What does אַלּוּף (ʾalûp) mean in the Bible?
אַלּוּף (ʾalûp): Semantic range moves from tame/familiar intimacy to leadership authority, underlying both meanings is prominence or notability.
Hebrew · H441
אַלּוּף
Familiar ; a friend , also gentle ; hence, a bullock (as being tame; applied, although masculine, to a cow ); and so, a chieftain (as notable, like neat cattle)
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אַלּוּף H441
Pronunciation ʾalûp
What does אַלּוּף (ʾalûp) mean in the Bible?
אַלּוּף (ʾalûp): Semantic range moves from tame/familiar intimacy to leadership authority, underlying both meanings is prominence or notability.
Full entry for אַלּוּף (H441) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H441?
The BSB source-word alignment has 69 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (25), - (13), are the chiefs (7), Chiefs (6), [were] the chiefs (2).
Where does אַלּוּף (ʾalûp) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 36:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (43), 1 Chronicles (13), Jeremiah (3), Proverbs (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It . . . 25× Genesis 36:15, Genesis 36:17, Genesis 36:18, Genesis 36:29
- 13× Genesis 36:16, Genesis 36:17, Genesis 36:18, Genesis 36:30
are the chiefs 7× Genesis 36:15, Genesis 36:16, Genesis 36:17, Genesis 36:18
Chiefs 6× Genesis 36:15, Genesis 36:17, Genesis 36:18, Genesis 36:29
[were] the chiefs 2× Genesis 36:43, 1 Chronicles 1:54
according to their divisions 1× Genesis 36:30
close 1× Jeremiah 13:21
close friends 1× Proverbs 16:28
friends 1× Proverbs 17:9
in a companion 1× Micah 7:5
like a clan 1× Zechariah 9:7
my companion 1× Psalms 55:13
my friend 1× Jeremiah 3:4
Now the chiefs 1× 1 Chronicles 1:51
Our oxen 1× Psalms 144:14
the chiefs 1× Exodus 15:15
the clans 1× Zechariah 12:6
the partner 1× Proverbs 2:17
Then the leaders 1× Zechariah 12:5
was like a gentle 1× Jeremiah 11:19
were their chiefs 1× Genesis 36:19
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 36:15 אַלּוּפֵ֣י to are the chiefs Noun - masculine plural construct Genesis 36:15 אַלּ֤וּף to Chiefs Noun - masculine singular construct Genesis 36:15 אַלּ֣וּף to . . . Noun - masculine singular construct Genesis 36:15 אַלּ֥וּף to . . . Noun - masculine singular construct Genesis 36:15 אַלּ֥וּף to . . . Noun - masculine singular construct Genesis 36:16 אַלּֽוּף־ to - Noun - masculine singular Genesis 36:16 אַלּ֥וּף to - Noun - masculine singular Genesis 36:16 אַלּ֣וּף to - Noun - masculine singular Genesis 36:16 אַלּוּפֵ֤י to are the chiefs Noun - masculine plural construct Genesis 36:17 אַלּ֥וּף to Chiefs Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 36:15
Aligned rows 69
Books represented 8
Genesis 43 Exodus 1 1 Chronicles 13 Psalms 2 Proverbs 3 Jeremiah 3 Micah 1 Zechariah 3
Source forms
אַלּ֥וּף 29x ’al·lūp̄ Genesis 36:15, Genesis 36:16, Genesis 36:17, Genesis 36:18
אַלּ֣וּף 11x ’al·lūp̄ Genesis 36:15, Genesis 36:16, Genesis 36:17, Genesis 36:18
אַלּוּפֵ֣י 5x ’al·lū·p̄ê Genesis 36:15, Genesis 36:29, Genesis 36:43, Exodus 15:15
אַלּוּפֵ֤י 3x ’al·lū·p̄ê Genesis 36:16, Genesis 36:17, Genesis 36:40
אַלּ֤וּף 2x ’al·lūp̄ Genesis 36:15, Genesis 36:29
אַלּ֧וּף 2x ’al·lūp̄ Genesis 36:41, 1 Chronicles 1:52
אַלּֽוּף׃ 2x ’al·lūp̄ Proverbs 16:28, Proverbs 17:9
אַלּוּפֵ֧י 2x ’al·lū·p̄ê Genesis 36:21, Genesis 36:30
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular 33x Genesis 36:16, Genesis 36:17, Genesis 36:18, Genesis 36:29
Noun - masculine singular construct 15x Genesis 36:15, 1 Chronicles 1:51, 1 Chronicles 1:52, 1 Chronicles 1:53
Noun - masculine plural construct 14x Genesis 36:15, Genesis 36:16, Genesis 36:17, Genesis 36:18
Noun - masculine plural 1x Jeremiah 13:21
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural 1x Psalms 144:14
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural 1x Genesis 36:19
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular 1x Psalms 55:13
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular 1x Micah 7:5
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Semantic range moves from tame/familiar intimacy to leadership authority, underlying both meanings is prominence or notability.
Source Gloss
familiar ; a friend , also gentle ; hence, a bullock (as being tame; applied, although masculine, to a cow ); and so, a chieftain (as notable, like neat cattle)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Semantic range moves from tame/familiar intimacy to leadership authority, underlying both meanings is prominence or notability.
familiar; a friend, also gentle; hence, a bullock (as being tame; applied, although masculine, to a cow); and so, a chieftain (as notable, like neat cattle) BDB: tame Usage: captain, duke, (chief) friend, governor, guide, ox.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
tribal leader or chieftain notable among his people
regional ruler or governor exercising authority over territory
intimate companion or close associate in relationship
beloved companion whose relationship is preserved through discretion
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 69 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
אַלּוּף is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain