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אָלַם

𐤀𐤋𐤌

ʼâlam

H481 verb

SILEX Entry

Root א־ל־ם to bind, to restrain, to be silent, to be unable to speak

Definition

To be silent, to be speechless or mute, either by inability (physical or circumstantial) or as a result of being rendered silent (by force, awe, fear, or command). The verb expresses primarily a state of silence, often with a nuance of being unable or unwilling to speak, whether through tongue-tied incapacity, repression, or intentional restraint. It can refer both to literal silence (physical muteness) and to figurative silence (suppression, being silenced, or holding one's peace).

Semantic Range

to be mute, to be speechless, to be silenced, to hold one's peace, to be tongue-tied, to restrain from speaking, to be rendered silent

Root / Etymology

From the root א־ל־ם (אָלַם), which conveys the core idea of being bound, held, or tied up, especially in regards to speech. The verb developed from the basic sense of binding or restraining to refer specifically to the restraining of speech, i.e., being or becoming mute or silent. This is distinct from related roots for silence, such as דָּמַם (damam, 'to be still, to be silent') or חָרַשׁ (charash, 'to be silent, to be deaf'), which emphasize quietness, calmness, or lack of sound, rather than muteness or enforced silence. The root is securely established within Biblical Hebrew, though its occurrences are relatively limited.

Historical & Contextual Notes

אָ לַם is a comparatively rare verb in the Hebrew Bible, found primarily in poetic or wisdom contexts to describe a state of silencing or being silenced. It may express either a physical condition (i.e., muteness: someone being unable to speak) or a situational response (i.e., holding one's tongue due to social standing, awe, or being compelled into silence). In later biblical periods, the word retained this core concept but is largely absent from later Hebrew literature. English translations may render it as 'be silent,' 'be dumb,' or 'hold one's tongue,' but these sometimes fail to capture the nuance between passive muteness (inability) and active silencing (by authority or circumstance). The term is distinct from other verbs that convey general silence (e.g., שָׁתַק shatak), emphasizing the aspect of compelled or incapacitated speech rather than simple quietness. No evidence exists for it describing religious practitioners or used as an ethnonym. In Septuagint Greek, ἀποσιωπάω or σκοτόω are sometimes used for translation, which reflect silence or being rendered speechless. Its usage does not shift meaningfully over Israelite vs. post-exilic periods due to its limited occurrences.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to tie fast; hence (of the mouth) to be tongue-tied; bind, be dumb, put to silence.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אלם (ʾ-l-m) — to bind, to restrain, to be silent, to render mute

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H193 אוּל bound entry-hall of
H197 אוּלָם in the entrance hall
H198 אוּלָם bound entrance-hall of
H199 אוּלָם bound entrance-hall of
H482 אֵלֶם muteness

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H481-03 נֶאֱלַ֖מְתִּי neelameti HVNp1cs I have been silent I was silenced 3
H481-07 וְ/נֶאֱלָֽמְתִּי veneelameti HC/VNp1cs and I was dumb I was silenced 1
H481-01 מְאַלְּמִ֤ים mealemim HVprmpa were binding those who silence 1
H481-05 תֵֽאָלֵ֖ם tealem HVNi2ms you will be silent you will be silenced 1
H481-04 תֵּ֥אָלַ֗מְנָה tealamenah HVNi3fp are hidden away they will be silenced 1
H481-02 נֶאֱלָ֑מָה neelamah HVNp3fs is silent she was silenced 1
H481-06 וְ/נֶֽאֱלַ֔מְתָּ veneelameta HC/VNq2ms and-you-will-be-mute and you were silenced 1

Occurrences in Scripture

9 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H481-01 Genesis 37:7 מְאַלְּמִ֤ים mealemim HVprmpa were binding those who silence
H481-02 Isaiah 53:7 נֶאֱלָ֑מָה neelamah HVNp3fs is silent she was silenced
H481-06 Ezekiel 3:26 וְ/נֶֽאֱלַ֔מְתָּ veneelameta HC/VNq2ms and-you-will-be-mute and you were silenced
H481-05 Ezekiel 24:27 תֵֽאָלֵ֖ם tealem HVNi2ms you will be silent you will be silenced
H481-03 Ezekiel 33:22 נֶאֱלַ֖מְתִּי neelameti HVNp1cs I was silenced I was silenced
H481-04 Psalms 31:19 תֵּ֥אָלַ֗מְנָה tealamenah HVNi3fp are hidden away they will be silenced
H481-03 Psalms 39:3 נֶאֱלַ֣מְתִּי neelameti HVNp1cs I was silent I was silenced
H481-03 Psalms 39:10 נֶ֭אֱלַמְתִּי neelameti HVNp1cs I have been silent I was silenced
H481-07 Daniel 10:15 וְ/נֶאֱלָֽמְתִּי veneelameti HC/VNp1cs and I was dumb I was silenced
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