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מוּל

𐤌𐤅𐤋

mûwl

H4136 preposition

SILEX Entry

Root מול to confront, to face, to be opposite

Definition

Adverbial or prepositional particle indicating location directly facing or opposite to something; denotes position in front, before, or facing toward, often used in spatial relationships and in figurative expressions of opposition or orientation. The primary sense is that of 'confronting' or 'in line with,' rather than simply 'before' in a temporal sense.

Semantic Range

opposite, facing, in front of, before (in a spatial sense), toward, across from, confronting, in alignment with

Root / Etymology

From the root מול, meaning 'to confront, be in front of, face.' The derived adverb or preposition מוּל and its variants retain the spatial notion of being directly across from or opposite something. The root-level sense relates to encountering or meeting face-to-face, which develops into the abstract adverbial particle indicating spatial opposition or alignment.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מוּל is a versatile prepositional particle occurring in various forms (מוּל, מוֹל, מוֹאל, מֻל) across multiple books and periods of the Hebrew Bible. It is used primarily to establish spatial relationships, such as in describing someone or something standing 'opposite' or 'across from' another, or armies arrayed face-to-face. Its function is not limited to literal geography but extends to indicate stance, alignment, or figurative opposition. Major English translations often render מוּל as 'before,' 'in front of,' or 'opposite,' but these may obscure the nuance of facing or being directly aligned with the referenced object or location. It contrasts with לִפְנֵי ('before' in a broader sense, often meaning 'in the presence of' or 'ahead of in time or space') and נֶגֶד (which also emphasizes 'opposite,' but often with a broader semantic range, including 'in the presence of' or 'in sight of'). Over time, מוּל remains largely consistent in use and meaning, with some variation in form but little in function, from early narrative passages through later historical and postexilic texts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or מוֹל; (Deuteronomy 1:1), or מוֹאל; (Nehemiah 12:38), or מֻל; (Numbers 22:5), from מוּל; properly, abrupt, i.e. a precipice; by implication, the front; used only adverbially (with prepositional prefix) opposite; (over) against, before, (fore-) front, from, (God-) ward, toward, with.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מול (m-w-l) — to confront, to face, to be opposite

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4135 מוּל I will circumcise them
H4139 מוּלָה for the circumcisions

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4136-05 מ֚וּל mul HR opposite opposite to 24
H4136-02 מִ/מּ֣וּל mimul HR/R opposite facing opposite 8
H4136-04 מ֨וֹל mol HR opposite facing 1
H4136-01 לְ/מ֖וֹאל lemol HR/R opposite toward, facing 1
H4136-06 וּ/מ֧וּל umul HC/R and facing and opposite 1
H4136-03 מִ/מֻּלִֽ/י mimuli HR/R/Sp1cs opposite me facing me 1

Occurrences in Scripture

36 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4136-05 Exodus 18:19 מ֚וּל mul HR before opposite to
H4136-05 Exodus 26:9 מ֖וּל mul HR the front opposite to
H4136-05 Exodus 28:25 מ֥וּל mul HR opposite opposite to
H4136-02 Exodus 28:27 מִ/מּ֣וּל mimul HR/R toward facing opposite
H4136-05 Exodus 28:37 מ֥וּל mul HR opposite opposite to
H4136-05 Exodus 34:3 מ֖וּל mul HR in front of opposite to
H4136-05 Exodus 39:18 מ֥וּל mul HR opposite opposite to
H4136-02 Exodus 39:20 מִ/מּ֣וּל mimul HR/R in front of facing opposite
H4136-02 Leviticus 5:8 מִ/מּ֥וּל mimul HR/R from before facing opposite
H4136-05 Leviticus 8:9 מ֣וּל mul HR front of opposite to
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