H413. el

אֶל‎ (nearly always followed by Makkeph), in poetry אֱלֵי‎ (compare עֲדֵי עֲלֵי,‎), but only in Job ( 1 Samuel 3:22; 1 Samuel 5:26; 1 Samuel 15:22; 1 Samuel 29:19), with suffix אֵלַיִךְ אֵלֶיךָ, אֵלַי,‎, etc. אֲלֵיכֶם אֵלֵינוּ,‎ & (5 t.) אֲלֵיהֶם אֲלֵכֶם,‎ & אֲלֵהֶם‎ (both very often); once אֵלֵימוֺ‎ Psalm 2:5, אֲלֵיהֶן‎, once אֲלֵהֶן‎ Exodus 1:19 (Assyrian ilî, Arabic ),

preposition denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).

1 of motion to or unto a person or place Genesis 2:19, 22; 3:19; 8:9; 14:22; 16:9 etc., after every kind of verb expressing motion (יָצָא הָלַךְ, בּוֺא,‎ etc.) So with נָתַן‎ to give (though ל‎ is here more common) 21:14; 35:4; Deuteronomy 13:2 +; מָכַר‎ to sell Deut 37:36, etc. Metaph. Jeremiah 2:19 אֵלַיִךְ פַחְדָּתִי וְלֹא‎ and that my fear (cometh) not unto thee (compare Job 31:23). — Peculiarly Genesis 6:16 אַמָּה אֶל‎ unto the length of a cubit, etc. And metaphor in the phrase אֶלֿ(אֱלֵיֿ)גִּיל‎ unto exultation Hosea 9:11; Job 3:22. Once, exceptionally (si vera 1.) = even: 5:5 יִקָּחֵהוּ וְאֶלמִֿצִּגִּים‎ and even out of thorns he taketh it. Sometimes pregnant, as Isaiah 66:17; Jeremiah 41:7 אֶל זָנָה‎ commit whoredom (by going) to Numbers 25:1; Ezekiel 16:26, 28, 29; אֶל דָּרֵשׁ‎ seek (by resorting) to one (that is, for oracles) Deuteronomy 18:11; Isaiah 8:19; 11:10 +; אֶל חָבַר‎ join together (& come) unto Genesis 14:3; אֶל הִשְׁכִּים‎ rise early (and go) to 19:27; 24:11 אֶל הִבְרִיח‎ made to kneel down at; 47:18 אֶל תַּם‎ i.e. has been made over to; אֶל מָּחַד‎ to come in fear to Hosea 3:5; Micah 7:17. Opposite is מִן‎, as אֶלהַֿקָּצֶה מִןהַֿקָּצֶה‎ from end to end Exodus 26:28; אֶלמֶּֿה מִמֶּה‎ Ezra 9:11 (synonym 2 Kings 21:16 לָפֶה מֶּה‎). And of time (rare) אֶלעֵֿת מֵעֵת‎ 1 Chronicles 9:25; אֶליֿוֺם מִיּוֺם‎ Numbers 30:15 (P) 1 Chronicles 16:23 (in the "" Psalm 96:2 לְיוֺם מִיּוֺם‎).

2 Where the limit is actually entered, into, Genesis 6:18 and thou shalt enter into the ark 7:1; 19:3; 41:21; 42:17; & so after verbs of throwing, casting, putting 37:22 (הִשְׁלִיךְ‎) 39:20 הַסֹּהַר אֶלבֵּֿית וַיִּתְּנֵהוּ‎ put him into the prison house, Exodus 28:30 (Leviticus 8:8) Deuteronomy 23:25; so after קָבַר‎ to bury Genesis 23:19; 25:9; 49:29; שָׂחַט‎ to squeeze 40:11; מָחָה‎ to blot out Numbers 5:23, etc.; metaphor Genesis 6:6 was pained into or unto his heart, הֵשִׁיב אֶללֵֿב, שָׂם‎ to place, bring. into ( = lay to) heart Deuteronomy 4:39; 2 Samuel 19:20 and elsewhere In connection with a number or multitude into which something enters, in among: 1 Samuel 10:22 behold he had hid himself אֶלהַֿכֵּלִים‎ in among the baggage, Jeremiah 4:3 sow not אֶלקֹֿצִים‎ in among thorns.

3 Of direction towards anything: (a) of physical acts or states, as Genesis 30:40 אֶל הַצּאֹן מְּנֵי נָתַן‎, 39:7 אֶל עֵינָיו נָשָׂא‎, Exodus 25:20; Numbers 6:26, אֶל פָנָיו נָשָׂא‎ (2 Kings 9:32 differently), 24:1 אֶל מָּנָיו שָׁת‎, Joshua 8:18; Psalm 28:2; 1 Kings 8:29-30, (to pray towards) 8:38; pregnantly אֶל חָרֵד‎ to tremble (turning) to Genesis 42:28, אֶל תָּמַהּ‎ to, wonder (turning) towards 43:33; Isaiah 13:8, אֶל מָּחַד‎ Jeremiah 36:16: without a verb אֶלמָּֿנִים מָּנִים‎ face to face Genesis 32:31 +; אֶלמֶּֿה מֶּה‎ Numbers 12:8; אֵלַי כִּיאֵֿינֶנּוּ‎ Genesis 31:5 the face of Laban, that he is not toward me; י ׳עֵינֵי ׳אֶלפֿ‎ the eyes of ׳י‎ are towards . . . Psalm 34:16 (compare 33:18). (b) with words such as אָמַר‎to say to Genesis 3:1 + often, דִּבֶּר‎ 8:15 + often, קָרָא‎ 19:5, הִחְמַּלֵּל‎ 20:17 etc., שָׁמַע‎ to hearken to 16:11, הִלֵּל‎ to praise to 12:15 (compare Ezekiel 13:19 אֶל חִלֵּל‎ to profane to), הִזְכִּיר‎ 40:14. (c) with words expressing the direction of the mind, as קִוָּה‎ to wait Psalm 27:14 +; יִחַל‎ to hope Isaiah 51:5; אֶל נֶפֶשׁ נָשָׂא‎ to lift up the soul (i.e. set the desire) towards Deuteronomy 24:15; Psalm 25:1; שָׁת אֶל, לֵב שָׂם‎ to set the heart (mind) to Exodus 9:21 and elsewhere; אֶל לָמַד‎ to accustom oneself to Jeremiah 10:2; אֶל חָרֵד‎ to shew fear towards 2 Kings 4:13; Genesis 43:30; Deuteronomy 28:32 and thy eyes אֲלֵיהֶם כָּלוֺת‎ failing (with longing) towards them, Lamentations 4:17; Isaiah 63:15; 2 Samuel 3:8; 1 Kings 14:13; Psalm 40:6; alone, as predicate, directed or disposed towards, Genesis 3:16; 4:7; 2 Kings 6:11 who of ours is towards (i.e. favours) the king of Syria? Hosea 3:3 אֵלָֽיִח׃ וְגַםאֲֿנִי‎ Ezekiel 36:9; Haggai 2:17; Jeremiah 15:1 (אֶל נַפְשִׁי אֵין‎).

4 Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל‎ = against: Genesis 4:8 ק ׳וַיָּקָם אֶלהֶֿבֶל‎and Cain rose up against Abel (so 1 Samuel 24:8) 22:12; Exodus 14:5; Numbers 32:14; with נִקְבַּץ‎ Joshua 10:6, הָלַךְ‎ Judges 1:10; 20:30; with בָּא‎ of calamity, etc., coming to or upon any one Genesis 42:21; Judges 9:57; 1 Samuel 2:34; 1 Kings 14:10 +; Isaiah 2:4; 3:8 their tongue and doings are ׳אֶליֿ‎ 32:6 (אֶל לְדַבֵּר‎) Hosea 7:15 (compare Nahum 1:9) Hosea 12:5 אֶלמַֿלְאָךְ וַיָּשַׂר‎ and he strove against the angel. Here also belongs in particular the phrase ֗֗֗ אֶל הִנְנִי‎ Behold I am against (thee, you, etc.) Nahum 2:14; Nahum 3:5; Jeremiah 21:13 (23:30-32 על‎) 50:31; 51:25; Ezekiel 13:8, 20; 21:8; 29:10; 30:22; 34:10; 35:3; 38:3; 39:1 (5:8; 26:3; 28:22; 29:3 על‎: on 36:9 see above)

5 Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to, as Leviticus 18:18 thou shalt not take אֲחוֺתָהּ אֶל אִשָּׁה‎ a woman to, in addition to, her sister, Joshua 13:22 ("" Numbers 31:8 על‎); 1 Samuel 14:34 at eat אֶלהַֿחָם‎ together with the blood (14:32 & Generally עַל‎); 1 Kings 10:7 אֶל הוֺסִיף‎ (generally עַל‎); Jeremiah 25:26; Ezekiel 7:26 שְׁמוּעָה אֶל שְׁמוּעָה‎ "" (עלׅ‎; 44:7; Lamentations 3:41 let us lift up אֶלכַּֿמָּ֑יִם לְבָבֵנוּ‎ our hearts together with the hands (compare , Qor 4:2; W^{AG ii. § 51 c}).

6 Metaphor in regard to, concerning, on account of : thus הִתְאַבֵּל‎ to mourn concerning 1 Samuel 15:35; הִנָּחֵם‎ to repent as regards 2 Samuel 24:16; דָּרַשׁ‎ to inquire 1 Kings 14:5 הִתְמַּלֵּל‎ to pray with regard to 1 Samuel 1:27; 2 Kings 19:20; צָעַק‎ to cry 8:3 (8:5 על‎); נֶעֳצַב‎ be pained 1 Samuel 20:34; נִחַם‎ to comfort 2 Samuel 10:2; more Generally 1 Kings 16:13; 21:22; אֶלנֶֿפֶשׁ‎ on account of, for the sake of, one's life 19:3; 2 Kings 7:7 (Genesis 19:17 על‎). (עַל‎ is more common in this sense.) And specially with verbs of saying, narrating, telling, etc. with regard to, as אָמַר‎ 20:2; Isaiah 29:22; 37:21, 33 +; דִּבֶּר‎ 2 Samuel 7:19; Jeremiah 40:16 b; סִמֵּר‎ Psalm 2:7; 69:27; צִוָּה‎ Isaiah 23:11; שָׁמַע‎ Ezekiel 19:4; אֶל הַשְּׁמוּעָה‎ the report regarding. . . 1 Samuel 4:19. (Not frequently, ext. in the case of אָמַר‎.)

7 Of rule or standard, according to (rare): ֗֗֗ אֶלמִּֿי‎ according to the command of, Joshua 15:13; 17:4; 21:3 (generally עַלמִּֿי‎); אֶלנָֿבוֺן‎ according to what is fixed = of a certainty 1 Samuel 23:23; 26:4 (see Dr): perhaps Psalm 5:1; 80:1 (45:1 עַל‎).

8 Expressing presence at a spot, against; at, by, not merely after verbs expressing or implying motion (compare 1, Genesis 24:11), as Joshua 11:5 and they came and encamped together מֵרוֺם אֶלמֵֿי‎ at the waters of Merom, 1 Samuel 5:4 cut off (and fallen) on to the threshold, 2 Samuel 2:23 and elsewhere and smote him אֶלהַֿחֹמֶשׁ‎ in or on the belly, Deuteronomy 33:28; Exodus 29:12; Leviticus 4:7; but also in other cases, as Joshua 5:3 and he circumcised the Israelites אֶל‎ against, at the hill of the foreskins, 22:11 have built an altar הַיַּרְדֵּן גְּלִילוֺת אֶל‎ by the districts of Jordan, Judges 12:6; 2 Samuel 3:32, 14:30 & 18:4 אֶליַֿד‎ at the side of (elsewhere יַד עַל לְיַד,‎), 1 Kings 13:20 as they were sitting אֶלהַֿשֻּׁלְחָן‎ at the table, 2 Kings 11:14 אֶלהַֿמֶּלֶךְ‎ by the king, Jeremiah 41:12 and found him by the great waters, etc., 46:10 מְּרָת אֶלנְֿהַר‎ by the Euphrates, Ezekiel 3:15; 11:11; 17:8; 31:7; 40:18; 43:3; 47:7; 48:12.

9 Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to: thus אֶלאַֿחֲרֵי‎ 2 Samuel 5:23; 2 Kings 9:18-19, אֶלאַֿחֲרַי סֹב‎ turn to behind me, Zechariah 6:5 (where אֶל‎ is pleonastic, probably due to clerical error; note אל יצא‎ before & after); אֶלבֵּֿין‎ in between Ezekiel 31:10, 14; אֵלבֵּֿינוֺת‎ similarly 10:2; לְ ׳אֶלמִֿבֵּית‎ to (the part) within (see below בַּיִת‎), in within Leviticus 16:15; 2 Kings 11:15 "" have her forth in within the ranks; אֶלמֿוּל‎ see מוּל‎; לְ ׳אֶלמִֿנֶּגֶב‎ unto the south of Joshua 15:3; לְ ׳אֶלמִֿחוּץ‎ to the outside of Leviticus 4:12, 21 +; אֶלנֹֿכַח‎ to the front of Numbers 19:4; אֶלתַּֿחַת‎ Judges 6:19; 1 Kings 8:6 and elsewhere (see below תַּחַת‎).

Note I. — In Genesis 20:13 וג אִמְרִילִֿי ׳שָׁמָּה נָבוֺא אֲשֶׁר אֶלכָּֿלהַֿמָּקוֺם‎; Numbers 33:54 וג ׳אֶלאֲֿשֶׁר‎; Proverbs 17:8 (compare Deuteronomy 16:6); — אֶל‎ appears to be used by a species of attraction; the idea of motion involved in the relative clause influencing illogically the beginning of the sentence and causing אֶל‎ to be used instead of בְּ‎. In 31:14 אֵלֵיהֶם‎, as pointed, can only be from אַיִל‎ III or IV (q. v.); if the word be taken as the Pronoun with suffix (Hi Ke), אֲלֵיהֶם‎ must be read.

Note 2. — There is a tendency in Hebrew, especially manifest in Samuel Kings Jeremiah Ezekiel, to use אֶל‎ in the sense of עַל‎; sometimes אֶל‎ being used exceptionally in a phrase or construction which regularly, and in accusative with analogy, has עַל‎; sometimes, the two prepositions interchanging, apparently without discrimination, in the same or parallel sentences. Thus (a) Joshua 5:14 אֶלמָּֿנָיו וִיִּמֹּל‎; 1 Samuel 13:13 י ׳הֵקִים אֶליִֿשְׂרָאֵל אֶתמַֿמְלַכְתְּךָ‎; 14:34 (see below 5); 17:3 אֶלהָֿהָר עֹמְדִים‎ (contractee עַל‎ Deuteronomy 11:29); 19:16; 2 Samuel 6:3; 20:23 (contracted 8:16) 1 Kings 13:29; 18:46 (contracted 2 Kings 3:15 על‎) Jeremiah 35:15; Ezekiel 7:18. (b) Judges 6:37 and upon (עַל‎) all the earth let there be dryness, 6:39 let there be dryness on (אֶל‎) the fleece; 1 Samuel 14:10 come up עָלֵינוּ‎, 14:12 come up אֵלֵינוּ‎; 16:23 & 16; 16:13 & 18:10 אֶל צָלַח‎, 10:6 and elsewhere עַל צָלַח‎; 25:17 evil is determined כָּלבֵּֿיתוֺ וְעַל אֶלאֲֿדֹנֵינוּ‎; 25:25; 27:10; 2 Samuel 2:9 וְ֗֗֗עַל וְ֗֗֗עַל וְ֗֗֗עַל וְ֗֗֗אֶל וְ֗֗֗אֶל אֶל וַיַּמְלִכֵהוּ‎; 3:29 ֗֗֗ וְאֶל ֗֗֗ עַל יָחֻלוּ‎ 2 Kings 8:3 & 5; 9:6 & 3; Jeremiah 19:15; 25:2; 26:15 ye lay innocent blood הַזּאֹת וְאֶלהָֿעִיר עֲלֵיכֶם‎; 27:19; 28:8; 33:14; 34:7; 36:31; 37:13-14, Ezekiel 18:6, 11 & 15; 21:12 etc. Psalm 79:6 (Jeremiah 10:25 על‎ twice). It is probably that this interchange, at least in many cases, is not original, but due to transcribers.

Conversely, though not with the same frequency, עַל‎ occurs where analogy would lead us to expect אֶל‎, or even in juxtaposition with אֶל‎, as 1 Samuel 1:10 עַל הִתְמַּלֵּל‎ to pray to (1:26 אֶל‎); 1:13; 25:25 אֶלעַ֗֗֗ל‎; 1 Kings 20:43 עַלבֵּֿיתוֺ וַיֵּלֶךְ‎ (21:4 אֶל‎); Isaiah 22:15; Jeremiah 11:2; 23:35; 31:12. compare Dr^{Sm i. 13, 13}; ii. 8, 7; 15, 4.