אֱלִיל
Good for nothing , by analogy vain or vanity ; specifically an idol
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Canonical witness: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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What does אֱלִיל (ʾĕlîl) mean in the Bible?
אֱלִיל (ʾĕlîl) is a Hebrew word meaning "good for nothing , by analogy vain or vanity ; specifically an idol". good for nothing, by analogy vain or vanity; specifically an idol BDB: insufficiency Usage: idol, no value, thing of nought. Egypt’s spiritual foundation collapses before the true God.
Meaning
Idol fundamentally denotes worthlessness or insufficiency, not merely false worship but ontological emptiness.
good for nothing, by analogy vain or vanity; specifically an idol BDB: insufficiency Usage: idol, no value, thing of nought.
Why This Word Matters
Egypt’s spiritual foundation collapses before the true God. Isaiah 19:1-4
The term emphasizes the futility and emptiness of the objects Judah worships, contrasting sharply with the living God. Isaiah 2:6-9
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
Showing 8 of 20 occurrences in the biblical text.