from עָלָה; a channel (into which water is raised for irrigation); also a bandage or plaster (as placed upon a wound); conduit, cured, healing, little river, trench, watercourse.
### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **tᵉʻâlâh**, represented by `{{H8585}}`, is derived from the root word `{{H5927}}` `ʻâlâh`, meaning to ascend or go up. It appears 11 times across 11 unique verses, carrying a dual meaning that connects physical channels with the concept of restoration. It signifies a **channel** for water, such as a **conduit**, **trench**, or **watercourse**, and also refers to **healing** or a **cure**, like a bandage or plaster being raised and placed upon a wound.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical narratives, `{{H8585}}` is used in two primary contexts. The first relates to water management and infrastructure. King Hezekiah is noted for making a **conduit** to bring water into Jerusalem [[2 Kings 20:20]]. On Mount Carmel, Elijah dug a **trench** around the altar, which was later filled with water ([[1 Kings 18:32]], [[1 Kings 18:35]]). This same term describes the "conduit of the upper pool," a strategic location mentioned during the reigns of both Ahaz and Hezekiah ([[Isaiah 7:3]], [[2 Kings 18:17]]). The second context is figurative, relating to healing. Jeremiah uses the word to describe Judah's desperate state, declaring there is no **healing** for its wound [[Jeremiah 30:13]], and that Egypt's attempts to find a **cure** will be in vain [[Jeremiah 46:11]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the meaning of `{{H8585}}`:
* `{{H5927}}` **ʻâlâh** (to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount)): As the root of `{{H8585}}`, this verb provides the core concept of "going up," which applies both to water being raised into a **conduit** [[Ezekiel 31:4]] and to the application of a healing plaster upon a wound.
* `{{H1295}}` **bᵉkâh** (a reservoir (at which camels kneel as a resting-place); (fish-) pool): This word for **pool** is frequently connected with `{{H8585}}`, as many passages refer to the **conduit** of the upper **pool** [[Isaiah 36:2]].
* `{{H4325}}` **mayim** (water): This word is essential to the primary meaning of `{{H8585}}`, as it is the **water** that flows through the **conduit**, **trench**, or **watercourse** [[1 Kings 18:38]].
* `{{H7499}}` **rᵉphuʼâh** (a medicament): This term for medicine appears directly alongside `{{H8585}}` in contexts of national suffering, emphasizing that there are no **healing** medicines available [[Jeremiah 30:13]].
### Theological Significance
The thematic significance of `{{H8585}}` is tied to its dual meaning of providing life-sustaining water and restorative healing.
* **Channels of Life and Judgment:** In its literal sense, a **conduit** or **trench** directs a vital resource for a city's survival [[2 Kings 20:20]] or a demonstration of divine power [[1 Kings 18:38]]. God is the one who ultimately divides a **watercourse** for the rain [[Job 38:25]].
* **Metaphor for National Health:** The word's use for **healing** or a **cure** serves as a powerful metaphor for the spiritual state of a nation. The absence of a **cure** for Egypt [[Jeremiah 46:11]] or **healing** for Judah [[Jeremiah 30:13]] signifies a condition beyond human remedy and requiring divine intervention.
* **Strategic and Symbolic Locations:** The "conduit of the upper pool" is more than just infrastructure; it acts as a stage for critical confrontations between God's prophets and kings, and between Israel and its enemies ([[Isaiah 7:3]], [[Isaiah 36:2]]).
### Summary
In summary, `{{H8585}}` **tᵉʻâlâh** bridges the literal and the metaphorical. It describes both the physical channels that carry water and the figurative channels of healing and restoration. From the **trench** Elijah dug on Mount Carmel to the lack of a **cure** for a sinful nation, the word illustrates a fundamental biblical theme: that true life and healing, whether for a body, a city, or a people, ultimately flow from a divine source.
TRV