עַל, H5921a
upon, on, over; against; beside, by, at; because of, therefore; concerning, about; for, on behalf of; to, unto; according to, in addition to
The most frequent Hebrew preposition with 5,769 occurrences, expressing a remarkable range of spatial, relational, and logical connections. The core is physical surface contact: 'upon the ground,' 'on the altar,' 'over the waters.' From this spatial base extends adversative force ('rise up against'), proximity ('stood by/beside the well'), causality ('because of this,' 'therefore'), topic ('concerning this matter'), benefit ('atone for/on behalf of'), direction ('came to/unto them'), and norm ('according to their families'). Multilingual translations reveal which sense is operative in each context, as different languages select distinct prepositions for each semantic domain while Hebrew uses this single highly polysemous form.
9. sense 9 — Seven uncertain or highly context-dependent occurrences that resist clear categorization into the major senses. Numbers 21:7 'pray to the LORD that he take away the serpents from us' (מֵעָלֵינוּ, from upon us = away from us?), 1 Samuel 6:20 'who is able to stand before the LORD?' (possibly 'in the presence of' overlapping spatial and benefactive), 1 Kings 12:10 / 2 Chronicles 10:10 (idiomatic 'heavier than' in comparative construction), Jeremiah 21:2 'perhaps the LORD will deal with us according to all his wonderful deeds.' These may represent idiomatic or contextually specialized uses not fitting the main semantic categories. 7×
AR["عَنّا","مِنْ-عَلَيْنَا"]·ben["আমাদের-উপর-থেকে","আমাদের-উপর-থেকে।","আমাদের-ওপর-থেকে"]·DE["ueber","von-auf-uns","von-ueber-uns"]·EN["from-upon-us"]·FR["de-sur-nous","sur"]·heb["מ-על","מ-על-נו","מ-עלינו","מֵ-עָלֵינוּ"]·HI["से-उपर-हम","से-ऊपर-हमारे","हम-पर-से","हम-से","हम-से-ऊपर","हमसे","हमारे-ऊपर-से"]·ID["dari-atas-kami","dari-atas-kita","dari-kami","dari-kita","dari-kita?"]·IT["da-su-di-noi","da-su-noi","su"]·jav["saking-kawula","saking-kawula-sedaya","saking-kita","saking-kula-sedaya","saking-nginggil-kita"]·KO["에서-위에-우리","우리-에게서","우리-위에서","우리로부터-위의","우리에게서","우리에게서-위"]·PT["de-sobre-nós"]·RU["нам","от-нас"]·ES["de-sobre-nosotros"]·SW["kutoka-juu-yetu","kutoka-kwetu"]·TR["-üzerimizden","bizden","üzerimizden","üzerimizden-","üzerinden-bizim"]·urd["ہم-سے","ہم-پر-سے"]
▼ 8 more senses below
Senses
1. upon, on, over (spatial) — Core spatial sense of surface contact or vertical superiority: literally 'on top of' or 'upon.' Arabic consistently renders עַל as عَلَى, Korean 위에 (on top/above), Swahili juu ya (on top of), showing pan-linguistic recognition of the prototypical spatial meaning. This sense accounts for 5,443 of 5,769 occurrences and includes all pronominal suffixed forms (upon him, upon her, upon me, upon us, etc.). Examples: 'Abraham fell on his face' (Genesis 17:17), 'laid wood on the altar' (22:9), 'sat on the throne' (1 Kings 1:46). 5443×
AR["عَلى-","عَلَى","عَلَى-"]·ben["-উপর","-এর-উপর","-ওপরে-","উপর","উপর-","উপরে","উপরে-","প্রতি"]·DE["auf","auf-"]·EN["on","upon"]·FR["sur"]·heb["על","על-"]·HI["पर","पर-"]·ID["atas-","dalam","dengan","di atas-","di-","di-atas","pada"]·IT["sopra","su"]·jav["ing-","wonten","wonten-ing","wonten-ing-"]·KO["위-에","위로","위에","위에-"]·PT["sobre","sobre-"]·RU["на","на-","с-","среди-"]·ES["sobre","sobre-"]·SW["juu-ya","juu-ya-","kwa-","pamoja-na"]·TR["üzerinde","üzerinde-","üzerine","üzerine-"]·urd["-پر-","پر","پر-"]
Gen 17:17, Gen 22:9, Gen 30:3, Gen 40:16, Exod 25:22, Exod 26:32, Exod 28:23, Exod 28:30, Exod 28:43, Exod 29:16, Exod 29:38, Exod 30:14 (+38 more)
2. against (adversative) — Adversative or hostile sense: 'against' as opposition or enmity. Though Hebrew continues using עַל, target languages shift decisively: Arabic عَلَى in hostile contexts, Korean 대항하여/대적하여 (opposing/resisting), Swahili dhidi ya (against), English 'against,' Spanish contra, French contre, German gegen. Genesis 50:20 'you meant evil against me,' Deuteronomy 7:22 'lest wild beasts multiply against you,' showing 120 occurrences where the relational context is conflictual rather than neutral spatial contact. 120×
AR["عَلَيكَ","عَلَيْكَ","عَلَيْكِ","عَلِيكَ"]·ben["-তোমার-বিরুদ্ধে","আপনার-বিরুদ্ধে","তোমার-বিরুদ্ধে"]·DE["gegen-du","gegen-über","ueber","ueber-dich"]·EN["against-you"]·FR["contre-toi","contre-tu","sur","sur-toi"]·heb["על-ך","עלי-ך","עלייך","עליך"]·HI["तुझ-पर","तुझपर","तेरे-उपर","तेरे-पर","तेरे-विरुद्ध","पर-तुझ","पर-तुझे","विरुद्ध-तेरे"]·ID["atas-mu","melawan-Mu","melawan-kamu","melawanmu","terhadapmu"]·IT["contro-di-te","contro-tu","su","su-di-te","su-tuo"]·jav["dhateng-panjenengan","nglawan-Panjenengan","nglawan-panjenengan","tumrap-panjenengan","wonten-ing-panjenengan"]·KO["너-에게","너-위에","너를-대적하노라","너를-대하여","너를-향하여","너에게-대하여","너에게-대항하여","네-위에","당신-에게-대하여","당신-을-향하여","당신에게","당신을-향해","에-너"]·PT["contra-ti","sobre-ti"]·RU["на-тебя","на-тебя,","против-Тебя","против-тебя"]·ES["contra-ti"]·SW["aleyka","dhidi-yako","juu-yako"]·TR["-üzerine-sana","aleyhine-senin","sana-karsi","sana-karşı","uzerine","üzerine","üzerine-senin"]·urd["-تیرے-خلاف","تجھ-پر","تیرے-اوپر","تیرے-خلاف","تیرے-خلاف۔","تیرے-پر","عَلیک"]
Gen 50:20, Deut 7:22, Deut 15:9, Deut 23:4, Deut 24:15, Deut 28:7, Deut 28:49, Judg 9:31, 2 Sam 18:31, 2 Sam 18:32, 1 Kgs 20:22, 2 Chr 20:2 (+38 more)
3. beside, by, at (proximity) — Proximity or locative adjacency: 'beside, by, at' indicating nearness without surface contact. Here Arabic replaces عَلَى with عِنْدَ (at/beside), Korean uses 에서 (at location) and 옆에 (beside), Swahili employs karibu na (near/beside), kando ya (alongside), kwenye (at). English renders 'at/by/beside.' Genesis 24:13 'I am standing by the spring,' Exodus 2:15 'Moses sat by the well' — 55 occurrences where spatial relation is horizontal proximity rather than vertical superiority or contact. 55×
AR["على-","عن-","عَلى-","عَلَى-","عِنْدَ","عِنْدَ-","فِي-","وَ-عَلَى-"]·ben["-উপর","-এর-উপর","-এর-কাছে","-কাছে-","-পাশে","উপরে-","এবং-পাশে-"]·DE["bei","bei-über","ueber","und-ueber"]·EN["and-at-","at","at-"]·FR["et-sur","sur","à"]·heb["ו-על","על","על-","על־"]·HI["-पर","उसके","ऊपर","और-उसके-पास","पर","पर-"]·ID["dan-di-samping-","di","di-"]·IT["a","e-su","su"]·jav["Lan-ing-sandhingipun","ing","lan-ing-sandhingipun","wonten-","wonten-ing","wonten-ing-"]·KO["그리고-에-","에-","에서","에서-","위-에","위-에서"]·PT["e-ao-lado-dele","junto","junto-a","junto-a-","junto-às","sobre","sobre-","à"]·RU["в","и-рядом-с-ним","на-","над","над-","по-","у-"]·ES["Y-a-","a","en","junto-a","junto-a-","sobre","sobre-"]·SW["katika","kulia-kwako","kwenye","na-karibu-na","upande-wa"]·TR["-de","uzerinde-","ve-yanında-","yanında","yanında-","üzerinde-","üzerine-"]·urd["اور-کے-ہاتھ","عَل","میں","پر","پر-"]
4. because of, therefore (causal) — Causal and inferential sense: 'because of, on account of, therefore' marking reason or ground. Target languages use dedicated causal particles: Arabic مِنْ أَجْلِ (because of), بِسَبَبِ (on account of), لِذلِكَ (therefore); Korean 그러므로 (therefore), 때문에 (because of); Swahili kwa sababu ya (because of), kwa hiyo/kwa ajili ya (therefore/for the sake of). Genesis 19:22 'I cannot do anything until you arrive there' (therefore), 20:6 'therefore I kept you from sinning' — 51 occurrences with clear causal force. 51×
AR["عَلى-","عَلَى","وَ-عَلى-"]·ben["-উপর","-হেতু","এবং-কারণে-","কারণে-"]·DE["ueber","und-ueber"]·EN["and-for-","for","for-","therefore-"]·FR["et-sur","sur"]·heb["ו-עַל-","עַל-","על","על־"]·HI["और-के-कारण-","कारण","के-कारण-","के-लिये-"]·ID["Karena-","dan-karena-","karena","karena-","untuk-"]·IT["e-su","su"]·jav["awit-saking","dhumateng-","kanggé-","lan-dhumateng-","pramila"]·KO["그리고-에-대해","대하여-","에","에-대해"]·PT["e-por-","por-"]·RU["за-","и-за-","потому-"]·ES["Por-","por","por-","y-por-"]·SW["Kwa-sababu-ya","kwa-ajili-ya-","kwa-hiyo-","kwa-sababu-ya","na-kwa-sababu-ya"]·TR["-için-","için-","ve-için-"]·urd["-کی-خاطر","اور-کی-وجہ-سے-","پر-","کی-وجہ-سے-","کے-لیے-"]
Gen 19:22, Gen 20:6, Num 18:24, Num 21:14, Num 21:27, 1 Sam 30:6, 2 Sam 1:12, 2 Sam 1:12, 2 Sam 1:12, 2 Sam 7:22, 2 Chr 29:21, 2 Chr 29:24 (+38 more)
5. concerning, about (topical) — Topical or referential: 'concerning, about, regarding' introducing the subject matter of speech, thought, or action. Arabic uses عَنْ (about) alongside عَلَى, Korean 에 대하여 (regarding/concerning), Swahili kuhusu (about/concerning), Hindi विषय में / बारे में (regarding/about). Genesis 21:12 'whatever Sarah says to you concerning the boy,' 21:25 'Abraham reproved Abimelech concerning the well' — 39 occurrences where עַל marks discourse topic rather than physical or causal relation. 39×
AR["بِسَبَبِ","عَلى","عَلى-","عَلَى","عَلَيْكَ","عَنِ־","عَنْكَ"]·ben["-এর-উপর","-বিষয়ে","কারণে-","তোমার-উপরে","তোমার-পক্ষে","তোমার-বিষয়ে","তোমার-সম্বন্ধে"]·DE["betreffend","concerning-","fuer-du","ueber","ueber-dich","wegen","wegen-","über"]·EN["concerning","concerning-","concerning-you","for-you"]·FR["concernant","concernant-","pour-tu","sur","sur-toi"]·heb["על","על-","על-ך","עלי-ך","עליך"]·HI["के-बारे-में","तुझ-पर","तुझे","तेरे-बारे","तेरे-विषय","तेरे-विषय-में","पर-","विषय-में","विषय-में-"]·ID["Mengenai-","atasmu","mengenai","mengenai-","mengenaimu","tentang","tentang-","tentang-mu","tentangmu"]·IT["concerning-","per-tu","riguardo-a","su","su-di-te"]·jav["Miturut","bab-","bab-panjenengan","dhateng-Panjenengan","dhateng-panjenengan","dhumateng-panjenengan","miturut","tumrap-"]·KO["너-에게","너를-위하여","너에-대하여","너에게-관하여","네-위에","당신-에-대하여","당신에게","에-대하여","위에","위에-너"]·PT["Sobre-","sobre","sobre-","sobre-ti"]·RU["из-за","на-","на-основании","о-","о-тебе"]·ES["Sobre","a-ti","por","por-ti","sobre","sobre-","sobre-ti"]·SW["Kuhusu","juu","juu-ya","juu-ya-","juu-yako","kuhusu","kuhusu-","kuhusu-wewe","kukuhusu","neno"]·TR["-e-sana","hakkında","hakkında-senin","senin-üzerinde","üzerinde-","üzerine","üzerine-","üzerine-senin"]·urd["(کے)-بارے-میں","-تجھ-پر","بارے-میں","بارے-میں-","تجھ-پر","تیرے-بارے-میں","تیرے-خلاف","پر","کے-بارے-میں"]
6. for, on behalf of (benefactive) — Benefactive or purpose: 'for, on behalf of, for the sake of' marking the one who benefits from an action. Arabic مِنْ أَجْلِكَ / لِأَجْلِ (for your sake/on behalf of), Korean 를 위하여 (for/on behalf of), Swahili kwa ajili ya (for the sake of), Hindi के लिए (for). Leviticus 8:34 'as has been done today, the LORD has commanded to be done, to make atonement for you,' 16:30 'the priest shall make atonement for you' — 22 occurrences with clear benefactive force in ritual and interpersonal contexts. 22×
AR["عَلَيْكَ","عَلَيْكَ-","عَلَيْكُمْ","عَلَيْكِ","عَنْكُمْ","لِأَجْلِكَ","مِنْ-أجْلِكَ"]·ben["তোমাদের-জন্য","তোমার-উপরে","তোমার-জন্য"]·DE["auf","fuer-du","ueber","ueber-dich"]·EN["against-you","at-you","for-You","for-you","on-account-of-You","over-you","upon-You"]·FR["pour-toi","pour-tu","sur","sur-toi"]·heb["על","עלייך","עליך","עליכם"]·HI["तुझ-पर","तुम-पर","तुम्हारे पर","तुम्हारे-लिए","तुम्हारेलिए","तेरे-कारण"]·ID["Atas-Engkau","atasmu","atasmu.","atasmu:","bagi-kamu","bagimu","karena-Mu","karenamu.","karenamu;","oleh-karena-Engkau","terhadapmu,","untuk-kamu","untukmu"]·IT["per-te","per-tu","su","su-di-te"]·jav["Dhateng-Panjenengan","amargi-Paduka","bab-panjenengan","bab-panjenengan.","kangge-panjenengan","kanggé-panjenengan","karana-Panjenengan","nglawan-panjenengan","panjenengan-sadaya","panjenengan-sedaya","sira","wonten-ing-panjenengan."]·KO["너를-위하여","너를-향하여","너희-를-위하여","너희-를-위해","너희-위에","너희-위해","너희를-위하여","당신-에게","당신-위에","주-를-위하여"]·PT["Sobre-ti","por-Ti","por-ti","por-vós","sobre-ti","sobre-vós"]·RU["Мою","за-вас","на-Тебя","на-тебе","на-тебя","над-тобой","о-тебе","ради-Тебя","тебя"]·ES["Sobre-ti","por-ti","por-vosotros","sobre-ti","sobre-vosotros"]·SW["Kwako","juu-yako","kwa-ajili-yako","kwa-ajili-yenu"]·TR["sana-","senin-uğruna-","senin-üzerine","sizin-için","üzerine-senin","üzerinizde","üzerinize"]·urd["تجھ-پر","تم-پر","تمہارے-لیے","تیرے-اوپر","تیرے-خلاف","تیرے-لیے","عَلی-تیرے"]
7. to, unto (directional) — Directional or allative: 'to, unto, toward' indicating motion or orientation toward a goal. Though spatial, this is distinct from 'upon' — Hebrew עַל competes with אֶל here. Target languages use directional particles: Arabic إِلَى (to/toward) replaces عَلَى, Korean 에게 (to someone), Swahili hadi (up to/unto), kwake (to him/her). Exodus 3:18 'let us go... to the LORD our God,' Numbers 18:2 'bring your brothers... to you' — 19 occurrences where motion/orientation rather than contact is primary. 19×
AR["إلى-","إِلَى-","إِلَيْهِ","بِكَ","بِنَا","عَلَيْكَ","عَلَيْكِ","عَلَيْهِ","وَ-عَلَى-","وَعَلَى","وَلِكَلِمَاتِ"]·ben["-তোমার-কাছে","-পর্যন্ত","আমাদের-উপরে","উপরে-","এবং--এর-বিষয়ে","ও-প্রতি","ও-বিরুদ্ধে-","তাঁর-কাছে","তাঁর-দিকে","তার-কাছে","তোমার-উপরে","তোমার-কাছে","তোমার-সাথে"]·DE["auf-uns","ueber-dich","ueber-ihn","und-ueber","zu-du","zu-ihn","zu-über","zu-über-"]·EN["and-to-","and-unto-","to","to-","to-him","to-you","unto-him","upon-us"]·FR["et-sur","ses-feuilles","sur","sur-nous","sur-toi","à-lui","à-tu"]·heb["ו-על","ו-על-","על","על-","עלי-ו","עלי-ך","עליו","עלייך","עליך","עלינו"]·HI["उस-पर","उसके-पास","उसके-विरुद्ध","और-के-ऊपर-","और-के-विरुद्ध-","और-पर","और-पर-","तक","तुझ-पर","तुझ-से","तेरी-ओर","तेरे-पास","पर-","हम-से"]·ID["dan-kepada","dan-kepada-","kami","kepadamu","kepadanya","sampai-"]·IT["a-lui","a-tu","e-su","sopra-noi","su","su-di-lui","su-di-te"]·jav["Dhateng-panjenengan","dhateng-panjenengan","dhateng-panjenenganipun","dhateng-piyambakipun","ing-tengahing","kaliyan-kita","kaliyan-piyambakipun","lan-dhateng","lan-dhateng-","lan-dhumateng-","wonten-ing-"]·KO["-위에","그리고-에-대하여","그리고-에-대해-","그리고-에게-","그리고-위에-","그에게","너-위-에","너-위에","너에게","당신에게","에-","우리를"]·PT["a-ti","até","e-contra-","e-nas","e-sobre","e-sobre-","para-ele","sobre-ele","sobre-nós","sobre-ti"]·RU["до-","и-","и-к-","к-нему","к-тебе","на-тебя","нас"]·ES["a-nosotros","a-ti","hacia-él","hasta","hasta-","sobre-ti","sobre-él","y-a","y-a-"]·SW["hadi","juu-yako","kwake","kwako","na-kwa","na-kwa-","nasi","nawe","pamoja-naye","sisi","wal"]·TR["-","bize","ona","sana","uzerine","ve-","ve-e","ve-üzerine-","yanından","üzerine","üzerine-","üzerine-ona"]·urd["-پر","اور-اوپر","اور-سے-","اور-پاس-","اور-کے-بارے-میں","اُس-طرف","اُس-پر","اُس-کے-پاس","تجھ-سے","تجھ-پر","تیرے-پاس","پر","ہم-سے","ہمیں"]
Exod 3:18, Exod 5:3, Num 18:2, Num 18:4, 2 Sam 17:11, 2 Sam 24:20, 1 Kgs 8:5, 1 Kgs 11:24, 2 Chr 32:9, Ps 19:6, Ps 48:10, Isa 45:14 (+7 more)
8. according to, in addition to (normative) — Normative and additive: 'according to, in accordance with' (standard/norm sense) and 'in addition to, besides' (additive extension). Arabic بِحَسَبِ (according to), Korean 에 따라 (in accordance with), Swahili kulingana na (according to) for norm; pamoja na (together with/in addition to) for additive. Exodus 6:26 'according to their hosts,' 12:51 'according to their hosts,' Numbers 1:18 'according to their families,' marking a standard of reckoning. Additive: 'besides these' (in addition to what was already counted) — 13 occurrences. 13×
AR["بِحَسَبِ","عَلَى","عَلَى-"]·ben["অনুসারে-","উপর-","উপরে-","মুখের-অনুসারে"]·DE["auf-","besides-","durch-","gemaess-zu-"]·EN["according-to-","besides-","by-","upon-"]·FR["en-plus-de-","par-","selon-à-","sur-"]·heb["על","על-"]·HI["उपर","के-अतिरिक्त","के-अनुसार","पर","पर-","सेनाओं-के-अनुसार"]·ID["atas","atas-","di-dekat","menurut","menurut-","selain"]·IT["da-","oltre-a-","per-","secondo-a-","su-"]·jav["Miturut-","ing-cèlak","kajawi-","miturut-"]·KO["에-따라","위-에","위에"]·PT["Sobre-","conforme-","sobre","sobre-"]·RU["на-","по-","помимо-","у-"]·ES["Según-","según-","sobre","sobre-"]·SW["juu-ya-","karibu-na-","kulingana-na","kulingana-na-","kwa-","pamoja-na"]·TR["-e","-üzerine-","üzerinde","üzerine","üzerine-"]·urd["اوپر","بمطابق","بموجب","علاوہ","مطابق","پاس","پر-"]
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.…