H5549 H5549
To raise up, build up a highway or path; by extension to exalt in praise; also to heap or pile up
A verb rooted in the physical act of raising earth to form a roadway or causeway. In Isaiah 57:14 and 62:10 it appears as an urgent imperative to prepare the way of the LORD by clearing stones and building up the road. The Piel and Hitpael stems extend the meaning into praise and self-exaltation: Psalm 68:4 calls worshippers to 'lift up a song' to God, while Exodus 9:17 describes Pharaoh 'exalting himself.' German 'aufschuetten' (to heap up) and Spanish 'allanad' (to level/prepare) together capture the dual physical and figurative range of this root.
1. build up, prepare (a road/highway) — To cast up or build a highway by raising a causeway and clearing obstacles. The core Qal sense, commanding road preparation for divine approach (Isa 57:14; 62:10). Spanish 'allanad' (level it) and German 'aufschuetten' (heap up) reflect the physical labor of road construction. The passive participle in Proverbs 15:19 describes a well-built, 'prepared' path contrasted with the thorny way of the sluggard. 8×
AR["مَهِّدُوا","مَهِّدُوا-","مُمَهَّدٌ","مُمَهَّدٍ","وَ-رَصَفوا","وَ-عَبَّدُوا"]·ben["আর-তৈরি-করেছে","উঁচু-কর","এবং-তারা-গড়ে-তুলেছে","গড়ে-তোল","তৈরি।","সমতল"]·DE["[ויסלו]","[סללה]","aufschuetten","schuettet-auf"]·EN["and-they-raise-up","and-they-raised","build-up","build-up-","built-up","is-a-highway"]·FR["et-ויסלו","élever","סללה"]·heb["ו-יסלו","סולו","סולו-","סוללו","סלולה"]·HI["और-बनाते-हैं","और-वे-बनाती-हैं","बनाई-हुई","बनाओ","राजमार्ग"]·ID["Timbunlah","dan-mereka membangun","dan-mereka-membuat","diratakan","rata","timbunlah"]·IT["e-e-essi-raise-su","e-e-they-raised","innalzare","è-un-highway"]·jav["Tumpukna","Tumpukna-","ingkang-dirata.","lan-mbangun","lan-numpuk","rata","tumpukna"]·KO["그리고-놓았나니","그리고-쌓아올린다","놓아라","다져진","닦으라","닦으라-","대로이니라"]·PT["aterrado.","aterrai","aterrai-","e-levantam","e-pavimentam","pavimentada"]·RU["возвышенная","и-насыпали","и-насыпают","насыпьте","насыпьте-","проложенным"]·ES["Allanad-","allanad","calzada","preparado","y-allanan","y-allanaron"]·SW["iliyojengwa","jengeni","na-wamejengea","na-wanajenga","ni-barabara"]·TR["doldurun","doldurun-","döşenmiş","ve-döşediler","ve-döşerler"]·urd["اور-بناتے ہیں","بناؤ","بنی-ہوئی","ہموار-ہے"]
▼ 2 more senses below
Senses
2. exalt, lift up, extol — To lift up in praise or exalt, extending the physical 'raising' into the realm of honor and worship. Psalm 68:4 urges 'lift up a song to him who rides the clouds,' while Proverbs 4:8 commands 'prize her highly' of Wisdom. In Exodus 9:17, Pharaoh's self-exaltation (Hitpael) inverts the positive sense into defiant arrogance. Spanish 'ensalzala' (exalt her) and French 'elever' (raise/exalt) confirm the vertical metaphor. 3×
AR["ارْفَعْهَا","تَتَكَبَّرُ","مَهِّدوا"]·ben["উন্নত-করো-তাকে","উন্নত-হচ্ছ","পথ-করে-দাও"]·DE["[סלסלה]","erheben-hinauf-ein-Lied","exalting-dich-selbst"]·EN["exalting-yourself","lift-up-a-song","prize-her-highly"]·FR["exalting-toi-même","élever","סלסלה-elle"]·heb["מסתולל","סולו","סלסלה"]·HI["अकड़ता-है","ऊँचा-कर-उसे"]·ID["Junjunglah-dia","engkau-meninggikan-diri","tinggikanlah"]·IT["exalting-te-stesso","innalzo'","prize-sua-highly-sua"]·jav["ngurmatana-punika","nyombong","undangéna"]·KO["높여라","높이고-있다","높이라"]·PT["Exalta-a","exaltai","exaltando-te"]·RU["Возвышай-её,","превозносите","противишься"]·ES["Ensálzala","exaltad","te-exaltas"]·SW["i-inue","jengeni-njia","unajikweza"]·TR["yol-yapın","yücelt-onu","yükseltiyor"]·urd["اکڑتا-ہے","بلند-کر-اُسے","راستہ-تیار-کرو"]
3. pile up, heap up — To pile up or heap together material, a specialized application of the root's building-up sense directed at siege or destruction. In Jeremiah 50:26 the imperative commands piling up Babylon's stores for destruction. Spanish 'apiladla' (pile it up) precisely captures this narrowed, militaristic usage, distinct from road-building or praise. 1×
AR["كَوِّمُوهَا"]·ben["তাকে-স্তূপ-কর"]·DE["aufschuetten"]·EN["pile-her-up"]·FR["élever"]·heb["סלוה"]·HI["ढेर-लगाओ-उसे"]·ID["timbunlah-dia"]·IT["innalzare"]·jav["timpukna-piyambakipun"]·KO["덯아-쌓으라-그녀를"]·PT["amontai-a"]·RU["насыпьте-её"]·ES["apiladla"]·SW["mrundikeni"]·TR["yığın-onu"]·urd["ڈھیر-لگاؤ-اُسے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. [סָלַל] vb. lift up, cast up (NH סִלְסֵל esteem highly, סִלְסוּל loftiness, distinction; סוּלָּם ladder; 𝔗 סוּלְּמָא id.; MI26 מסלת highway; Ph. סלמת stair (?) Lzb329; Assyrian sellu, sillu, perhaps breast-works DlHWB 501; but سُلَّمٌ ladder (a loan-wd. according to SchwallyZMG liii (1899), 197), cf. סֻלָּם; v. also ṭrry, siege-wall, Egyptian loan-word from סֹלְלָה according to WMMAs. u.…