הַרְאֵל
𐤄𐤓𐤀𐤋
harʼêl
H2025 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A term referring primarily to an altar (specifically the altar of burnt-offering) in the Jerusalem temple, likely emphasizing its elevated, revered status. The semantic range encompasses both a literal place (altar) and potentially a poetic or figurative designation for the sanctuary's altar. In some contexts, it may refer more generally to a sacred or exalted place associated with the deity of Israel.
Semantic Range
altar (specifically the upper altar hearth in the temple), sacred mount, exalted altar place, poetic or figurative expression for the altar
Root / Etymology
Formed from the combination of הַר ('mountain, hill') and אֵל ('god, deity'), meaning 'mountain of God' or 'the hill of El,' though as a compounded term it designated a cultic fixture in the temple. The root meanings of the constituents are: ה־ר (h-r): 'mountain, high place'; א־ל (ʾ-l): 'god, deity.' Actual usage, however, is for the altar in the Jerusalem sanctuary.
Historical & Contextual Notes
הַרְאֵל is a term uniquely attested in Ezekiel 43:15-16 as a designation for the altar in the visionary temple, where it refers to the upper altar hearth. The use in Ezekiel is best understood as a poetic or elevated expression for the altar's most sacred or exalted portion—'the mount of God'—possibly serving to emphasize the altar's importance in the religious architecture of the temple. While there is a resemblance to אֲרִיאֵל (ari'el), which also refers to aspects of the altar and is elsewhere associated as a poetic name for Jerusalem or the temple, the two are contextually distinct, with הַרְאֵל remaining specific to altar terminology in the visionary context of Ezekiel. English translations typically render the term simply as 'altar,' which may not convey the elevated or numinous connotations inherent in the term. There is no evidence that the term refers to Jerusalem as a city, nor does it function as an ethnic or religious identity marker.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from הַר and אֵל; mount of God; figuratively, the altar of burnt-offering; altar. Compare אֲרִיאֵל.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
הר־אל (h-r-ʾ-l) — mountain, height, elevation, god, deity
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2025-01 |
וְ/הַֽ/הַרְאֵ֖ל | vehahareel | HC/Td/Ncmsa |
and-the-hearth | the God-mount altar | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2025-01 |
Ezekiel 43:15 | וְ/הַֽ/הַרְאֵ֖ל | vehahareel | HC/Td/Ncmsa |
and-the-hearth | the God-mount altar |