עַל

H5920. al
עָ֑ל עַל, (compare Köii. 261 f.)
I. substantive height (poetry) Hos 7:16 עָֹל לֹא יָשׁוּבוּ they return (but) not upwards (i.e. not God-wards), Hos 11:7 יִקְרָאֻהוּ וְאֶלעַֿל they (the prophets) call it (the people) upwards, (but) none striveth to rise; as adverb accusative, 2Sa 23:1 the man עָ֔ל הֻ֣קַּם (that) is raised up on high. With מֵעָ֑ל מִן,, מֵעָ֑ל (ה)שׁמים (the) heavens above Gen 27:39; Gen 49:25; Psa 50:4 (opposed to מִתַּחַת Exo 20:4. In prose מִמַּעַל).
II. As preposition upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against (SI4.6; Moabite, Aramaic id.; Phoenician על, and עלת; Palmyrene, Nabataean על; Sabean עלי, Arabic ); — abbreviated from עֲלֵי (compare עֲדֵי אֱלֵי,), which is preserved in poetry, Gen 49:17 (twice in verse); Gen 49:22 (twice in verse); Num 24:6 (twice in verse); Deu 32:2 (twice in verse); Isa 18:4; Jer 8:18; Mic 5:6; Lam 4:5; 1Ki 20:41 Qr, Job 7:1 Qr + 10 t. Psalms, 3t. Proverbs, 15 t. Job; with suffix עָלַי; עָלַיִךְ עָלֶיךָ, ( Psa 116:7 the Aramaizing form עָלָ֑יְכִי); עָלָיו, Psalm 1Sa 2:10 עָלֶיהָ עָלָו,; 1 plural עָלֵינוּ; 2 masculine plural עֲלֵיכֶם, Exo 12:13 עֲלֵכֶם, 2 feminine plural עֲלֵיכֶן Eze 23:49; Eze 23:3masculine plural עֲלֵיהֶם, 13 t. in Pentateuch עֲלֵהֶם Gen 45:15, etc. (Köii. 305), in poetry עָלֵ֫ימוֺ Deu 22:23 Deu 22:11t. Psalms, Job (perhaps sometimes, Ges§ 103i, N.); 3 feminine plural עֲלֵיהֶן, Lev 3:4, Lev 3:10, Lev 3:15 עֲלֵהֶן (on the apparently plur. form of עָלַי עֲלֵי, etc., see Köii. 309 ff., and compare below עַד).
1 Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed; as עלהֿארץ upon the earth Gen 1:11, Gen 1:26; Gen 7:6, etc., Psa 110:6 רבה ארץ על over a wide country; האדמה על upon the ground Eze 20:12 + often, Amo 7:12 טְמֵאָה אֲדָמָה עַל, Isa 14:2 י אדמת ׳על, Psa 137:4 נֵכָר אַדְמַת עַל (אֲרָמָה being properly ground, soil, is construed regularly with באדמה על, being very rare), more definitely האדמה פני על Gen 6:1; Num 12:3 + often; מקום על Lev 14:28; Jer 45:5 (uncommon: usually בְּ); Deu 17:20; Isa 9:6 מַמְלַכְתּוֺ על upon his realm, 2Ch 1:1; בָּֽתִּים על very strangely Hos 11:11 (read וַהֲשִׁבֹתִים with ᵐ5 : see 7 c α β); constantly after such verbs as רכב ישׁב, נוח,, etc., Gen 8:4; Exo 11:5; על כתב to write (idiomatic) on a book or other surface, Jos 10:13, etc.; על יצא go forth over Gen 41:45; Zec 5:3; Psa 81:6; with בָּטַח נִסְמַךְ, נִשְׁעַן, (figurative), to lean or trust upon: Gen 3:14 to go גְּחֹנְךָ עַל upon thy belly, Gen 32:32 to limp יְרֵכוֺ עַל upon his thigh, 1Sa 14:13; Eze 37:10; Jdg 15:8 to smite יָרֵךְ עַל שׁוֺק leg upon thigh, i.e. so that the scattered limbs fall one upon another, Amo 3:15. And with reference not a horizontal surface but to a side, Lev 1:5 + עַל זָרַק to pour against the altar, 1Ki 6:5, 1Ki 6:18 to build against the temple, Jos 10:27, etc. Figurative Exo 23:13 let it not be heard מִּיךָ עַל upon thy mouth (in our idiom, upon thy lips, as Pro 22:18), Psa 15:3 לְשֹׁנוֺ עַל רָגַל לֹא he slandereth not (i.e. prepares not slander) upon his tongue, 2Sa 23:2 לְשׁוֺנִי עַל וּמִלָּתוֺ, Pro 16:23, Pro 16:27; Pro 31:26; Ecc 5:1; compare נָשָׂא שְׂפָתַיִם עַל or מֶּה עַל Psa 16:4; Psa 50:16; Eze 36:3b.
Specially a. — (a) of clothing, etc., which any one wears, Gen 37:23 the tunic עליו אשׁר which was upon him, Jos 9:5; 1Ki 11:30; Rth 3:15 +; Gen 24:30; Gen 38:30; 2Sa 13:18, of a sword 2Sa 20:8; Son 3:8; so עַל הָיָה Lev 16:4; Deu 22:5; Eze 44:18; 1Ch 15:27; 1Ch 18:7 (|| 2Sa 8:7 אֶל); compare עָלֶיךָ יַעֲלֶה לֹא Lev 19:19; Eze 44:17, and with הֶעֱלָה, below, 7b.
(b) With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it ('upon' referred to a side) : see עָטָה סָכַךְ, כָּסָה, גָּנַן, Neh 2:8 עלי הטובה אלהי יד, compare Neh 2:18; Ezr 7:6, Ezr 7:9; Ezr 8:18, Ezr 8:22, Ezr 8:31; Exo 27:21 the veil that is over (i.e. before) the testimony, 1Sa 25:16 עָלֵינוּ הָיוּ חוֺמָה they were a wall about us; עַל סָגַר to shut in (or down) upon Exo 14:13; Job 12:14; Eze 13:5; Job 13:27; Job 26:9; Job 36:30 he spreadeth his light עָלָיו about him.
b. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him, Isa 1:14 לָטֹרַח עָלַי הָיוּ they are a cumbrance upon me, Job 7:20 I am a burden עָלַי upon myself, 2Sa 15:33 (compare with אֶל 2Sa 19:36); עֶל כָּבַד to be heavy upon Exo 5:9 and elsewhere (see כָּבַד); of sin, calamity, etc. Isa 53:5; Eze 33:10; Psa 88:8; Job 21:9; 2Ch 15:5; 2Ch 28:13; Ecc 6:1; Ecc 8:6 (compare 5a β); Lev 7:20 עָלָיו וְטֻמְאָתוֺ Lev 22:3: idiomatically, Gen 48:7 רָחֵל עָלַי מֵתָה Rachel died upon me (i.e. to my sorrow), Gen 33:13 עָלַי עָלוֺת וְהַבָּקָר are giving suck upon me (i.e. as a. care to me), Num 11:13 עָלַי יִבְכּוּ they weep upon me (vexing me), Jdg 14:16-17, Jdg 19:2 (see Be), 1Sa 21:6 to play the mad man upon me, Jer 12:11.
c. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him, as עַל שָׂם to lay upon, Exo 5:8; Exo 21:22, Exo 21:30 (שָׁת), Exo 22:4, compare Gen 47:26; 2Ch 35:25; with other verbs, Job 38:10; Deu 24:5; Deu 26:6; 2Ki 15:20; 2Ki 18:14; 2Ki 23:33; Neh 10:33 (twice in verse); Est 1:8; Est 9:21, Est 9:27, Est 9:31; with צִוָּה enjoin upon Gen 2:16 + often, כתב prescribe to 2Ki 22:13; Psa 40:8, נטשׁ cast upon 1Sa 17:20 (1Sa 17:22 יד על), יד על נתן (figurative) Gen 42:37; 2Ki 12:12; 2Ki 22:5, compare 1Ki 14:27, עזב Psa 10:14, גלל Psa 37:5, השׁליך Psa 55:23, פקד Job 34:13 and elsewhere; Gen 30:28 עָלַי שְׂכָֽרְךָ נָקְבָה fix thy wages upon me (name thy wages to me), Gen 34:12 וּמַתָּן מֹהַר מְאֹד עָלַי הַרְבּוּ multiply upon me, etc., 2Sa 19:39 (pregnantly) whatsoever thou choosest (and layest) upon me; without a verb, Jdg 19:20 עָלָ֑י כָּלמַֿחְסֹערךָ רַק only let all thy wants be upon me, Ezr 10:4; Psa 56:13 נְדָרֶיךָ עָלַי thy vows are upon me (i.e. I owe them: compare Num 30:7; Num 30:9; Num 30:15), Pro 7:14 עָלָ֑י שְׁלָמִים זִבְחֵי peace-offerings were upon me (= were due from me); perhaps Psa 62:1; Psa 77:1 (to the charge of); with an infinitive 2Sa 18:11 לָתֵת וְעָלַי and it would have been incumbent on me to give, etc., 1Ki 4:7; Ezr 10:12 (accents [Baer], RVm), Neh 13:3, compare Zec 12:2 (Ew RVm); Num 7:9 (P) the service of ... was upon them, Eze 45:17, so especially late 1Ch 9:27, 1Ch 9:33; 1Ch 23:31; 2Ch 2:3 ישׂראל על זאת לעולם2Ch 8:15; 2Ch 24:9; Ezr 7:11; Neh 11:23; Isa 9:5 and the government is upon, his shoulder (compare Isa 22:22), 2Ch 25:3; Psa 7:11 עַלאֿ ׳מָֽגִנִּי my shield rests upon God (he has undertaken my defence), Psa 62:8 וּכְבֹדִי יִשְׁעִי עלאֿלהים.
d. על is used idiomatically to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him: Psa 42:6 why art thou cast down, O my soul, עָלַי וַתֶּהֱמִי and disquieted upon me? Psa 42:7 my soul upon me is cast down, Psalm 42:12; Psa 43:5; Lam 3:20; Psa 131:2 נַפְשִׁי עָלַי כַּגָּמוּל אִמּוֺ עֲלֵי כְּגָמֻל is my soul upon me; Psa 142:4 רוּחִי עָלַי בְּהִתְעַטֵף when my spirit faints upon me, Psa 143:4; Jon 2:8; Jer 8:18 ׃ דַרוָָּֽי לִבִּי עָלַי my heart upon me is sick, Job 14:22 (twice in verse) (compare Di), Hos 11:8 לבי עלי נהפך my heart is turned (altered) upon me, 1Sa 17:32; 1Sa 25:36; Neh 5:7 עָלַי לִבִּי וַיִמָּלֵךְ and my heart took counsel upon me: compare Psa 42:5 I will pour out my soul upon me, Job 30:16; Job 10:1 שׂיחי עלי אעזבה I will let loose my complaint upon me. (Thes apud me, mecum. The rend. 'within me alters entirely the point of view of the Hebrew expression, and is incorrect.) Denoting with some emphasis the subject of an experience, Job 30:2 כָּ֑לַךְ אבד עלימו, Dan 2:1 his sleep עָלָיו נִהְיְתָה was done with upon him (compare Aramaic Dan 6:19 עֲלוֺהִי נַדַּת), Dan 10:8 עָלַי נֶהְמַּךְ וְהוֺדִי (compare Dan 5:9; Dan 7:28): also, rather differently, Lev 18:18b Jer 49:20 נְוֵהֶם עֲלֵיהֶם יַשִׁים לֹא אִם, Mic 7:13; Psa 90:17b; Psa 7:9 according to my perfectness upon me, Eze 18:20; Eze 22:3; 2Ch 36:8.
e. עַל חָיָה to live upon (as upon a foundation or support; compare Isa 3:1, and Ζῆν ἐπί τινος), Deu 8:3 עַלהַֿלֶּחֶם, Isa 38:16 (compare Hi), Gen 27:40 תחיה חרבך על upon ( = by) thy sword thou shalt live (compare Kazwiniii. 17 ap. Tu), Eze 33:19, compare Eze 33:26.
f. Of the ground, or basis, on which a thing is done, as Gen 24:9 הזה הדבר על, Lev 17:12 if he offers it תּוֺדָה עַל on the ground of a thanks-giving, Num 6:21 נִזְרוֺ עַל, vb Eze 16:15; Eze 28:17; Dan 8:25 שִׂכְלוֺ עַל, Dan 9:18 צדקותינו עַל, (with this use is extended so as to denote explicitly on condition of). Hence (a) the basis being conceived as regulative, על comes to denote the norm or standard (compare German 'auf die Art' WAG ii. § 59 i): the transition may be seen in a passage like Exo 24:8 the covenant which ׳י made with you on the basis of (על), or in agreement with, all these words (compare פי על Exo 34:27), Num 35:24 המשׁפטים על האלה, Deu 17:11; Jer 30:18 the palace shall sit (i.e. be inhabited: see ישׁב) מִשְׁמָּטוֺ עַל in accordance with its manner, Psa 94:20 who frames mischief עֲלֵיחֹֿק in accordance with a law, ... פי על according to the mouth (i.e. command, Gen 45:21 +? Deu 17:6; Deu 19:15, sentence Deu 21:5) of . . .; ֗֗֗֗ שֵׁם עַל according to the name of . . . (mostly with call, be called) Gen 48:6; Exo 28:21; 2Sa 18:18 +, compare 1Ch 23:14; Exo 6:26; Exo 12:51 צִבְאֹתָם על according to their hosts (usually לְ), Num 1:18 משׁפחתם על (usually לְ) Num 1:52; Num 2:2, Num 2:34; Num 7:3 (|| ל), Deu 18:8 (probably); יְדֵי עַל according to the hands (direction) of Jer 5:31; Jer 33:13 al.; Psa 110:4 מ דִּבְרָתִי ׳עַל after the manner of M.; Pro 25:11 (probably) a word spoken אָעפנָיו עַל in accordance with its circumstances = appositely; of the tune according to which a song is to be sung (RV. set to) Psa 6:1 (1Ch 15:21), Psa 8:1; Psa 9:1; Psa 12:1; Psa 45:1; Psa 46:1 (1Ch 15:20) עַלעֲֿלָמוֺת (perhaps, however, in the manner of maidens = for 'sopranos'), Psa 53:1; Psa 56:1; Psa 60:1; Psa 69:1; Psa 81:1; Psa 84:1; Psa 88:1 (compare in Syriac ).
(b) The basis being conceived as involving the ground, על denotes the cause or reason, on account of, because of, Gen 20:3 lo thou shalt die הָאִשָּׁה עַל on account of the woman, Gen 21:12; Gen 26:7, Gen 26:9; Gen 27:41; Gen 42:21; Lev 4:3, Lev 4:28; Lev 5:18; Lev 19:17; Lev 26:18, Lev 26:24, Lev 26:28; Deu 9:18; Deu 24:16 fathers shall not be put to death עלבֿנים on account of children, <ref>Deu