מַעֲלֶה19 H4608
Ascent; a geographical slope, hill-road, or mountain pass; also architectural stairs or steps of a structure.
Derived from the root 'to go up,' this noun names a rising path or stairway. In its geographical sense it identifies named passes and hill-roads throughout the land of Israel — the Ascent of Akrabbim on Judah's southern border (Num 34:4; Josh 15:3), the Ascent of Adummim between Jerusalem and Jericho (Josh 15:7; 18:17), and the Ascent of the Mount of Olives where David fled weeping (2 Sam 15:30). Spanish renders these as 'subida de' and English as 'ascent of.' In its architectural sense, Ezekiel's temple vision repeatedly references the stairs of gateways (Ezek 40:31, 34, 37), and Nehemiah 9:4 describes the Levites standing on a raised platform. The semantic thread connecting both senses is upward movement — whether along a hillside or up a staircase.
Senses
1. geographical ascent or pass — A geographical ascent, slope, or mountain pass going upward, typically a named topographic feature serving as a landmark or boundary. The Ascent of Akrabbim marks Judah's southern frontier (Num 34:4; Josh 15:3; Judg 1:36), the Ascent of Adummim lies between Jerusalem and Jericho (Josh 15:7; 18:17), and David's retreat up the Mount of Olives is narrated along its 'ascent' (2 Sam 15:30). Spanish 'subida de' and English 'ascent of' consistently convey the idea of an upward-climbing route through terrain. 11×
AR["بِ-المَصعَدِ", "بِ-مَصْعَدِ", "صُعودِ", "صُعُودَ", "في مَصعَدِ-", "في-عَقَبَةِ-", "فِي-مَصْعَدِ", "مَصْعَدِ", "مِنْ-عَقَبَة"]·ben["-উঠানে", "-উদ্ধারে", "-চড়াইয়ে", "-ঢালে", "আরোহণ", "আরোহণে", "উঠান", "উঠানে-", "উঠানের", "উপর-থেকে"]·DE["[במעלה]", "[מעלה]", "ascent-von", "auf-ascent-von", "bei-ascent-von-", "bei-der-ascent-von", "von-ascent-von"]·EN["ascent-of", "at-ascent-of-", "at-the-ascent", "by-ascent-of", "by-the-ascent-of", "from-ascent-of", "in-ascent-of", "on-ascent-of"]·FR["[במעלה]", "[מעלה]", "ascent-de", "de-ascent-de", "par-le-ascent-de", "sur-ascent-de", "à-ascent-de-"]·heb["ב-ה-מעלה", "ב-מעלה", "ב-מעלה-", "ל-מעלה", "מ-למעלה", "מעלה"]·HI["चढ़ाई", "चढ़ाई-पर", "चढ़ाई-में", "चढ़ाईपर-", "चढ़ाईसे", "बमअलेह-", "में-चढ़ाई"]·ID["Pendakian", "dari-pendakian", "di-pendakian", "di-pendakian-", "di-tanjakan", "di-tempat-naik", "melalui-pendakian", "pendakian"]·IT["[במעלה]", "[מעלה]", "a-salita-di-", "ascent-di", "da-ascent-di", "da-il-salita-di", "su-salita-di"]·jav["ing-minggahan", "ing-munggahan-", "ing-undhak-undhakan", "saking-minggahipun", "undhak-undhakan", "wonten-ing-inggilan", "wonten-ing-minggahan", "wonten-ing-pendakian"]·KO["에-오르막에서", "에-오름", "에-올라가는-길", "에게-오르막", "오르막", "오르막길을", "오르막에-", "오르막에서", "오르막을", "오르막을-", "위-에서"]·PT["a-subida-de", "da-subida-de", "na-subida", "na-subida-de", "pela-subida-de", "subida-de"]·RU["на-возвышении", "на-подъём", "на-подъёме", "на-подъёме-", "от-подъёма", "по-подъёму", "подъёма"]·ES["desde-subida-de", "en-la-subida", "en-la-subida-de", "en-subida-de", "la-subida-de", "por-la-subida-de", "subida-de"]·SW["bּmaaleh", "katika-kupanda", "katika-kupanda-kwa-", "katika-njia-ya", "kupanda-kwa", "kutoka-kupanda-kwa", "kwenye-mwinuko", "kwenye-upandaji", "mwpando-wa"]·TR["-yokuşunda", "den-öncesinden", "yokusunu", "yokuşu", "yokuşunda", "yokuşunun"]·urd["چڑھائی", "چڑھائی-سے", "چڑھائی-میں", "چڑھائی-پر", "چڑھائی-پر-"]
2. stairs or steps of structure — Architectural stairs, steps, or a raised platform belonging to a built structure. Ezekiel's temple vision uses the term repeatedly for the stairs of gateway structures (Ezek 40:31, 34, 37), and Nehemiah 9:4 and 12:37 reference stairs or elevated platforms in the context of public assembly. The semantic shift from natural terrain to built environment is reflected in translation: Spanish moves from 'subida' (ascent) to 'plataforma' or 'gradas' (stairs), and English from 'ascent' to 'stairs.' 7×
AR["صُعُودُهُ", "مِنْبَرِ"]·ben["(তার-সিঁড়ি)", "[তার-সিঁড়ি]", "সিঁড়ি"]·DE["[מעלו]", "[מעליו]", "von-Brandopfer"]·EN["[ketiv]", "its-ascents", "the-stairs-of"]·FR["[מעלה]", "[מעלו]", "[מעליו]"]·heb["מעלה", "מעליו"]·HI["उसकी-सीढ़ियाँ", "सीढ़ियों"]·ID["[]", "tangga", "tangganya"]·IT["[מעלה]", "[מעלו]", "[מעליו]"]·jav["*", "minggah-ipun", "undhak-undhakan"]·KO["단의", "올라가는계단들-그의"]·PT["(suas-subidas)", "[suas-subidas]", "plataforma-de"]·RU["возвышение", "подъёма-его"]·ES["(sus-subidas)", "[sus-subidas]", "plataforma-de"]·SW["[kupanda]", "ngazi-ya", "za-kupanda-kwake"]·TR["(merdiveni)", "[merdiveni]", "yükseltisinin"]·urd["اُس-کی-سیڑھیاں", "سیڑھیوں"]
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
מַעֲלֶה19 n.m. Is 15:5 ascent;—מ׳ Ne 12:37; cstr. מַעֲלֵה Jos 10:10 + 14 times; מַעֲלָו֯ Ez 40:31, 34, 37; 1. ascent of hill or city: Ju 8:13; 1 S 9:11, to the royal sepulchres (in Jerus.) 2 Ch 32:33; מ׳ הַזֵּיתִית 2 S 15:30 (v. זַיִת 3); מ׳עַקְרַבִּים = Scorpion-pass, on S. border of Pal., Ju 1:36; Nu 34:4; Jos 15:3 (both P), i.e. prob. the Naḳb eṣ-ṣafâ SW. from Dead Sea BuhlGeogr. 16, 66 Di and…