עָלַל

ʻâlal /aw-lal'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto effect thoroughly; specifically, to glean (also figuratively); by implication (in a bad sense) to overdo, i.e. maltreat, be saucy to, pain, impose (also literal)
KJV usageabuse, affect, defile, do, glean, mock, practise, thoroughly, work (wonderfully).
Idioms & phrasesidiom child
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Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ʻâlal, represented by H5953, is a primitive root signifying to effect thoroughly. It appears 20 times across 18 unique verses in the Bible. Its meaning spans from the agricultural act of gleaning to the potent acts of God, and in a negative sense, to abuse, mock, or maltreat.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H5953 describes actions that are complete or intense. It is used for God's powerful works, such as the signs He wrought in Egypt to demonstrate His power to future generations Exodus 10:2. In a darker context, it depicts severe human cruelty, as when the men of Gibeah abused the concubine throughout the night Judges 19:25. The word also carries a specific agricultural meaning, as seen in the command not to glean one's vineyard, leaving the remainder for the poor Leviticus 19:10.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon themes of action, malice, and thoroughness:

  • H1219 bâtsar (to gather grapes): This word is often used in parallel with the gleaning aspect of ʻâlal, describing the primary harvest before the gleaning takes place Deuteronomy 24:21. It can also mean to be inaccessible or to do mighty things Jeremiah 33:3.
  • H1856 dâqar (to thrust through): This term appears alongside H5953 in passages describing extreme violence, where a fear of being "thrust through" is paired with the fear of being "abused" 1 Samuel 31:4.
  • H5065 nâgas (oppress): This word is directly linked to H5953 in Isaiah 3:12, where children are described as their people's oppressors. It carries the sense of harassment and tyranny, as when the Suffering Servant was oppressed Isaiah 53:7.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5953 is demonstrated in several key areas, showing how thorough action can be used for divine and human ends.

  • Divine Power and Judgment: The word describes God's complete and powerful interventions in history, such as when he wrought wonderfully among the Egyptians 1 Samuel 6:6. It is also used in laments to describe the thorough affliction experienced as a result of God's judgment Lamentations 1:12.
  • Human Cruelty and Sin: ʻâlal frequently illustrates the depths of human sin. It describes the wicked impulse to practise wicked works Psalms 141:4, the mocking King Zedekiah feared Jeremiah 38:19, and the horrific abuse of the concubine at Gibeah Judges 19:25.
  • Gleaning as Justice and Metaphor: The term establishes a principle of social justice, commanding that fields not be gleaned completely so the poor can gather what remains Leviticus 19:10. This same action becomes a metaphor for total judgment, where God commands Israel's enemies to throughly glean the remnant of His people like a vine Jeremiah 6:9.

Summary

In summary, H5953 is a dynamic word whose meaning is heavily shaped by its context. It can describe the thorough and powerful work of God Exodus 10:2, but it is more frequently used to depict the thoroughness of human cruelty, mockery, and abuse Judges 19:25. Its use in the context of gleaning serves as both a literal agricultural law and a powerful metaphor for complete judgment Jeremiah 6:9. The root idea of effecting something thoroughly connects these seemingly disparate applications, from divine wonders to the worst of human behavior.

Grammatical Forms

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 20 occurrences, inflected in 16 grammatical forms.

  • Hithpael Consecutive Perfect 3rd Plural common gender 3×
  • Piel Imperfect 2nd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Piel Perfect 2nd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Hithpael Consecutive Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Hithpael Infinitive Construct 1×
  • Hithpael Perfect 1st Singular common gender 1×
  • Hithpael Perfect 2nd Singular Feminine 1×
  • Hithpael Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Piel Consecutive Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Piel Consecutive Perfect 1st Singular common gender 1×
  • Piel Imperative 2nd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Piel Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 1×

+ 4 rarer forms

Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine
Feminine grammatical gender.
common gender
Either gender — the form does not distinguish.
1st
First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
2nd
Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd
Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect
Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Perfect
A completed act whose results continue.
Imperative
A command or entreaty.
Infinitive
The verb as a noun — "to do".
Piel
The intensive stem — strengthened or emphatic action.
Hithpael
Reflexive-intensive — the subject acts upon itself.
Consecutive Imperfect
Imperfect with vav — carries narrative forward ("and he…").
Consecutive Perfect
Perfect with vav — continues a sequence into the future.
Construct
Bound to a following noun — "the X of…".

Theographic Context

Biblical Distribution

Appears in 18 verses across 12 books. Most frequent in Lamentations (4 verses).

1
Exodus
1
Leviticus
1
Numbers
1
Deuteronomy
2
Judges
2
1 Samuel
1
1 Chronicles
1
Job
1
Psalms
1
Isaiah
2
Jeremiah
4
Lamentations

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