Lexical Summary alah: take, takes an oath, oaths Original Word: אָלָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance adjure, curse, swear A primitive root; properly, to adjure, i.e. (usually in a bad sense) imprecate -- adjure, curse, swear. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to swear, curse NASB Translation oaths (1), put the under oath (1), swearing (1), take (2), takes an oath (2), under oath (1), uttered a curse (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. אָלָה verb swear, curse (compare I. אלה ? so Thes LagOr ii. 3) — Qal Perfect 1 Kings 8:31 ( = 2 Chronicles 6:22 all Vrss Th Bö Bä Kp reading וְאָלָה); אָלִית Judges 17:2; Infinitive absolute אָלֹה Hosea 4:2; אָלוֺת Hosea 10:4. 1 swear, take oath before God 1 Kings 8:31 ( = 2 Chronicles 6:22); in covenants Hosea 4:2; Hosea 10:4 (falsely). 2 curse Judges 17:2. Hiph`il Imperfect וַיּאֶֹל 1 Samuel 14:24; Infinitive לְהַאֲלֹתוֺ 1 Kings 8:31 2Chronicles 6:22 adjure, put under oath. Topical Lexicon Core Ideaאָ֫לָה (alah) denotes a solemn oath that carries an accompanying curse if the oath is violated. It therefore embraces both the binding promise and the threatened sanction. The concept is never a casual vow; it is a self-maledictory appeal to the justice of God, calling Him to witness and to avenge any breach. Occurrences 1. Judges 17:2 – a private curse uttered within the family, showing that an אָלָה could be pronounced spontaneously by laypeople. Themes in Scripture • Covenant Accountability An אָלָה presupposes covenant relationship. Israel calls on the covenant LORD to police truthfulness (Deuteronomy 29:12-21 echoes the idea, though the noun is not used). To swear falsely is to challenge His holiness. • Judicial Process Solomon prays: “When someone sins against his neighbor and is required to take an oath… hear from heaven and act” (1 Kings 8:31-32). The temple functioned as the supreme court where perjury was answered not merely by magistrates but by God Himself. • Leadership and Abuse Saul’s rash oath in 1 Samuel 14:24 shows how misuse endangers the community. The troops, famished and fearful of the curse, are incapacitated for battle. Authority must wield the אָלָה with discernment. • Prophetic Exposure of Falsehood Hosea denounces empty oaths forged for political gain: “with worthless oaths they make covenants” (Hosea 10:4). An oath divorced from integrity becomes a sin in itself, multiplying injustice “like poisonous weeds.” Historical Insights • Near-Eastern Parallels Ancient treaties commonly invoked deities to curse violators. Israel’s distinctive feature is that the same personal God who blesses also enforces the curse; there is no pantheon to divide the roles. • Liturgical Setting The placement of the אָלָה before the altar (1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 6) integrates legal procedure with worship. Truth-telling is an act of reverence; perjury desecrates sacred space. New Testament Resonance Jesus’ teaching “Do not swear at all… let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’” (Matthew 5:34-37) does not abolish lawful oaths—He answers to the abuse that Hosea condemned. Hebrews 6:16 observes that “men swear by someone greater than themselves,” illustrating the continued recognition of oath plus sanction, while pointing to God’s own oath to Abraham as unbreakable. Ministry Significance • Integrity in Speech Christian discipleship demands the inner honesty that makes elaborate oaths unnecessary. Yet civil courts still require solemn oaths; believers may participate, conscious that they stand before the same God of Solomon’s temple. • Pastoral Care Like Saul’s troops, congregations can be harmed by rash spiritual pledges. Leaders should avoid manipulative vows and instead ground commitments in grace. • Worship and Confession Public liturgy can echo Solomon’s plea: calling on God to expose hidden falsehood and to vindicate righteousness. Confession of sin acknowledges the just curse we deserve and directs hope to Christ who bore the curse (Galatians 3:13). Summary אָ֫לָה embodies the gravity of covenant speech: an oath invoking divine curse upon violation. Scripture uses it to regulate justice, critique corruption, and underscore the holiness of God who hears every word. Its enduring lesson is that truthfulness is sacred, and perjury invites judgment—realities finally answered in the cross, where the ultimate curse fell so that redeemed people might live in covenant fidelity. Forms and Transliterations אָל֥וֹת אָלִית֙ אָלָ֖ה אָלֹ֣ה אלה אלות אלית וַיֹּאֶל֩ ויאל לְהַֽאֲלֹת֑וֹ להאלתו ’ā·lāh ’ā·lîṯ ’ā·lō·wṯ ’ā·lōh ’ālāh ’ālîṯ ’ālōh ’ālōwṯ aLah aLit aLoh aLot lə·ha·’ă·lō·ṯōw ləha’ălōṯōw lehaaloTo vaiyoEl way·yō·’el wayyō’elLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 17:2 HEB: (וְאַ֤תְּ ק) אָלִית֙ וְגַם֙ אָמַ֣רְתְּ NAS: were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse in my hearing, KJV: that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest INT: were taken you uttered again said 1 Samuel 14:24 1 Kings 8:31 2 Chronicles 6:22 Hosea 4:2 Hosea 10:4 6 Occurrences |
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