423. alah
Strong's Lexicon
alah: Oath, curse

Original Word: אָלָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: alah
Pronunciation: ah-LAH
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-law')
Definition: Oath, curse
Meaning: an imprecation

Word Origin: Derived from the root אָלָה (alah), which means to swear or to curse.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G3727 (horkos): Oath

- G685 (ara): Curse

Usage: The Hebrew word "alah" primarily refers to an oath or a curse. It is used in the context of a solemn promise or a binding agreement, often invoking divine retribution if the terms are violated. In the biblical narrative, "alah" can denote both the positive aspect of an oath and the negative implications of a curse. It is a term that underscores the seriousness and sacredness of one's word or promise, especially in relation to covenants and agreements.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israelite culture, oaths and curses were significant components of legal and religious life. An oath was a formal declaration, often made in the presence of God, to affirm truthfulness or commitment. Breaking an oath was considered a grave offense, as it not only violated human trust but also disrespected the divine witness. Curses, on the other hand, were invoked as a form of divine justice against those who broke covenants or acted unjustly. The concept of "alah" reflects the ancient understanding of words as powerful and binding, with the potential to invoke divine action.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from alah
Definition
an oath
NASB Translation
adjuration (1), curse (12), curses (6), oath (13).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
אָלָה noun feminine oath Genesis 26:28 +; suffix אָלָתִי, אָלָתוֺ Genesis 24:11 + (4 t.); plural אָלוֺת Deuteronomy 29:20 + (4 t).

1 oath in testimony Leviticus 5:1; Numbers 5:21 (twice in verse) (P) Proverbs 29:23; בא באלה come into an oath Nehemiah 10:30; הביא באלה bring into an oath Ezekiel 17:13; נשׂא אלה 1 Kings 8:31 ( = 2 Chronicles 6:22).

2 oath of convenant Genesis 24:41 (twice in verse); Genesis 26:28 (J) Deuteronomy 29:11; Deuteronomy 29:13; בזה אלה despise an oath Ezekiel 16:59; Ezekiel 17:16,18,19.

3 curse (a) from God Numbers 5:23 (P) Deuteronomy 29:18; Deuteronomy 29:19; Deuteronomy 29:20; Deuteronomy 30:7; 2Chronicles 34:24; Isaiah 24:6; Jeremiah 23:10; Daniel 9:11; Zechariah 5:3; (b) from men Job 31:30; Psalm 10:7; Psalm 59:13.

4 execration in the phrase היה לאלה become an execration Numbers 5:27 (P) Jeremiah 29:18; Jeremiah 42:18; Jeremiah 44:12.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
curse, cursing, execration, oath, swearing

From 'alah; an imprecation -- curse, cursing, execration, oath, swearing.

see HEBREW 'alah

Forms and Transliterations
אָ֣לָת֔וֹ אָֽלָתִי֙ אָל֣וֹת אָלָ֔ה אָלָ֖ה אָלָ֛ה אָלָ֤ה אָלָ֥ה אָלָה֙ אלה אלות אלתו אלתי בְּאָלָ֔ה בְּאָלָ֣ה באלה הָ֣אָלָ֔ה הָֽאָלָ֔ה הָֽאָלָ֜ה הָאָל֖וֹת הָאָלָ֖ה הָאָלָ֣ה הָאָלָה֒ הָאָלֹ֥ת הָאָלוֹת֙ האלה האלות האלת וּבְאָלָת֑וֹ וּמֵאָלָ֖ה ובאלתו ומאלה לְאָלָ֖ה לְאָלָ֣ה לְאָלָ֤ה לְאָלָ֥ה לְהַֽאֲלֹת֑וֹ לאלה להאלתו מֵאָ֣לָתִ֔י מֵאָלָתִֽי׃ מאלתי מאלתי׃ ’ā·lā·ṯî ’ā·lā·ṯōw ’ā·lāh ’ā·lō·wṯ ’ālāh ’ālāṯî ’ālāṯōw ’ālōwṯ aLah alaTi alaTo aLot bə’ālāh bə·’ā·lāh beaLah hā’ālāh hā’ālōṯ hā’ālōwṯ hā·’ā·lāh hā·’ā·lō·wṯ hā·’ā·lōṯ haaLah haaLot lə’ālāh lə·’ā·lāh lə·ha·’ă·lō·ṯōw leaLah ləha’ălōṯōw lehaaloTo mê’ālāṯî mê·’ā·lā·ṯî meAlaTi ū·ḇə·’ā·lā·ṯōw ū·mê·’ā·lāh ūḇə’ālāṯōw ūmê’ālāh umeaLah uvealaTo
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Englishman's Concordance
Genesis 24:41
HEB: אָ֤ז תִּנָּקֶה֙ מֵאָ֣לָתִ֔י כִּ֥י תָב֖וֹא
NAS: you will be free from my oath, when
KJV: Then shalt thou be clear from [this] my oath, when thou comest
INT: then will be free my oath when come

Genesis 24:41
HEB: וְהָיִ֥יתָ נָקִ֖י מֵאָלָתִֽי׃
NAS: her to you, you will be free from my oath.'
KJV: not thee [one], thou shalt be clear from my oath.
INT: become will be free my oath

Genesis 26:28
HEB: תְּהִ֨י נָ֥א אָלָ֛ה בֵּינוֹתֵ֖ינוּ בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ
NAS: Let there now be an oath between
KJV: was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt
INT: has been now be an oath between us between

Leviticus 5:1
HEB: וְשָֽׁמְעָה֙ ק֣וֹל אָלָ֔ה וְה֣וּא עֵ֔ד
NAS: a public adjuration [to testify] when he is a witness,
KJV: the voice of swearing, and [is] a witness,
INT: hears A public adjuration he witness

Numbers 5:21
HEB: הָֽאִשָּׁה֮ בִּשְׁבֻעַ֣ת הָאָלָה֒ וְאָמַ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙
NAS: with the oath of the curse, and the priest
KJV: with an oath of cursing, and the priest
INT: shall have the woman the oath of the curse shall say and the priest

Numbers 5:21
HEB: יְהוָ֥ה אוֹתָ֛ךְ לְאָלָ֥ה וְלִשְׁבֻעָ֖ה בְּת֣וֹךְ
NAS: make you a curse and an oath
KJV: make thee a curse and an oath
INT: make the LORD'S A curse and an oath among

Numbers 5:23
HEB: וְ֠כָתַב אֶת־ הָאָלֹ֥ת הָאֵ֛לֶּה הַכֹּהֵ֖ן
NAS: these curses on a scroll,
KJV: shall write these curses in a book,
INT: write curses these the priest

Numbers 5:27
HEB: וְהָיְתָ֧ה הָאִשָּׁ֛ה לְאָלָ֖ה בְּקֶ֥רֶב עַמָּֽהּ׃
NAS: will become a curse among
KJV: and the woman shall be a curse among
INT: will become and the woman A curse among her people

Deuteronomy 29:12
HEB: יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וּבְאָלָת֑וֹ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה
NAS: your God, and into His oath which
KJV: thy God, and into his oath, which the LORD
INT: the LORD your God his oath which the LORD

Deuteronomy 29:14
HEB: הַזֹּ֔את וְאֶת־ הָאָלָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת׃
NAS: covenant and this oath,
KJV: this covenant and this oath;
INT: covenant likewise oath likewise

Deuteronomy 29:19
HEB: אֶת־ דִּבְרֵ֨י הָֽאָלָ֜ה הַזֹּ֗את וְהִתְבָּרֵ֨ךְ
NAS: of this curse, that he will boast,
KJV: the words of this curse, that he bless
INT: hears the words curse he will boast

Deuteronomy 29:20
HEB: בּוֹ֙ כָּל־ הָ֣אָלָ֔ה הַכְּתוּבָ֖ה בַּסֵּ֣פֶר
NAS: and every curse which is written
KJV: against that man, and all the curses that are written
INT: will rest and every curse is written book

Deuteronomy 29:21
HEB: יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כְּכֹל֙ אָל֣וֹת הַבְּרִ֔ית הַכְּתוּבָ֕ה
NAS: according to all the curses of the covenant
KJV: of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant
INT: of Israel to all the curses of the covenant are written

Deuteronomy 30:7
HEB: אֵ֥ת כָּל־ הָאָל֖וֹת הָאֵ֑לֶּה עַל־
NAS: these curses on your enemies
KJV: will put all these curses upon thine enemies,
INT: your God all curses these upon

1 Kings 8:31
HEB: וְנָֽשָׁא־ ב֥וֹ אָלָ֖ה לְהַֽאֲלֹת֑וֹ וּבָ֗א
NAS: to take an oath, and he comes
KJV: against his neighbour, and an oath be laid
INT: his neighbor debt an oath to take comes

1 Kings 8:31
HEB: לְהַֽאֲלֹת֑וֹ וּבָ֗א אָלָ֛ה לִפְנֵ֥י מִֽזְבַּחֲךָ֖
KJV: upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come
INT: to take comes an oath before your altar

2 Chronicles 6:22
HEB: ב֥וֹ אָלָ֖ה לְהַֽאֲלֹת֑וֹ וּבָ֗א אָלָ֛ה
NAS: to take an oath, and he comes
KJV: against his neighbour, and an oath be laid
INT: be laid to take an oath comes an oath

2 Chronicles 6:22
HEB: לְהַֽאֲלֹת֑וֹ וּבָ֗א אָלָ֛ה לִפְנֵ֥י מִֽזְבַּחֲךָ֖
KJV: upon him to make him swear, and the oath come
INT: an oath comes an oath before your altar

2 Chronicles 34:24
HEB: אֵ֤ת כָּל־ הָאָלוֹת֙ הַכְּתוּב֣וֹת עַל־
NAS: [even] all the curses written
KJV: and upon the inhabitants thereof, [even] all the curses that are written
INT: inhabitants all the curses written in

Nehemiah 10:29
HEB: אַדִּירֵיהֶם֒ וּבָאִ֞ים בְּאָלָ֣ה וּבִשְׁבוּעָ֗ה לָלֶ֙כֶת֙
NAS: and are taking on themselves a curse and an oath
KJV: and entered into a curse, and into an oath,
INT: their nobles taking A curse and an oath to walk

Job 31:30
HEB: חִכִּ֑י לִשְׁאֹ֖ל בְּאָלָ֣ה נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
NAS: By asking for his life in a curse.
KJV: to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
INT: my mouth asking A curse his life

Psalm 10:7
HEB: אָלָ֤ה פִּ֣יהוּ מָ֭לֵא
NAS: is full of curses and deceit
KJV: is full of cursing and deceit
INT: of curses his mouth is full

Psalm 59:12
HEB: וְיִלָּכְד֥וּ בִגְאוֹנָ֑ם וּמֵאָלָ֖ה וּמִכַּ֣חַשׁ יְסַפֵּֽרוּ׃
NAS: And on account of curses and lies
KJV: in their pride: and for cursing and lying
INT: even be caught their pride of curses and lies utter

Proverbs 29:24
HEB: שׂוֹנֵ֣א נַפְשׁ֑וֹ אָלָ֥ה יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע וְלֹ֣א
NAS: He hears the oath but tells
KJV: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth
INT: hates life the oath hears nothing

Isaiah 24:6
HEB: עַל־ כֵּ֗ן אָלָה֙ אָ֣כְלָה אֶ֔רֶץ
NAS: Therefore, a curse devours the earth,
KJV: Therefore hath the curse devoured
INT: and after that A curse devours the earth

36 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 423
36 Occurrences


’ā·lāh — 11 Occ.
’ā·lā·ṯî — 1 Occ.
’ā·lā·ṯōw — 1 Occ.
’ā·lō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
bə·’ā·lāh — 3 Occ.
hā·’ā·lāh — 6 Occ.
hā·’ā·lōṯ — 3 Occ.
lə·’ā·lāh — 5 Occ.
lə·ha·’ă·lō·ṯōw — 1 Occ.
mê·’ā·lā·ṯî — 2 Occ.
ū·mê·’ā·lāh — 1 Occ.
ū·ḇə·’ā·lā·ṯōw — 1 Occ.
















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