עֲלוּקָה
𐤏𐤋𐤅𐤒𐤄
ʻălûwqâh
H5936 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A type of bloodsucking worm or leech (Hirudinea), specifically the horse-leech. In extension, the term can be used figuratively for a person, creature, or entity characterized by relentless greed, insatiable appetite, or continual taking. In Proverbs 30:15, the term refers directly to the biological leech, and by metaphor, to unsatiable desire.
Semantic Range
bloodsucking worm or leech, horse-leech; person or force characterized by insatiable greed or continual demand; metaphor for unending appetite
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root עלק, meaning 'to cling,' 'adhere,' or 'suck,' though this verbal root is not directly attested in the Hebrew Bible. עֲלוּקָה is a feminine noun formation, likely a passive participle form, indicating a thing that 'is clinging' or 'is sucking.' The precise verbal root is otherwise unattested (hence 'unused'), but the formation and context strongly support this derivation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term occurs only in Proverbs 30:15, where it denotes the bloodsucking leech—specifically, the horse-leech, known for its voracious appetite. The imagery here is vivid: the leech is depicted as having 'two daughters: Give! Give!'—an emblem of greed and insatiable demand. Later rabbinic and classical translations consistently take עֲלוּקָה as leech. The figurative sense of relentless cupidity or unending consumption is rooted in the observed behavior of leeches in the ancient Near East. English 'leech' accurately captures the literal biological referent, but the metaphorical extension (insatiable desire) is equally important in biblical usage. There are no significant shifts in meaning across periods, likely due to the word’s rarity. Similar imagery appears elsewhere in Wisdom literature, often with other animals or objects symbolizing insatiability. The Hebrew Bible does not use עֲלוּקָה for any human ethnicity or profession, restricting its usage to biological and metaphorical senses.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to suck; the leech; horse-leech.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עלק (ʿ-l-q) — to cling, adhere, suck
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5936-01 |
לַֽ/עֲלוּקָ֨ה | laaluqah | HR/Ncfsa |
the leech | clinging leech | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5936-01 |
Proverbs 30:15 | לַֽ/עֲלוּקָ֨ה | laaluqah | HR/Ncfsa |
the leech | clinging leech |