עֲלִיל
𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤋
ʻălîyl
H5948 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A vessel or apparatus designed for refining metals by heat, especially in the process of smelting or purifying precious metals. The sense encompasses a furnace, crucible, or smelting-pot used to separate dross from metal by exposure to high temperature.
Semantic Range
crucible for refining metals, smelting-pot, furnace for purifying precious metals, metaphorical use for instrument of testing
Root / Etymology
From the root עָלַל (ʻ-l-l), which generally carries the idea of completing, working through, or engaging in a process. Here, the root conveys a sense of repeated processing or working over, fitting for an object in which metal is repeatedly stirred or purified until the process is complete. The noun עֲלִיל denotes the physical implement—the vessel itself—used in metal purification.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עֲלִיל appears in poetic or wisdom contexts in the Hebrew Bible (notably Proverbs 17:3), where it stands as a metaphor for a testing or refining situation. Its usage is rare and largely confined to literary passages, in contrast to the more frequently used כּוּר (kur, 'smelter' or 'furnace'), which appears in legal, prophetic, and narrative texts. עֲלִיל is specifically associated with the process of separating impurities from silver—a deliberate, repetitive procedure. Over time, this word did not develop further technical or ritual association in later Hebrew. English renderings as 'crucible' or 'furnace' capture the general sense but often lose the nuance of a vessel associated with careful and thorough refinement rather than the broader connotation of any fiery place. Later tradition sometimes generalized the metaphor, but the concrete referent in biblical usage is always the vessel for silver refinement. The word never carries later religious connotations associated with 'furnace' in Second Temple or rabbinic literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עָלַל in the sense of completing; probably a crucible (as working over the metal); furnace.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עלל (ʿ-l-l) — to process, to work over, to complete
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4606 | מֵעָל | from sunset-enterings-of |
| H4611 | מַעֲלָל | in his deeds |
| H5931 | עִלָּה | contrived pretext |
| H5943 | עִלַּי | the Exalted One |
| H5949 | עֲלִילָה | deed |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5948-01 |
בַּ/עֲלִ֣יל | baalil | HR/Ncmsa |
in-a-furnace | refining crucible | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5948-01 |
Psalms 12:7 | בַּ/עֲלִ֣יל | baalil | HR/Ncmsa |
in-a-furnace | refining crucible |