What does עָלַם (ʿālam) mean in the Bible?
עָלַם (ʿālam): Denotes indefinite temporal duration—past or future—expressing perpetuity beyond human chronological limits.
Hebrew · H5957
עָלַם
Remote time , i.e. the future or past indefinitely; often adverb, forever
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עָלַם H5957
Pronunciation ʿālam
What does עָלַם (ʿālam) mean in the Bible?
עָלַם (ʿālam): Denotes indefinite temporal duration—past or future—expressing perpetuity beyond human chronological limits.
Full entry for עָלַם (H5957) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5957?
The BSB source-word alignment has 20 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include forever (8), . . . (3), is an everlasting (2), ancient (1), and ever (1).
Where does עָלַם (ʿālam) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Ezra 4:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Daniel (18), Ezra (2).
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 forever 8× Daniel 2:4, Daniel 2:20, Daniel 2:44, Daniel 3:9
. . . 3× Daniel 6:26, Daniel 7:18
is an everlasting 2× Daniel 4:34, Daniel 7:14
ancient 1× Ezra 4:15
and ever 1× Daniel 7:18
ever 1× Daniel 2:20
from ancient 1× Ezra 4:19
is an eternal 1× Daniel 4:3
will be an everlasting 1× Daniel 7:27
will never 1× Daniel 2:44
Show sample aligned rows
Ezra 4:15 עָלְמָ֑א to ancient Noun - masculine singular determinate Ezra 4:19 עָֽלְמָ֔א to from ancient Noun - masculine singular determinate Daniel 2:4 לְעָלְמִ֣ין to forever Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural Daniel 2:20 עָלְמָ֖א to forever Noun - masculine singular determinate Daniel 2:20 עָלְמָ֑א to ever Noun - masculine singular determinate Daniel 2:44 לְעָלְמִין֙ to will never Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural Daniel 2:44 לְעָלְמַיָּֽא׃ to forever Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural determinate Daniel 3:9 לְעָלְמִ֥ין to forever Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural Daniel 4:3 עָלַ֔ם to is an eternal Noun - masculine singular Daniel 4:34 עָלְמָ֖א to forever Noun - masculine singular determinate
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Ezra 4:15
Aligned rows 20
Books represented 2
Ezra 2 Daniel 18
Source forms
לְעָלְמִ֥ין 3x lə·‘ā·lə·mîn Daniel 3:9, Daniel 6:6, Daniel 6:21
עָלַ֔ם 3x ‘ā·lam Daniel 4:3, Daniel 4:34, Daniel 7:27
לְעָלְמִ֣ין 2x lə·‘ā·lə·mîn Daniel 2:4, Daniel 5:10
עָלְמָ֑א 2x ‘ā·lə·mā Ezra 4:15, Daniel 2:20
עָלְמָ֖א 2x ‘ā·lə·mā Daniel 2:20, Daniel 4:34
לְעָלְמַיָּֽא׃ 1x lə·‘ā·lə·may·yā Daniel 2:44
לְעָלְמִין֙ 1x lə·‘ā·lə·mîn Daniel 2:44
לְעָ֣לְמִ֔ין 1x lə·‘ā·lə·mîn Daniel 6:26
Parsing patterns
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural 7x Daniel 2:4, Daniel 2:44, Daniel 3:9, Daniel 5:10
Noun - masculine singular determinate 6x Ezra 4:15, Ezra 4:19, Daniel 2:20, Daniel 4:34
Noun - masculine singular 4x Daniel 4:3, Daniel 4:34, Daniel 7:14, Daniel 7:27
Noun - masculine plural determinate 1x Daniel 7:18
Noun - masculine singular construct 1x Daniel 7:18
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural determinate 1x Daniel 2:44
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Denotes indefinite temporal duration—past or future—expressing perpetuity beyond human chronological limits.
Source Gloss
remote time , i.e. the future or past indefinitely; often adverb, forever
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Denotes indefinite temporal duration—past or future—expressing perpetuity beyond human chronological limits.
remote time, i.e. the future or past indefinitely; often adverb, forever BDB: perpetuity Usage: for (n-)ever (lasting), old.
Word Origins
עָלַם is built from this root:
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