What does אָלַם mean in the Bible?
אָלַם is a Hebrew word meaning "to tie fast; hence (of the mouth) to be tongue-tied".
Hebrew · H481
אָלַם
To tie fast; hence (of the mouth) to be tongue-tied
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אָלַם H481
What does אָלַם mean in the Bible?
אָלַם is a Hebrew word meaning "to tie fast; hence (of the mouth) to be tongue-tied".
Full entry for אָלַם (H481) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H481?
The BSB source-word alignment has 9 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and became speechless (1), and you will be silent (1), be mute (1), be silenced (1), I have become mute (1).
Where does אָלַם appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 37:7. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (3), Psalms (3), Daniel (1), Genesis (1).
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 and became speechless 1× Daniel 10:15
and you will be silent 1× Ezekiel 3:26
be mute 1× Ezekiel 24:27
be silenced 1× Psalms 31:18
I have become mute 1× Psalms 39:9
I was speechless 1× Psalms 39:2
is silent 1× Isaiah 53:7
mute 1× Ezekiel 33:22
were binding 1× Genesis 37:7
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 37:7 מְאַלְּמִ֤ים to were binding Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural Psalms 31:18 תֵּ֥אָלַ֗מְנָה to be silenced Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural Psalms 39:2 נֶאֱלַ֣מְתִּי to I was speechless Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular Psalms 39:9 נֶ֭אֱלַמְתִּי to I have become mute Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular Isaiah 53:7 נֶאֱלָ֑מָה to is silent Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Ezekiel 3:26 וְנֶֽאֱלַ֔מְתָּ to and you will be silent Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular Ezekiel 24:27 תֵֽאָלֵ֖ם to be mute Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Ezekiel 33:22 נֶאֱלַ֖מְתִּי to mute Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular Daniel 10:15 וְנֶאֱלָֽמְתִּי׃ to and became speechless Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 37:7
Aligned rows 9
Books represented 5
Genesis 1 Psalms 3 Isaiah 1 Ezekiel 3 Daniel 1
Source forms
וְנֶֽאֱלַ֔מְתָּ 1x wə·ne·’ĕ·lam·tā Ezekiel 3:26
וְנֶאֱלָֽמְתִּי׃ 1x wə·ne·’ĕ·lā·mə·tî Daniel 10:15
מְאַלְּמִ֤ים 1x mə·’al·lə·mîm Genesis 37:7
נֶאֱלָ֑מָה 1x ne·’ĕ·lā·māh Isaiah 53:7
נֶאֱלַ֣מְתִּי 1x ne·’ĕ·lam·tî Psalms 39:2
נֶ֭אֱלַמְתִּי 1x ne·’ĕ·lam·tî Psalms 39:9
נֶאֱלַ֖מְתִּי 1x ne·’ĕ·lam·tî Ezekiel 33:22
תֵֽאָלֵ֖ם 1x ṯê·’ā·lêm Ezekiel 24:27
Parsing patterns
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular 3x Psalms 39:2, Psalms 39:9, Ezekiel 33:22
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular 1x Daniel 10:15
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular 1x Ezekiel 3:26
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 1x Ezekiel 24:27
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural 1x Psalms 31:18
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular 1x Isaiah 53:7
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural 1x Genesis 37:7
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. to tie fast; hence (of the mouth) to be tongue-tied
Source Gloss
to tie fast; hence (of the mouth) to be tongue-tied
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
to tie fast; hence (of the mouth) to be tongue-tied BDB: bind Usage: bind, be dumb, put to silence.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 7
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 6×
Perfect Ezek 33:22 · Ps 39:3 · Ps 39:10 · Isa 53:7 4×
Imperfect Ezek 24:27 · Ps 31:19 2×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 1×
Participle active Gen 37:7 1×
Word Origins
אָלַם is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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