מַעֲלָה
maʻălâh · H4609 · Hebrew · 47 occurrences
A word for 2 things
- Stairs, stepsHouse, permanent dwelling41 verses
- Upper room, roof chamberRoom29 verses
Meanings
-
to go up, to climb up, to mount
Action by which humans, animals or objects go to a place that is situated at a higher elevation, by foot, carried by hand, or with the help of a vehicle
ExamplesEzra 7:9 For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was upon him.
-
Meaning unsure; literally: coming up; hence: process by which humans or deities increase in status and importance (ascending, rising (in status))
Examples1 Chronicles 17:17 “This was a small thing in Your eyes, God; but You have spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have viewed me according to the standard of a person of high degree, LORD God.
-
One of a set of fixed steps leading up to a higher area (step (of staircase))
ExamplesExodus 20:26 ‘And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed on it.’
1 Kings 10:19 There were six steps to the throne and a round top to the throne at its back, and armrests on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.
1 Kings 10:20 Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for any other kingdom.
-
upper chamber
A room built on top of the roof of a house, only used figuratively to refer to God's dwelling place in heaven
ExamplesAmos 9:6 The One who builds His upper chambers in the heavens And has founded His vaulted dome over the earth, He who calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the face of the earth, The LORD is His name.
-
song of ascent
Literally: song of ascents; hence, probably: a song commonly sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem
ExamplesPsalm 120:1 A Song of Ascents.
Psalm 121:1 A Song of Ascents.
Psalm 122:1 A Song of Ascents, of David.
-
Literally: coming up of (one's) spirit; hence: process by which humans or deities start processing something in their minds (coming up (in one's mind))
ExamplesEzekiel 11:5 Then the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and He said to me, “Say, ‘This is what the LORD says: “This is how you think, house of Israel, for I know your thoughts.
How it’s used In 9 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Whose, or of whatGenitive or possessive
7 occurrences in 4 groups
- הוּhis 3
- אָחָזAhaz 2
- עִירcity, town 1
- רוּחַspirit, wind 1
Words describing itAdjectives, demonstratives, participles
20 occurrences in 6 groups
- עֶשֶׂרten 7
- שֵׁשׁsix 4
- יָרַדto go down, to come down 3
- שְׁמֹנֶהeight 3
- שֶׁבַעseven 2
- עָלָהto go up 1
Named alongside itApposition
1 occurrences in 1 groups
- אָדָםhuman, humankind, human being(s) 1
What it doesIt is the subject
1 occurrences in 1 groups
- פָּנָהto turn, to face 1
What is done to itIt is the object
1 occurrences in 1 groups
- בָּנָהto build, to rebuild, to establish 1
What it is said to bePredicate
2 occurrences in 1 groups
- כִּסֵּאthrone, seat 2
What is said to be itIt is the predicate
5 occurrences in 3 groups
- מַעֲלֶהascent, stairway 3
- עֹלָהburnt offering 1
- שִׁירsong 1
After prepositionsPrepositional phrases
13 occurrences in 4 groups
- בin/on/with 15
- עַלon, upon, over, against 6
- עַדto, as far as, until 1
- לto/for 1
In phrases “… of it”It is the genitive
17 occurrences in 4 groups
- שִׁירsong 14
- גֶּרֶםbone 1
- יְסֻדbeginning 1
- צֵלshadow, shade 1
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
In the other Testament 2 words
- ἀναβαθμός anabathmós · G304 · step, flight of steps, stairs
- Greek ἀναβαθμός specifically denotes the physical structure of a stairway, while Hebrew מַעֲלָה encompasses both the concrete sense of steps/stairs and the abstract sense of ascent, degree, or upward movement; the Greek term captures the architectural referent that appears in the Songs of Ascents and temple stair contexts where the terms genuinely co-occur as translation equivalents.
- βαθμός bathmós · G898 · standing, rank, status
- Greek βαθμός emphasizes dignity/rank gradation where Hebrew מַעֲלָה centers on physical ascent or architectural steps, though both share the core semantic of 'step' as a measurable degree of elevation.
Semantic domains 5 entries
- Move002002001012
- מַעֲלָה denotes the act of going up, as with the steps by which one ascends to a throne or altar.
- Great002001002012
- This domain is not directly illustrated among the sampled "steps/stairs" citations; it may reflect מַעֲלָה's alternate "high degree" gloss in another attested usage.
- Buildings001003002001
- מַעֲלָה denotes the steps of a built structure, as with the six steps of Solomon's throne or the steps to the altar.
- Sing002004001009006
- מַעֲלָה occurs in the title "Song of Ascents" (שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת) borne by a group of psalms, associating this lexeme with a distinct genre of liturgical song.
- Think002004002013
- This domain is not directly illustrated among the sampled citations, which describe physical steps and stairs rather than a sense of reckoning or reflection.
Word family 21 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon H4609. ma 'alah I. [מַעֲלָה] noun feminine what comes up; — plural construct רוּחֲכֶם…
'alah I. [מַעֲלָה] noun feminine what comes up; — plural construct רוּחֲכֶם מַעֲלוֺת Eze 11:5, i.e. your thoughts.
II. מַעֲלָה46 noun feminine step, stair; — ׳מ Ezr 7:9; 1Ch 17:17; plural מַעֲלוֺת Isa 38:8 +, suffix מַעֲלֹתָו֯ Amo 9:6, etc.; —
1 step, stair of temple Eze 40:6 Eze 40:5t. 40, and temple porch Eze 40:49; of altar Exo 20:26 (E) (forbidden, compare RSOTJC xii, n. l; 2nd ed. 358) Eze 43:17 (prescribed); of house 2Ki 9:13, of throne 1Ki 10:19-20, 2Ch 9:18-19, to the city of David Neh 3:15; Neh 12:37.
2 steps (forming sun-dial, compare DiIs) 2Ki 20:9 (twice in verse); 2Ki 20:10 (twice in verse); 2Ki 20:11 (3 t. in verse) = Isa 38:8 (5 t. in verse)
3 stories of heaven Amo 9:6.
4 ascent, מִבָּבֶל Ezr 7:9.
5. שִׁיר (ל)הַמַּעֲלוֺת song of ascents, to the three great pilgrim feasts, i.e. to be sung on way up to Jerusalem, titles of Psalm 120-134 + Psa 84:6 We and others — המעלה האדם כְּתוֺר 1Ch 17:17 is corrupt, see Commentaries on the passage (and on || 2Sa 7:19).
Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), public domain
Topical studies with this word 5 entries
Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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