H0193b H0193b
leading men, nobles — prominent or mighty leaders
This term appears in the Ketiv of 2 Kings 24:15, describing Nebuchadnezzar's deportation of 'the leading men of the land' from Jerusalem to Babylon. The Qere reading substitutes 'rams' (metaphorically for leaders), but the Ketiv's 'leading men' or 'nobles' is straightforward. The context depicts the systematic stripping of Judah's elite — royalty, officials, warriors, craftsmen — leaving only the poorest to prevent rebellion. This exile of leadership ensured political paralysis.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Plural construct noun denoting 'leading men, nobles, mighty ones' of a region or people. Translations render it as 'mighty ones of' (English), 'los fuertes de' (Spanish, 'the strong/mighty of'), emphasizing social and political prominence. In 2 Kings 24:15, these leaders are exiled to Babylon, crippling Judah's capacity for organized resistance. The term highlights the strategic deportation of those capable of leadership and influence. 1×
AR["(أَيْلَي)"]·ben["(শক্তিশালীদের)"]·EN["mighty-ones-of"]·FR["puissant-ceux-de"]·heb["אילי"]·HI["(आईले)"]·ID["pembesar-pembesar"]·IT["potente-quelli-di"]·jav["para-prawira"]·KO["강한-자들을"]·PT["(fortes-de)"]·RU["(могучих)"]·ES["los-fuertes-de"]·SW["(wenye-nguvu-wa-)"]·TR["(güçlülerini)"]·urd["سرداروں"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† II. [אוּל] n.[m.] leading man, noble; pl. cstr. אוּלֵי הָאָרֶץ 2 K 24:15 Kt (Qr אֵילֵי v. iii. [איל]).