אֶל
𐤀𐤋
ʼal
that
A negative particle used to express prohibition, negation, or exhortation, primarily in the context of prohibitive commands ('do not,' 'let not'), as well as jussive or optative expressions ('may it not be,' 'let it not happen'). Diverges from the simple negation expressed by לֹא (loʼ) by its specialized use with imperatives and jussive verb forms. Less commonly, functions as a noun meaning 'nothing' or 'not at all.'
Exodus 10:28 · Word #8
Lexicon H408
| Lemma | אַל |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤀𐤋 |
| Transliteration | ʼal |
| Strong's | H408 |
| Definition | A negative particle used to express prohibition, negation, or exhortation, primarily in the context of prohibitive commands ('do not,' 'let not'), as well as jussive or optative expressions ('may it not be,' 'let it not happen'). Diverges from the simple negation expressed by לֹא (loʼ) by its specialized use with imperatives and jussive verb forms. Less commonly, functions as a noun meaning 'nothing' or 'not at all.' |
Morphology HTn
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | T — Particle — Function word |
| Subtype | n — Negative — Negative particle |
Common Translation
| Phrase | that |
SIBI-P1 Translation H408-02
toward
| Morphological Notes | Preposition (indeclinable particle) indicating direction, relation, or proximity; no gender or number inflection. |
| Rendering Rationale | The preposition fundamentally expresses motion or orientation in the direction of a target. "Toward" preserves this directional sense without narrowing it to a specific contextual nuance. |
View full lexicon entry for H408 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
not
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | The Hebrew אל (H408) is a prohibitive particle, correctly rendered as 'not' in prohibitions; P1's 'toward' is a root error (confused with אֶל as preposition, not the negative particle). |
| P1 Flag | Wrong root/Strong's; should be the negative particle (H408) not the preposition (H413). |