English · KJV
H422

אָלָה

ʼâlâh /aw-law'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningproperly, to adjure, i.e. (usually in a bad sense) imprecate
KJV usageadjure, curse, swear.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼâlâh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ʼâlâh, represented by H422, is a primitive root that means to adjure, curse, or swear. It appears 6 times across 6 unique verses, often in a negative sense to describe an imprecation or the act of binding someone with an oath. It signifies the solemn and powerful nature of a spoken vow or curse.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H422 appears in contexts of both formal and informal oaths. It is used when Saul adjured the people of Israel, placing them under a curse if they ate before evening 1 Samuel 14:24. The term is also used in a legal or religious setting, where an oath is required to make someone swear after trespassing against a neighbor, with the act taking place before God's altar (1 Kings 8:31; 2 Chronicles 6:22). In the prophecies of Hosea, swearing is listed first among a series of sins including lying, killing, and stealing that have corrupted the nation Hosea 4:2, and is also associated with making a covenant falsely Hosea 10:4.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning and impact of H422:

  • H423 ʼâlâh: This is the noun form, meaning an imprecation; curse, cursing, execration, oath, swearing. It is used directly alongside the verb in legal contexts, where an oath is laid upon a person to cause them to swear 1 Kings 8:31.
  • H779 ʼârar: A primitive root meaning to execrate or bitterly curse. This word is used for the curse Saul proclaimed when he adjured the people, showing a direct link between adjuring and cursing 1 Samuel 14:24.
  • H1285 bᵉrîyth: Meaning a compact... covenant, league. Its relationship to H422 is seen when the people are condemned for swearing falsely while making a covenant, turning a sacred agreement into a deceitful act Hosea 10:4.
  • H2398 châṭâʼ: This root means to miss or to sin. An oath H422 could be administered as a direct consequence when a man was suspected of having sinned against his neighbor 2 Chronicles 6:22.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H422 is significant, highlighting the gravity of spoken oaths and their consequences.

  • Corruption of Sacred Acts: The use of H422 in "swearing falsely in making a covenant" demonstrates how a holy act like a covenant can be perverted, leading to judgment instead of blessing Hosea 10:4.
  • Foundation of Social Decay: In Hosea's critique of Israel, improper swearing is listed as a foundational sin that leads to a cascade of other transgressions, such as lying, killing, and stealing, ultimately causing the social and moral fabric to "break out" Hosea 4:2.
  • Oaths Before God: The act of swearing H422 in response to a trespass is explicitly performed before God's altar 1 Kings 8:31. This frames the oath not merely as a promise between humans, but as a solemn vow made in the presence of the divine Judge.
  • Authoritative Curses: The term is used by figures in authority, like a king, to bind people to a specific action under penalty of a curse, demonstrating the power of a leader's word to impose obligation and consequence 1 Samuel 14:24.

Summary

In summary, H422 is a potent word that conveys the serious nature of an oath, vow, or curse. It is far more than simple speech; it is a binding act with tangible consequences. Its usage reveals that such oaths can be a tool for justice when sworn truthfully before God, but become a source of profound corruption and societal breakdown when used falsely or to enact a rash curse.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb and a noun across 8 occurrences, inflected in 6 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • אָלֹה
  • אָלָה
  • יֹּאֶל
  • הַאֲלֹת
  • אָלִית
  • אָלָה

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H423 אָלָה from אָלָה; an imprecation; curse, cursing, execration, oath, swearing. H779 אָרַר a primitive root; to execrate; [idiom] bitterly curse. H1285 בְּרִית from בָּרָה (in the sense of cutting (like בָּרָא)); a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh); confed H2398 חָטָא a primitive root; properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate,

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 6 verses across 5 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Hosea (2 verses); never once in the other 34.

1
Judges
1
1 Samuel
1
1 Kings
1
2 Chronicles
2
Hosea

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.