Original Word: עָפַל
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: `aphal
Pronunciation: ah-fahl
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-fal')
Definition: To grow dark, to become dim
Meaning: to swell, be elated

be lifted up, presume

A primitive root; to swell; figuratively, be elated -- be lifted up, presume.

I. עָפַל verb swell (?; so Thes; inferred from derivatives; Arabic is a tumour in the vulva or anus, apparently denominative (compare II. עֹפֶל) see Assyrian uplu, probably tumour (Dl^{HWB 7} ublu, but see Jen^{ThLz 1895, 250})); —

Pu`al Perfect3feminine singular עֻמְּלָה Habakkuk 2:4 according to ᵑ0 (subject נַפְשׁוֺ, compare GASm); but substantive needed, Brd^{SK 1889, 121} הַנֶּעֱלָף, We Now הָעַוָּל, compare Gu^Kau. —

Hiph`il see II. עפל. below

II. [עָפַל] verb perhaps be heedless (Arabic be heedless, neglectful, inadvertent); —

Hiph`il shew heedlessness, Imperfect3masculine plural וַיַּעְמִּלוּ לַעֲלוֺת Numbers 14:44 (JE) they shewed heedlessness in going up (went up heedlessly), so de Dieu, cited (and allowed) by Di Buhl^Lex; > Thes and others shewed presumption (I. עפל, this sense dubious).

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The corresponding Greek entry in Strong's Concordance is G5288 (ὑπερηφανία • hyperēphania), which also conveys the idea of pride or arrogance. This Greek term is used in the New Testament to describe a similar concept of being lifted up in pride, often in opposition to the humility that is commended in Christian teachings.

Usage: The verb עָפַל (ʿāphal) is used in the context of swelling or being elated, often implying a sense of pride or arrogance. It is a term that can describe both physical swelling and metaphorical elevation in status or spirit.

Context: The Hebrew verb עָפַל (ʿāphal) appears in the Old Testament with the primary meaning of swelling or being elated. This term is often associated with pride or an elevated state, whether in a physical or metaphorical sense. The root is used to describe the act of becoming proud or haughty, often with a negative connotation. In the context of biblical literature, this swelling or elation can be seen as a precursor to downfall, as pride is frequently warned against in the scriptures. The term is not extensively used in the Hebrew Bible, but its implications are significant in understanding the biblical perspective on pride and humility.

וַיַּעְפִּ֕לוּ ויעפלו עֻפְּלָ֔ה עפלה ‘up·pə·lāh ‘uppəlāh uppeLah vaiyaPilu way·ya‘·pi·lū wayya‘pilūInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts