עַל, H5920
height, upward; used poetically for physical elevation and metaphorically for moral/spiritual ascent toward God
A poetic term expressing both literal height and spiritual elevation. In 2 Samuel 23:1, David is described as 'raised up on high,' combining political exaltation with divine favor. The prophets use it metaphorically: Hosea laments that Israel 'returns but not upward'—not God-ward—despite prophetic calls to rise spiritually. The spatial imagery of 'above' and 'upward' naturally extends to theological concepts of seeking the Most High. Cross-linguistic renderings (Spanish 'Altísimo,' French 'sur-haut') preserve both the spatial and theological dimensions.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Height as spatial elevation with theological overtones. The four occurrences span from David's royal exaltation (2 Sam 23:1) to prophetic indictments of Israel's failure to turn God-ward (Hosea 7:16, 11:7). Ps 50:4 uses it for God calling from 'the heavens above.' The consistent pattern across languages shows 'upward/on high' with implicit reference to divine presence. 4×
AR["العَليِّ", "عَالِيًا", "لِلعَليِّ", "مِن-فَوْق"]·ben["উপরে", "সর্বোচ্চে"]·DE["auf-hoch", "oberhalb", "ueber"]·EN["above", "on-high", "upward"]·FR["de-sur", "sur", "sur-haut"]·heb["מ-על", "על"]·HI["ऊंचे", "ऊपर", "ऊपर-को", "ऊपर-से"]·ID["ke-atas", "tinggi"]·IT["da-su", "su", "su-alto"]·jav["dhumateng-nginggil", "inggil", "lan", "lan-dhumateng-nginggil"]·KO["높이", "위-에서", "위에"]·PT["alto", "de-cima", "para-o-alto"]·RU["Всевышнему", "над", "свыше"]·ES["Altísimo", "al-Altísimo", "alto", "de-arriba"]·SW["juu", "kutoka-juu"]·TR["yukarıdan", "yüksekte", "yükseğe"]·urd["اوپر", "اوپر-", "مِن-اوپر"]
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
עַל, עָ֑ל (cf. Köii. 261 f.) I. subst. height (poet.) †Ho 7:16 יָשׁוּבוּ לֹא עָ֗ל they return (but) not upwards (i.e. not God-wards), 11:7 וְאֶל־עַל יִקְרָאֻהוּ they (the prophets) call it (the people) upwards, (but) none striveth to rise; as adv. accus., 2 S 23:1 the man הֻ֣קַּם עָ֔ל (that) is raised up on high. With מִן, מֵעָ֑ל, †(ה)שׁמים מֵעָ֑ל (the) heavens above Gn 27:39; 49:25 ψ 50:4 (opp.…