Original Word: אֵצֶל
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: etsel
Pronunciation: ay'-tsel
Phonetic Spelling: (ay'-tsel)
KJV: at, (hard) by, (from) (beside), near (unto), toward, with See also H1018
Word Origin: [from H680 (אָצַל - refuse) (in the sense of joining)]

1. a side
2. (as a preposition) near

at, hard by, beside, near unto, toward, with

From 'atsal (in the sense of joining); a side; (as a preposition) near -- at, (hard) by, (from) (beside), near (unto), toward, with. See also Beyth ha-'etsel.

see HEBREW 'atsal

see HEBREW Beyth ha-'etsel

I. אֵ֫צֶל₆₁ substantive conjunction, proximity; with suffix אֶצְלִי, אֶצְלוֺ etc.; only used as a

preposition a. (as an implicit accusative) in proximity to (as though Lag^{BN 68}), beside: Genesis 39:10,15; Genesis 41:3 and stood אֵצֶל הַמַּרוֺת beside the kine, 1 Samuel 5:2 אֵצֶל דָּגוֺן beside Dagon, 1 Kings 13:24,25; 1 Kings 21:1; Proverbs 8:30; Ezekiel 1:15,19; Ezekiel 33:30; Ezekiel 39:15; often in phrase (׳י ׳מ) אֵצֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ Leviticus 1:16; Leviticus 6:3; Deuteronomy 16:21; 1 Kings 2:29; Amos 2:8 +; of a locality (compare II. אֵת 2) Deuteronomy 11:30 beside the terebinths of Moreh, 1 Kings 1:9; 1 Kings 4:12; Jeremiah 41:17. After a verb of motion (late) Daniel 8:7,17; compare 2Chronicles 28:15 b.

b. with מִן, מֵאֵצֶל from proximity to, from beside (compare מֵאֵת, מֵעִם): 1 Samuel 20:41 (read with ᵐ5 מֵאֵצֶל הָאַרְגָּב from beside the mound); Ezekiel 40:7 contiguous to, beside (מִן 3c); with suffix 1 Samuel 17:30 וַיָּסָב מֵאֶצְלוֺ and he turned about from beside him, 1 Kings 3:20; 1 Kings 20:36; Ezekiel 10:16.

Meaning and Scope

אֵצֶל (ʼêtsel) conveys spatial or relational nearness: “by, beside, next to, in proximity with.” The term occurs about sixty-one times, spread across narrative, legal, poetic, wisdom, prophetic, and post-exilic literature. Its range of settings—personal relationships, geography, temple architecture, covenant boundaries, and corporate labor—creates a multi-faceted picture of what it means to be “beside” someone or something under the sovereign hand of God.

Key Clusters of Usage

1. Personal Proximity in Patriarchal Narratives
• Genesis 35:4: Jacob hides foreign gods “under the oak near Shechem.” The removal of idolatry beside a landmark of covenant memory underscores the exclusivity of Yahweh’s worship.
• Genesis 39:10: Joseph refuses to lie “beside her.” Proximity here tests moral resolve; righteousness maintains distance.
• Genesis 41:1, 3: Pharaoh “standing beside the Nile” and the thin cows “standing beside the cows on the bank” set the stage for divine interpretation. Nearness to the river anticipates sovereign intervention through Joseph.

2. Geographic and Tribal Boundaries
• Deuteronomy 11:30 locates blessings and curses “beside the oaks of Moreh.”
• Joshua 15:8; 18:16 define Judah’s and Benjamin’s borders “beside the Valley of Hinnom.” אֵצֶל demarcates covenant inheritance with precision, affirming God’s fidelity to promises given to Abraham.

3. Royal and Court Settings
• 1 Samuel 20:25: “The king sat on his seat by the wall.” Saul’s location hints at defensive distrust, foreshadowing conflict with David.
• 1 Kings 1:9: Adonijah sacrifices near En Rogel. Spatial nearness to Jerusalem’s water source contrasts his self-promoting coronation with Solomon’s God-ordained anointing.

4. Temple and Visionary Architecture
• Ezekiel 1:15; 10:9: Wheels “beside each cherub” display coordinated heavenly movement.
• Ezekiel 41:6; 42:10; 46:19 describe side chambers “beside” the temple walls, portraying ordered worship and holiness in proximity to God’s glory.

5. Wisdom Literature
• Proverbs 8:30: Personified Wisdom declares, “Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman, and I was His daily delight.” The verse positions pre-incarnate Wisdom in intimate fellowship with the Creator—an echo of John 1:1.
• Job 32:11: Elihu waited “beside your words,” illustrating patient listening before speaking into suffering.

6. Post-Exilic Community Building

The densest occurrence appears in Nehemiah 3, where twenty-six times the phrase “next to him” (etsel) chronicles cooperative wall-building:

“Next to him, Shallum son of Hallohesh made repairs” (Nehemiah 3:12).

The repetition highlights unity among priests, goldsmiths, merchants, and rulers. Physical proximity embodies spiritual solidarity under covenant renewal.

Theological Themes

1. Presence and Accountability

אֵצֶל often marks where God observes human actions—Joseph beside Potiphar’s wife, Pharaoh beside the Nile, Israel beside idolatrous shrines. Nearness to holy or unholy influences affects destiny.

2. Covenant Boundaries and Identity

By fixing borders “beside” valleys, rivers, and oaks, Scripture ties land to promise. The term reassures that God’s allotments are neither accidental nor negotiable.

3. Unity in Service

Nehemiah’s record transforms a mundane preposition into a testimony of corporate discipleship. Every household stands “next to” another, each segment dependent on the faithfulness of its neighbor—an Old Testament picture of 1 Corinthians 12:14-27.

4. Christological Foreglow

Proverbs 8:30 situates Wisdom beside God “rejoicing in His presence.” In New Testament light, the Son eternally dwells “at the right hand” (Psalm 110:1; Acts 7:55), fulfilling the ultimate אֵצֶל—divine fellowship shared with redeemed humanity (John 14:3).

Spiritual Lessons

• Holiness requires discernment of proximity. Joseph’s refusal to be “beside” temptation encourages believers to guard their associations.
• God calls His people to stand “beside” one another in service. Ministry advances when every member takes a segment of the wall.
• The believer’s highest privilege is to be “beside” the Lord, echoing Wisdom’s delight and anticipating eternal communion.

Practical Ministry Applications

1. Discipleship: Encourage side-by-side mentoring modeled after Nehemiah’s builders—experienced leaders working next to new converts.
2. Worship Planning: Temple blueprints remind congregations to arrange physical spaces that promote reverence and shared focus on God’s presence.
3. Community Engagement: Geographic uses of אֵצֶל prompt churches to map their neighborhoods, serving “beside” local landmarks as visible witnesses.

Representative Reference List

Genesis 35:4; 39:10; 41:1, 3

Deuteronomy 11:30

Joshua 15:8; 18:16

1 Samuel 20:25

1 Kings 1:9

Nehemiah 3:2-12 (multiple)

Job 32:11

Proverbs 8:30

Ezekiel 1:15; 10:9; 41:6; 42:10; 46:19

Together these passages reveal אֵצֶל as more than a marker of location; it is a call to live, labor, and worship in deliberate proximity to God and His people.

אֵ֖צֶל אֵ֗צֶל אֵ֙צֶל֙ אֵ֚צֶל אֵ֣צֶל אֵ֤צֶל אֵ֥צֶל אֵ֨צֶל אֵֽצֶל־ אֶצְל֑וֹ אֶצְל֖וֹ אֶצְל֗וֹ אֶצְל֡וֹ אֶצְלִ֔י אֶצְלִ֖י אֶצְלִֽי׃ אֶצְלָ֑הּ אֶצְלָ֑ם אֶצְלָ֔הּ אֶצְלָ֖הּ אצל אצל־ אצלה אצלו אצלי אצלי׃ אצלם וְאֵ֖צֶל ואצל מֵֽאֶצְל֔וֹ מֵֽאֶצְלִ֗י מֵֽאֶצְלוֹ֙ מֵאֵ֣צֶל מֵאֵ֨צֶל מֵאֶצְלָֽם׃ מאצל מאצלו מאצלי מאצלם׃ ’ê·ṣel ’ê·ṣel- ’eṣ·lāh ’eṣ·lām ’eṣ·lî ’eṣ·lōw ’êṣel ’êṣel- ’eṣlāh ’eṣlām ’eṣlî ’eṣlōw Etzel etzLah etzLam etzLi etzLo mê’êṣel mê’eṣlām mê’eṣlî mê’eṣlōw mê·’ê·ṣel mê·’eṣ·lām mê·’eṣ·lî mê·’eṣ·lōw meEtzel meetzLam meetzLi meetzLo veEtzel wə’êṣel wə·’ê·ṣelInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts