H1984b H1984b
To praise, laud (God); boast or glory in; be praised/praiseworthy; be mad or act foolishly
The root behind the most famous word in worship — Hallelujah ('praise Yah!'). In the Piel stem it commands and celebrates doxological praise directed at God, pervading the Psalter from Psalm 22:23 to the closing Hallel psalms (113-118). The Hitpael reflexive turns the verb inward: to boast or glory in something, whether foolishly in oneself (Ps 52:1) or rightly in the LORD (Ps 34:2, 1 Chr 16:10). A striking homographic overlap with הלל I yields the sense 'be mad, rage' — Ecclesiastes 7:7 warns that oppression 'makes a wise man mad.' Spanish 'alabad' and French 'louez' consistently render the praise imperative, while Arabic cognate هَلَّ (shout) preserves the root's original sense of crying aloud.
1. praise, laud (Piel) — The active Piel praise sense — the liturgical heart of the Hebrew Bible. This covers the imperative הַלְלוּ יָהּ (Hallelujah), along with all Piel perfects, imperfects, infinitives, and participles directing praise toward God or commending a person. Spanish 'alabad' and French 'louez' consistently render the plural imperative. The Hallel psalms (113-118) concentrate this usage, while 1 Chronicles 23:5 records 4,000 Levites appointed to הלל the LORD. Psalm 104:35 and 105:45 frame entire compositions with this doxological cry. 111×
AR["سَبِّحوا","هَلِلوا-","هَلِّلوا","هَلِّلوا-","هَلِّلُوا","هَلِّلُوا-"]·ben["প্রশংসা-কর","প্রশংসা-কর-","প্রশংসা-করো","প্রশংসা-করো,","প্রশংসা-করো-","হাল্লেলুইয়া"]·DE["lobte"]·EN["praise"]·FR["louez"]·heb["הללו"]·HI["स्तुति-करो","स्तुति-करो-","हल्लेलूयाह"]·ID["Pujilah","Pujilah-","pujilah","pujilah-"]·IT["lodate"]·jav["Mugi-memuji","Mugi-memuji-","Pinujia","Pujinen","Pujinen-","pujinen","sami-memuji"]·KO["찬양하라","찬양하라-","할렐루","할렐루야"]·PT["Aleluia","Louvai","Louvai-","louvai"]·RU["Хвалите","Хвалите-","хвалите","хвалите-"]·ES["Alabad","Alabad-","Alelu","alabad"]·SW["msifuni","sifuni"]·TR["övün","övün-"]·urd["حمد-کرو","حمد-کرو-"]
1 Chr 23:5, Ps 22:23, Ps 104:35, Ps 105:45, Ps 106:48, Ps 111:1, Ps 112:1, Ps 113:1, Ps 113:1, Ps 113:1, Ps 113:9, Ps 115:18 (+38 more)
▼ 4 more senses below
Senses
2. boast, glory (Hitpael) — Hitpael reflexive boasting or glorying — turning the vocal exuberance inward. Psalm 34:2 models the positive form: 'my soul shall boast in the LORD.' But 1 Kings 20:11 warns: 'let not the one who puts on armor boast like one who takes it off.' Psalm 49:6 and 52:1 describe those who boast in wealth and evil. Spanish 'gloriaos' and the construct 'el que se gloría' capture the reflexive self-directed quality. Jeremiah 9:24 channels this into the famous injunction to glory in knowing the LORD — the proper object of all human boasting. 22×
AR["افتَخِروا","افْتَخِرُوا","المُفْتَخِرُ","تَفْتَخِرُ","تَفْتَخِرِينَ","تَفْتَخِرْ","لِأَفتَخِرَ","مُتَفاخِرٌ","وَ-يَفْتَخِرُ","وَيَفْتَخِرُونَ","يَتَفَاخَرُ","يَفتَخِرُ","يَفْتَخِرُونَ","يَفْتَخِرْ"]·ben["এবং-গর্ব-করবে","ও-গর্ব-করবে","গর্ব-কর","গর্ব-করতে","গর্ব-করবে","গর্ব-করুক","গর্ব-করে","গর্ব-করো","গর্ব-করো-তুমি","গৌরব-কর","গৌরব-করবে","তুমি-গর্ব-কর","যে-গর্ব-করে"]·DE["[יתהלל]","[מתהלל]","[תתהלל]","boast","lobte","preisen","und-lobte","und-preisen","zu-lobte"]·EN["and-will-boast","and-will-glory","boast","boasting","boasts","do-you-boast","let-boast","the-one-boasting","they-shall-glory","to-glory","will-boast"]·FR["boast","et-louer","le-louer","louer","à-louer"]·heb["ה-מתהלל","התהללו","ו-יתהללו","יתהלל","יתהללו","ל-התהלל","מתהלל","תתהלל","תתהללי"]·HI["और-घमंड-करेंगे","घमंड-करता-है","घमंड-करनेवाला","घमंड-करे","घमंड-करेंगी-वे","घमंड-करेगा","घमण्ड-कर","घमण्ड-करने-के-लिए","घमण्ड-करेगी","घमण्ड-करो","डींग-मारती-हैं-तू"]·ID["akan-bermegah","bermegah","bermegahlah","dan-bermegah","dan-bermegahlah","engkau-akan-bermegah","engkau-bermegah","ia-memuji-diri","mereka-akan-bermegah","untuk-bermegah","yang-bermegah"]·IT["boast","e-lodare","e-lodo'","lodare","lodo'"]·jav["Gumunggung","Mongkokaké","badhé-megahaken","ginumunggung","gumunggung","ingkang-gumunggung","kang-gumunggung","lan-badhé-cumongga","panjenengan-badh駜umongga","panjenengan-gumunggung","saha-tiyang-tiyang-badhé-megahaken","sami-mong-kog","supados-gumunggung","supados-mongkok"]·KO["그리고-자랑하리라","그리고-자랑하리이다","자랑하게-하소서","자랑하느냐","자랑하느니라","자랑하는","자랑하는-자가","자랑하다","자랑하라","자랑하리니","자랑하리라","자랑하리이다","자랑할-것이다"]·PT["Gloriai-vos","e-gloriar-se-ão","gloriar-se-á","gloriar-se-ão","glorie-se","o-que-se-gloria","para-me-gloriar","que-se-vangloria","se-gloriará","te-gloriarás","te-glorias","te-glories"]·RU["Хвалитесь","будет-хвалиться","будешь-хвалиться","восхвалятся","и-будут-хвалиться","и-прославятся","пусть-хвалится","хвались","хвалитесь","хвалиться","хвалишься","хвалящийся","хвастает","хвастающийся"]·ES["Gloriaos","el-que-se-gloría","para-gloriarme","que-se-jacta","se-gloriará","se-gloriarán","se-gloríe","se-jacta","se-jacte","te-gloriarás","te-glorias","te-jactas","te-jactes","y-se-gloriarán"]·SW["ajisifu","ajisifuye","anayejisifu","atajisifu","hujisifu","itajisifu","jisifu","jisifuni","kujisifu","na-watajisifu","unajisifu","utajisifu","yatajisifu"]·TR["ovuneceksin","ve-ovunecek","ve-övünecek","Övünün","övün","övünecek","övünecekler","övünen","övünme","övünmek-için","övünsün","övünün","övünür","övünüyorsun"]·urd["اور-فخر-کریں-گے","تو-گھمنڈ-کرتی-ہے","تُو-فخر-کرے-گا","شیخی-مارنے-والا","فخر-کر","فخر-کرتا-ہے","فخر-کرتا-ہے-تو","فخر-کرنے-والا","فخر-کرنے-کو","فخر-کرو","فخر-کریں-گی","فخر-کرے","فخر-کرے-گی","فَخر-کَرے","وَ-فَخر-کَریں"]
1 Kgs 20:11, 1 Chr 16:10, Ps 34:2, Ps 49:6, Ps 52:1, Ps 63:11, Ps 64:10, Ps 97:7, Ps 105:3, Ps 106:5, Prov 20:14, Prov 25:14 (+10 more)
3. be praised, praiseworthy (Pual) — Pual and Hitpael tolerativum with passive force: being praised, being worthy of praise. The Pual participle מְהֻלָּל yields the classic epithet 'greatly to be praised' (2 Sam 22:4, Ps 18:3, Ps 48:1). Spanish 'alabado' and 'digno de alabanza' render this well. This passive form establishes God's praiseworthiness as an objective attribute rather than merely a subjective response — 1 Chronicles 16:25 declares the LORD 'greatly to be praised' as a theological claim. Psalm 78:63 applies the passive to maidens who were not 'praised' (celebrated in wedding songs). 11×
AR["الْمُسَبَّحَةُ","الْمُسَبَّحُ","تُمْدَحُ","مَحْمُودًا","مُسَبَّح","وَ-مُسَبَّح","وَ-مُسَبَّحٌ","وَمُسَبَّحٌ","يُمْدَحُ-","يُمْدَحْنَ"]·ben["এবং-প্রশংসিত","ও-প্রশংসনীয়","ও-প্রশংসিত","তাদেরকে-বিবাহের-গান-গাওয়া-হয়েছিল","প্রশংসার-যোগ্য","প্রশংসিত","প্রশংসিত-হবে","প্রশংসিত-হয়-"]·DE["[יהלל]","[תתהלל]","lobte","praised","preisen","und-lobte","und-preisen","und-zu-lobte"]·EN["and-greatly-praised","and-greatly-to-be-praised","and-praised","and-to-be-praised","is-praised","praised","the-renowned","were-praised","will-be-praised","worthy-of-praise"]·FR["de-louer","et-de-louer","et-louer","le-louer","loua","louer"]·heb["ה-מהוללה","הוללו","ו-מהולל","ו-מהלל","יהולל־","מהולל","תתהלל"]·HI["और-अति-स्तुतियोग्य","और-प्रशंसनीय","और-स्तुति-योग्य","प्रशंसा-किया-जाएगा","ब्याही-गईं","स्तुति-पाती।","स्तुति-योग्य","स्तुत्य"]·ID["Yang-terpuji","akan-dipuji","dan-sangat-terpuji","dinyanyikan","dipuji","dipuji-","terpuji","yang-terpuji,"]·IT["da-lodo'","e-da-lodo'","e-lodare","lodare","lodo'","praised"]·jav["Ingkang-dipun-alembana","Ingkang-terpuji","badé-dipunpuji","dipun-puji","dipunpuji","ingkang-dipun-puji","lan-pinuji","lan-pinuji-puji","lan-pinuji-sanget"]·KO["그-와-찬양받는-자","그-찬양받던","그리고-찬양-받으시도다","그리고-찬양받으시도다","그리고-찬양을-받으시다","찬양-받으시는","찬양-받으시도다","찬양받았다","찬양받으시는","칭찬받는다","칭찬을-받으리라"]·PT["Digno-de-louvor","Louvado","a-louvada","e-digno-de-louvor","e-digno-de-ser-louvado","e-muito-digno-de-louvor","e-muito-louvado","foram-celebradas","seja-louvado","será-louvada","é-louvado"]·RU["будет-хвалима","воспевались","достохвальный","и-весьма-восхваляем","и-восхваляем","и-достохвален","и-прославлен","прославленный","прославлено","хвалимого","хвалят-"]·ES["Alabado","alabado","digno-de-alabanza","fueron-alabadas","la-alabada","será-alabada","será-alabado","y-alabado","y-digno-de-alabanza","y-muy-alabado"]·SW["Aliyesifiwa","anastahili-kusifiwa","anayestahili-kusifiwa","atasifiwa","imbwa-nyimbo-za-arusi","limesifiwa","mtu-anasifiwa","na-anastahili-kusifiwa","na-asifiwaye","uliosifiwa"]·TR["ve-çok-övgü-değer","ve-övülmeli","ve-övülmeye-değer","ve-övülmeye-layık","övgüye-layık","övüldoler","övülen","övülmüş","övülür","övülür-"]·urd["اور-بہت-سراہا","اور-ستائش-کے-قابل","اور-ستائش-کے-لائق","اور-ستودہ","تعریف-پائے-گی","تعریف-ہو-گی","جس-کی-حمد-ہے","حمد-کے-لائق","حمد-ہوئی","ستائش-کے-لائق-ہے","نامور"]
4. be mad, act foolishly — Homographic overlap with הלל I: to be mad, rage, act insanely, or cause madness. This is morphologically distinct but phonologically identical in some stems. Ecclesiastes 2:2 and 7:7 use forms meaning madness or making mad (Spanish 'enloquece'). Nahum 2:4 describes chariots raging madly in the streets. Psalm 102:8 speaks of enemies who 'rage' against the psalmist. The Assyrian cognate alālu (shout for joy) and Arabic هَلَّ (shout) suggest both praise and madness share the primal meaning of 'breaking out in loud cries.' 5×
AR["المُجانينَ-بي","تَهِيجُ","مَجْنُونٌ","وَاهْتَاجُوا","يُجَنِّنُ"]·ben["আমার-উন্মাদকারীরা","এবং-উন্মত্ত-হও","ছুটে-বেড়ায়","পাগল-করে","পাগলামি"]·DE["[יהולל]","[יתהוללו]","[מהולל]","lobte","und-preisen"]·EN["and-rage","madness","makes-mad","rage","those-who-deride-me"]·FR["de-louer","et-louer","louer"]·heb["ו-התהוללו","יהולל","יתהוללו","מהולל","מהוללי"]·HI["और-पागल-हो","पागल-बनाता-है","पागलपन","भागते-हैं","मेरे-निन्दक"]·ID["Gila","dan-bergegaslah","membuat-gila","mengamuk","yang-menghina-ku"]·IT["e-lodare","lodare","lodo'"]·jav["lan-ngamuka","mlayu","ndadosaken-édan","tiyang-ingkang-moyoki-kula","édan"]·KO["그리고-미쳐날뛰라","나-를-조롱하는-자-들-이","미쳤음-이라","미치게-한다","미친-것"]·PT["correm-loucamente","e-enlouquecei","enlouquece","os-que-me-escarnecem","é-louco"]·RU["безумие;","злословящие-меня","и-мчитесь","мчатся","сводит-с-ума"]·ES["enloquece","enloquecen","locura","los-que-se-enfurecen-contra-mí","y-enloquezcan"]·SW["humfanya-wazimu","na-wendeni-kwa-kasi","ni-wazimu","wanaonicheka","yanaenda-kwa-wazimu"]·TR["alay-edenlerim","deli","delirtir","ve-çılgınca-koşun","çılgınca-giderler"]·urd["اور-دیوانے-ہو","بے-قابو-دوڑتے-ہیں","دیوانہ","دیوانہ-بنا-دیتا-ہے","میرے-مذاق-اڑانے-والے"]
5. boast, commend (Piel) — A narrow Piel usage where the verb means to boast or commend rather than offer doxological praise. Psalm 10:3 says the wicked 'boasts' of his heart's desire; Psalm 44:8 declares 'in God we have boasted all day long.' Spanish 'alaba' and 'nos gloriamos' capture the shift from worship to self-assertion. Distinguished from sense 2 (Hitpael) by stem morphology — these are Piel forms whose objects and context push the meaning from liturgical praise toward personal commendation or boasting. 2×
AR["افْتَخَرَ","افْتَخَرْنا"]·ben["প্রশংসা-করে","প্রশংসা-করেছি-আমরা"]·DE["lobte"]·EN["boasts","we-have-boasted"]·FR["le-louer","louer"]·heb["הלל","הללנו"]·HI["घमंड-करता-है","घमण्ड-करते-हैं-हम"]·ID["membanggakan"]·IT["lodo'"]·jav["kita-sampun-nggagahi","ngluhuraken"]·KO["자랑하나이다","찬양하였도다"]·PT["nos-gloriamos","se-gloria"]·RU["хвалимся-мы","хвалится"]·ES["alaba","nos-gloriamos"]·SW["hujisifu","tumejimuimba"]·TR["övündü","övündük"]·urd["فخر-کرتا-ہے","ہم-نے-فخر-کیا"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)G4592 1. sign, miraculous sign (77×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† II. [הָלַל] vb. be boastful, Pi. praise (Arabic هَلَّ shout, both in joy & (if conject. of Nö RS be right, v. cit. infr.) in terror; especially ii. in formula of worship; Syriac Pa. ܗܰܥܶܠ cecinit, laudavit; cf. NH הִלּוּל praise, הַלֵּל id., Hallel (ψ 113–118); Aramaic הִילּוּלָא marriage-song, &c.; on Assyrian alâlu, shout for joy, rejoice v. Lyon Sargontexte 66 (Cylinder, l. 36) also…