ whenever Judah got angry, the hair &c.; a. e.—h) (with or sub. ארוכה) to heal up. Ḥull. 77ᵃ, v. אֲרוּכָה II. Shebi. IV, 6 לא שיַעֲלֶה, v. פָּשַׁח; a. fr.
- to be removed, withdraw. Tosef. Yoma I, 12 בעון … שכינה נַעֲלַת through the sin of bloodshed has the Divine Presence withdrawn (Sifré Num. 161 מסתלקת).
- 1. to be raised, exalted. Sabb. 33ᵇ, v. supra; a. e.
- 2. to be raised in price, to be bargained for at auction. Gen. R. s. 40, end (ref. to וַתֻּקַּח, Gen. XII, 15) מִתְעַלָּה והולכת חד וכ׳ higher and higher prices were offered for her; one said, I give &c.; Esth. R. to II, 16 (ref. to ותלקח, ib.) מתעלה בליקוחין. e.g. Genesis 12:15
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 485 distinct written forms H5927 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that stem’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 425 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H5927, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derived from this word
- מעל maʻal H4605 above
- מעל môʻal H4607 lifting
- מעלה maʻăleh H4608 ascent
- על ʻal H5920 above
- עלה ʻâleh H5929 leaf
- עלה ʻôlâh H5930 burnt offering
- עלה ʻillâh H5931 matter
- עלי ʻĕlîy H5940 pestle
- עלי ʻillîy H5942 upper
- עליה ʻălîyâh H5944 roof chamber
- עלית ʻallîyth H5952 roof chamber
- תעלה tᵉʻâlâh H8585 conduit
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 17 — not the complete family. 4 of the same-root words are proper names (people or places). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 768 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 817 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 2:6
- Exodus 1:10
- Leviticus 2:12
- Numbers 8:2
- Deuteronomy 1:21
- Joshua 2:6
- Judges 1:1
- Ruth 4:1
- 1 Samuel 1:3
- 2 Samuel 1:24
- 1 Kings 1:35
- 2 Kings 1:3
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
