אָלַף ʼâlaph — hence, to learn (and causatively to teach)

pronounced aw-lof' · Strong's H502 · 4 occurrences in the Hebrew Bible · 2 stems: Pi'el, Qal (Pa'al)

Translated in the KJV as learn, teach, utter.

a primitive root, to associate with; hence, to learn (and causatively to teach).

ʼâlaph in each stem

Pi'el 3×

Intensive · active — the action intensified, repeated or brought about; the subject does it

Imperfect (yiqtol) 2Participle (active) 1

יְאַלֵּ֣ף Job 15:5 Imperfect (yiqtol), 3rd person masculine singular

For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. (KJV)

וַאֲאַלֶּפְךָ֥ Job 33:33 Imperfect (yiqtol), 1st person common singular

If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom. (KJV)

מַ֭לְּפֵנוּ Job 35:11 Participle (active), masculine singular

Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven? (KJV)

Qal (Pa'al) 1×

Simple · active — the plain action; the subject does it

Imperfect (yiqtol) 1

תֶּאֱלַ֥ף Prov 22:25 Imperfect (yiqtol), 2nd person masculine singular

Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. (KJV)

What the stems mean

A Hebrew verb is its root letters set into a pattern. The pattern — the binyan — is the grammar's way of saying three things at once: whether the action is simple, intensive or causative, and whether its subject is active, passive or reflexive. That is why one Hebrew word can need six English ones. All seven binyanim, explained ›

Open in Hebrew Explorer with Verb Anatomy on →

In the app, tap any Hebrew verb while reading: its root, stem and form are named, the letters of the word itself are coloured to show which is which, and the stem's meaning is put in plain English. ʼâlaph in the lexicon ›

Morphology from OpenScriptures MorphHB (CC BY 4.0); definitions from Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (public domain); text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex.

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