אֵל H0413
to, toward; into; upon, on; against; for, concerning; with, among
The most common Hebrew preposition of directed motion, appearing over 5,500 times. Its core meaning — motion toward a person, place, or goal — underlies virtually every narrative scene where someone goes, sends, speaks, gives, or turns. Unlike the broader ב (in) or על (upon), אֵל specifically encodes directionality: the trajectory from speaker to destination. Yet context pushes it into hostile territory ('against'), purposive uses ('for, concerning'), and even companionship ('with, among'). The cognate Arabic ʾilā confirms the directional core. This single syllable is the connective tissue of Hebrew narrative, joining actors to their targets across thousands of clauses.
7. sense 7 — A rare or uncertain sense attested once in Psalm 84:7, where the Masoretic text places the preposition in an unusual construction. The multilingual evidence diverges — English 'before,' Spanish 'ante,' German 'vor-zu' — suggesting a sense of appearing in the presence of God. This may represent a specialized liturgical usage of the directional preposition: moving 'toward' God until one stands 'before' him in Zion. 1×
AR["عِنْدَ-"]·ben["প্রতি-"]·DE["vor-zu"]·EN["before"]·FR["vers"]·heb["אל"]·HI["-को"]·ID["kepada"]·IT["a"]·jav["ing-ngarsaning"]·KO["~에게"]·PT["diante"]·RU["к-"]·ES["ante-"]·SW["mbele-ya"]·TR["-e"]·urd["اِل"]
▼ 6 more senses below
Senses
1. directional: to, toward — Primary directional sense: 'to' or 'toward' a person, place, or thing. With over 5,300 occurrences, this dominates Hebrew prose. Spanish 'a,' French 'à,' and German 'zu' converge on the same particle. Genesis 1:9 gathers waters 'to one place.' It follows every verb of motion and speech, marking destination or addressee. 5366×
AR["إلى","إِلَى","إِلَى-","لِ","لِ-"]·ben["-","-এর-কাছে","-কাছে","-কে","-দিকে","কাছে-","প্রতি","প্রতি-"]·DE["an-","auf","dem-","in-","vor-","zu","zu-"]·EN["to","to-"]·FR["à","à-"]·heb["אל","אל-"]·HI["-की-ओर","-से","की-ओर","की-ओर-","के-पास","के-पास-","को","को-","पास","पास-","से","से-"]·ID["ke","kepada","kepada-"]·IT["a","a-"]·jav["dhateng","dhateng-","dhumateng"]·KO["-에게","~에게","에","에게","에게-"]·PT["a","a-","para"]·RU["-","[объект]","в-","к","к-","перед-"]·ES["a","a-"]·SW["Yakobo","hadi","hadi-","kwa","kwa-","kwake","kwenye"]·TR["-","-e","-e-"]·urd["ایک","سے","پاس","کو","کے-پاس"]
2. into, entering within — Movement into an enclosed space or interior — 'into' rather than merely 'toward.' The distinction is subtle but real: Deuteronomy 31:7 sends Joshua 'into' the land God promised, not merely toward it. French 'vers' and German 'in-zu' sometimes distinguish this penetrative sense from mere directionality. The spatial endpoint is not a surface but an interior. 92×
AR["إلى","إلى-","إِلَى","إِلَى-","عَلَى-","فِي","فِي-"]·ben["-কাছে","-কে","-তে","-প্রতি-","-মধ্যে","কাছে-","প্রতি","বিরুদ্ধে-","মধ্যে-"]·DE["in-zu-","zu","zu-"]·EN["at","in-","into","into-","to","to-","upon-"]·FR["vers","à","à-"]·heb["אל","אל-"]·HI["अंदर","को-","में","में-"]·ID["di-","ke","ke-","ke-dalam-"]·IT["a","a-","verso"]·jav["dhateng","dhateng-","dhumateng-"]·KO["~에게","~으로","에-","에게","에게-","으로"]·PT["a","em","em-","na-","no","no-","para","para-","sobre-"]·RU["в","в-","к","на-"]·ES["a","a-","al","en","en-","sobre"]·SW["katika","katika-","kwenye-"]·TR["-a-üzerine","-e","-e-içine","a-","içine-","üzerine-"]·urd["-میں","اِل","میں","میں-"]
Deut 11:29, Deut 31:7, Deut 31:20, Deut 31:21, Deut 31:23, Deut 32:52, Deut 33:28, Josh 4:5, 2 Sam 17:13, Neh 6:10, Neh 6:10, Neh 6:11 (+38 more)
3. upon, on, over — Contact or position upon a surface, or authority placed over someone — 'upon, on, over.' Numbers 4:19 assigns Levites 'to' their service. 2 Samuel 2:9 places Ish-bosheth 'over' Gilead. In prophetic oracles the preposition slides from 'toward' into 'upon/against.' Spanish 'y-contra' and French 'et-sur' capture this. 24×
AR["وَ-إِلَى-","وَعَلَى","وَعَلَى-"]·ben["আর-উপরে","আর-প্রতি-","আর-বিরুদ্ধে-","এবং--কে","এবং-উপর-","এবং-কাছে-","এবং-তে-","এবং-বিরুদ্ধে-","ও-তে","ও-প্রতি-","ও-বিরুদ্ধে-","ও-সম্বন্ধে"]·DE["und-auf","und-auf-","und-zu"]·EN["and-against-","and-to-","and-upon","and-upon-"]·FR["et-sur","et-sur-","et-vers"]·heb["ו-אל","ו-אל-"]·HI["और-की-ओर","और-के-विरुद्ध-","और-पर","और-पर-"]·ID["dan-atas-","dan-di","dan-ke-","dan-ke-atas","dan-kepada","dan-melawan-","dan-terhadap","dan-terhadap-"]·IT["e-a","e-su","e-su-"]·jav["lan-bab","lan-dhateng","lan-dhateng-","lan-dhumateng","lan-ing","lan-nglawan-","lan-tumrap-","lan-wonten-ing-"]·KO["그리고--을-향하여","그리고-에-","그리고-에-대하여-","그리고-에게","그리고-에게-","그리고-으로","그리고-향하여-"]·PT["e-a","e-contra","e-contra-","e-sobre","e-sobre-"]·RU["и-на-","и-против-","опустошена","осквернено"]·ES["y-a","y-contra","y-contra-","y-sobre","y-sobre-"]·SW["na-dhidi-ya","na-juu-ya","na-kwa-"]·TR["ve-","ve--e","ve--e-","ve-aleyhine-","ve-karşı","ve-üzerinde","ve-üzerine","ve-üzerine-"]·urd["اور-قوم-پر-","اور-پر","اور-کی-طرف","اور-کے-خلاف","اور-کے-خلاف-"]
4. against, in opposition — Hostile or adversarial orientation: 'against.' Genesis 4:8 has Cain rising 'against' his brother Abel. Deuteronomy 28:7 promises that enemies who rise 'against' Israel will be defeated. 1 Kings 21:21 brings divine judgment 'against' Ahab. The glosses (Spanish 'contra,' French 'contre,' German 'gegen') consistently mark hostility. The directional core acquires an adversarial edge from context. 17×
AR["إلى","إِلَيهِم","إِلَيْكَ","إِلَيْهِ","عَلَى-","عَلَيْكَ","عَلَيْكِ","عَلَيْهِمْ"]·ben["-এর-বিরুদ্ধে","-তাতে","-বিরুদ্ধে-","তাদের-বিরুদ্ধে","তোমার-উপর","তোমার-কাছে","তোমার-দিকে","তোমার-বিরুদ্ধে"]·DE["gegen-","gegen-du","zu","zu-dir","zu-du","zu-ihm"]·EN["against-","against-them","against-you","am-against-you","into-it","to-you","you"]·FR["contre-","contre-toi","vers","vers-toi","à-tu"]·heb["אל","אל-ו","אל-ם","אלייך","אליך"]·HI["उनके-विरुद्ध","उसमें","के-विरुद्ध","के-विरुद्ध-तेरे","तुझ-को","तुझ-पर","तुझे","तेरे-पास","तेरे-विरुद्ध","तेरे-साथ","पर-तुझे","पास-"]·ID["engkau","ke-dalamnya","kepada-mu","kepadamu","melawan-mereka","melawan-mu","melawanmu","terhadap","terhadap-","terhadap-mereka","terhadapmu"]·IT["a","a-te","a-tu","contro-","contro-di-te","verso"]·jav["dhateng","dhateng-panjenengan","dhateng-panjenengan,","dhateng-piyambakipun","dhateng-punika","lawan-panjenengan","nglawan-kowé","nglawan-panjenengan","nglawan-tiyang-punika"]·KO["~에-대하여","그들에게","너-에게","너를-대적하여","너를-치리라","너를-향하여","너에게","네-에게로","당신-을","에","에게-그것","에게-그들"]·PT["a-eles","a-ti","contra","contra-","contra-eles","contra-ti","nela","nenhum","para-ti"]·RU["Я","в-него","к-тебе","на","на-","на-них","на-тебя","против-них","против-тебя","с-тобой"]·ES["a-ti","contra-","contra-ellos","contra-ti","contra-ti,","en-ella","sobre-ti"]·SW["dhidi-ya","dhidi-yako","dhidi-yao","juu-yako","kwako","nawe","ndani-yake","wewe"]·TR["-e","-e-sana","e-sana","içine","karşılarına","onlara-karşı","sana","sana-karşı","sana-karşıyım","üzerine"]·urd["اس-میں","اُن-کے-خلاف","تجھ-سے","تجھ-پر","تجھ-کو","تیرے-خلاف","تیرے-خلاف-ہوں","تیرے-پاس","سے-","پر"]
Gen 4:8, Deut 28:7, 1 Kgs 21:21, 2 Kgs 3:14, 1 Chr 19:17, 2 Chr 14:9, Neh 2:8, Neh 5:1, Ps 91:10, Jer 15:20, Jer 21:13, Jer 51:25 (+5 more)
5. for, concerning, about — Purpose, benefaction, or reference: 'for, concerning, about.' 1 Samuel 1:27 speaks of praying 'for' this child. 1 Samuel 15:35 records Samuel's grieving 'for/concerning' Saul. Spanish 'Por' and French 'pour' confirm the purposive reading. The directional metaphor extends: the speaker's attention is directed 'toward' a topic or cause. 10×
AR["إلى","إِلَيَّ","إِلَيْهِ","عَلَى-","عَلَيْهِ","مَعَهُ","مِنْ-أَجْلِ-"]·ben["-জন্য","আমার-জন্য","এর-দিকে","তার-সম্বন্ধে","তার-সাথে","প্রতি-"]·DE["fuer-","ueber","zu"]·EN["against-him","against-it","for-","for-me","over","with-him"]·FR["au-dessus","mon-Dieu","pour-","vers-lui"]·heb["אל","אל-","אלי","אליו"]·HI["אל-","उस-पर","उसके-विषय-में","उसके-साथ","एल-","के-लिये-","को-","मेरे-लिए"]·ID["Untuk-","atas-","bagiku","dengannya","kepadanya","tentang","tentang-","tentangnya","untuk-"]·IT["a","a-me","per-","sopra"]·jav["bab-","bab-piyambakipun","dhateng-","dhateng-piyambak-ipun","kaliyan-piyambak-ipun","kangge","kanggé-kula"]·KO["-위해","-을-위해","그에-대해","그에게","나-를-향하여","에-","에-대하여","에-대해-"]·PT["a-","com-ele","contra-ele","para","por","por-","por-mim","sobre","sobre-ele"]·RU["за-","к-","ко-мне","о-","о-нём","против-него","с-ним"]·ES["Por","a-mí","con-él","contra-él","por","por-"]·SW["habari-zake","kwa-","kwa-ajili-ya","kwa-ajili-ya-","kwa-sababu-ya","kwangu","naye","yeye"]·TR["-a","-e","-için","bana-","e-","ona","onu","onunla"]·urd["اُس-پر","اُس-کے-بارے-میں","اُس-کے-ساتھ","میری-خاطر","پر","کی-طرف-","کے-بارے-","کے-لیے"]
6. with, among, alongside — Accompaniment or proximity: 'with, among, alongside.' Numbers 23:4,16 describe God meeting 'with' Balaam. Joshua 11:19 notes no city that made peace 'with' Israel. The sense is less common but attested clearly — the preposition marks not just motion toward but arrival and remaining alongside. Spanish 'con' and French 'avec' confirm the associative reading. 6×
AR["-","×","إِلَى-","مَعَ-"]·ben["কাছে-","প্রতি-","সঙ্গে-","সাথে-"]·DE["-","mit-","unter-","zu"]·EN["-","among-","with-"]·FR["-","avec-","parmi-","vers"]·heb["אל","אל-"]·HI["एल-","की-ओर-","साथ","साथ-","से"]·ID["bersama-","dengan","dengan-"]·IT["-","a","con-","fra-"]·jav["dhateng","dhateng-","dhumateng-","kaliyan"]·KO["에게","에게-"]·PT["(a)","com","junto-a"]·RU["вместе-с","с-"]·ES["con","con-","entre"]·SW["na-","pamoja-na"]·TR["-e","-ile","-le","e-","ile-"]·urd["ساتھ","سے","سے-","کے-ساتھ-"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
אֵל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), poet. אֱלֵי (cf. עֲלֵי, עֲדֵי), but only in Job (†3:22; 5:26; 15:22; 29:19), with suff. אֵלַי, אֵלֶיךָ, אֵלַיִךְ, etc. אֵלֵינוּ, אֲלֵיכֶם & (5 textual) אֲלֵכֶם, אֲלֵיהֶם & אֲלֵהֶם (both very often), once אֵלֵימוֹ ψ 2:5, אֲלֵיהֶן, once אֲלֵהֶן Ex 1:19 (Ar. إِلَى ), prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental). 1. of motion to…