What does עֲלִילָה mean in the Bible?
Deeds or actions name what is done, with the actor and assessment supplied by the surrounding words. Hannah's song speaks of deeds being weighed by the LORD, and Psalms recount God's known or awesome works.
Hebrew · H5949
עֲלִילָה
Deeds or actions name what is done, with the actor and assessment supplied by the surrounding words. Hannah's song speaks of deeds being weighed by the Lord, and Psalms recount God's known or awesome works.
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עֲלִילָהH5949
What does עֲלִילָה mean in the Bible?
Reader summary
Full entry for עֲלִילָה (H5949) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5949?
The BSB source-word alignment has 24 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include His deeds (4), and deeds (3), and actions (2), of shameful conduct (2), actions (1).
Where does עֲלִילָה appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Deuteronomy 22:14. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (9), Ezekiel (8), Deuteronomy (2), Zephaniah (2).
What This Word Actually Means
Deeds or actions name what is done, with the actor and assessment supplied by the surrounding words. Hannah's song speaks of deeds being weighed by the Lord, and Psalms recount God's known or awesome works. Ezekiel contrasts Israel's evil conduct with the Lord's action for His name. Psalm 141 asks not to be drawn into wicked practices. Deuteronomy uses the vocabulary within an accusation made by a husband, which the law then subjects to investigation and stated consequences.
That allegation is not automatically established fact. Read whether the passage praises God's acts, examines human conduct, petitions against wrongdoing or reports a charge. The noun cannot make every action good, every accusation true, or every ancient legal procedure an instruction for a congregation to reenact.
How the Bible Uses It
Divine works, assessed human deeds, a request for restraint and a contested allegation differ in actor and moral status. The surrounding testimony, prayer or judgment supplies the assessment.
- 1Sam.2.3
Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogance come from your mouth, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by Him actions are weighed.
Hannah's song rejects arrogant speech and declares that deeds are weighed by the Lord who knows.
- Ps.103.7
He made known His ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel.
The psalm recalls the Lord's known ways to Moses and His deeds to Israel within its praise of mercy.
- Ps.66.5
Come and see the works of God; how awesome are His deeds toward mankind.
The invitation to see God's works leads into remembered deliverance and communal praise.
- Deut.22.14
And he then accuses her of shameful conduct and gives her a bad name, saying, “I married this woman and had relations with her, but I discovered she was not a virgin.”
The husband makes an accusation that the following legal instructions require to be examined, rather than accepting it as proven.
- Ezek.20.44
Then you will know, O house of Israel, that I am the Lord, when I have dealt with you for the sake of My name and not according to your wicked ways and corrupt acts, declares the Lord God.”
The Lord contrasts acting for His name with treating Israel according to its evil ways and corrupt deeds.
- Ps.141.4
Do not let my heart be drawn to any evil thing or take part in works of wickedness with men who do iniquity; let me not feast on their delicacies.
The petitioner asks not to be drawn into wicked practices or share the delights of evildoers.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItHis deeds4×1 Chronicles 16:8, Psalms 9:11, Psalms 103:7, Psalms 105:1
and deeds3×Ezekiel 24:14, Ezekiel 36:17, Ezekiel 36:19
and actions2×Ezekiel 14:22, Ezekiel 14:23
of shameful conduct2×Deuteronomy 22:14, Deuteronomy 22:17
actions1×1 Samuel 2:3
acts1×Ezekiel 20:44
are His deeds1×Psalms 66:5
His works {known}1×Isaiah 12:4
in works1×Psalms 141:4
of the deeds1×Zephaniah 3:11
the deeds1×Ezekiel 20:43
their acts1×Psalms 14:1
their deeds1×Zephaniah 3:7
their misdeeds1×Psalms 99:8
what He had done1×Psalms 78:11
your deeds1×Ezekiel 21:24
Your mighty deeds1×Psalms 77:12
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 22:14עֲלִילֹ֣תtoof shameful conductNoun - feminine plural constructDeuteronomy 22:17עֲלִילֹ֨תtoof shameful conductNoun - feminine plural construct1 Samuel 2:3עֲלִלֽוֹת׃toactionsNoun - feminine plural1 Chronicles 16:8עֲלִילֹתָֽיו׃toHis deedsNoun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularPsalms 9:11עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃toHis deedsNoun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularPsalms 14:1עֲלִילָ֗הtotheir actsNoun - feminine singularPsalms 66:5עֲ֝לִילָ֗הtoare His deedsNoun - feminine singularPsalms 77:12וּֽבַעֲלִ֖ילוֹתֶ֣יךָtoYour mighty deedsConjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singularPsalms 78:11עֲלִילוֹתָ֑יוtowhat He had doneNoun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularPsalms 99:8עֲלִילוֹתָֽם׃totheir misdeedsNoun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowDeuteronomy 22:14
Aligned rows24
Books represented7
Deuteronomy21 Samuel11 Chronicles1Psalms9Isaiah1Ezekiel8Zephaniah2
Source forms
עֲלִֽילוֹתָ֑ם2x‘ă·lî·lō·w·ṯāmEzekiel 14:22, Ezekiel 14:23
עֲלִילוֹתָֽם׃2x‘ă·lî·lō·w·ṯāmPsalms 99:8, Zephaniah 3:7
וּֽבַעֲלִ֖ילוֹתֶ֣יךָ1xū·ḇa·‘ă·lî·lō·w·ṯe·ḵāPsalms 77:12
וּבַעֲלִֽילוֹתָ֑ם1xū·ḇa·‘ă·lî·lō·w·ṯāmEzekiel 36:17
וְכַעֲלִילוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙1xwə·ḵa·‘ă·lî·lō·w·ṯa·yiḵEzekiel 24:14
וְכַעֲלִילֽוֹתֵיכֶ֤ם1xwə·ḵa·‘ă·lî·lō·w·ṯê·ḵemEzekiel 20:44
וְכַעֲלִילוֹתָ֖ם1xwə·ḵa·‘ă·lî·lō·w·ṯāmEzekiel 36:19
עֲלִילָ֗ה1x‘ă·lî·lāhPsalms 14:1
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular6x1 Chronicles 16:8, Psalms 9:11, Psalms 78:11, Psalms 103:7
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural4xPsalms 99:8, Ezekiel 14:22, Ezekiel 14:23, Zephaniah 3:7
Noun - feminine plural2x1 Samuel 2:3, Psalms 141:4
Noun - feminine plural construct2xDeuteronomy 22:14, Deuteronomy 22:17
Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural2xEzekiel 20:43, Ezekiel 21:24
Noun - feminine singular2xPsalms 14:1, Psalms 66:5
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular1xPsalms 77:12
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural1xEzekiel 36:17
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Protect people from false accusation and do not demand bodily proof of moral worth.
- Examine harmful practices through truthful evidence and responsible care rather than forced shame or violence.
Avoid claiming...
- This noun cannot make an untested accusation true or authorize coercive bodily inspection.
- Ancient legal instructions cannot grant a congregation permission for forced marriage or honor violence.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. an exploit (of God), or a performance (of man, often in a bad sense); by implication, an opportunity
Source Gloss
an exploit (of God), or a performance (of man, often in a bad sense); by implication, an opportunity
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
an exploit (of God), or a performance (of man, often in a bad sense); by implication, an opportunity BDB: wantonness Usage: act(-ion), deed, doing, invention, occasion, work.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
For the Preacher and Teacher
The deeds named here need an actor and an assessment. Hannah places human deeds before the Lord who knows, and the psalms invite attention to His works with praise and thanksgiving. Ezekiel explicitly contrasts Israel's corrupt deeds with the Lord's action for His name. Psalm 141 makes resistance to wicked practices a petition rather than a claim of personal immunity.
Deuteronomy 22 adds a difficult legal setting: a husband brings an allegation, and the passage sets out examination and serious consequences. The charge must not be quoted as though the narrative has already proved it. Teach the ancient setting honestly, including its severity, while refusing bodily inspections, forced marriage, honor violence or congregational punishment modeled upon it.
Responsible assessment of action requires truthful evidence and care for those who may be harmed by accusation as well as conduct.
Anchor passage
1Sam.2.3
Doctrinal connections
- Hannah's song places deeds before the Lord's knowledge rather than human boasting.
- Psalm 103 recalls the Lord's deeds within praise of His mercy and compassion.
- Psalm 66 invites witness to God's remembered works and joins it to communal thanksgiving.
- Deuteronomy's accusation remains a charge requiring the passage's stated examination.
- Ezekiel contrasts corrupt human deeds with the Lord's action for His name.
- Psalm 141 asks for restraint from wicked practices and participation with evildoers.
The licensed deeds and actions range must retain the actor, descriptive words and speaker. Twenty-four tagged BSB tokens in twenty-four verses remain separate from the canonical count of twenty-four; the blank artifact transliteration stays unchanged and no gloss settles a contested allegation.
From Old to New Testament
Romans 2:1-11 confronts a person who judges others while doing the same things and speaks of God's impartial judgment according to deeds. This is a canonical comparison concerning accountable conduct, not a direct quotation of this noun or permission for present leaders to replace divine judgment with coercive punishment.