Lexical Definition

‎עַל‎ ʻal (al) since ^A:Prep
(Aramaic) corresponding to ‎עַל‎

about, against, concerning, for, (there-) fore, from, in, [idiom] more, of, (there-, up-) on, (in-) to, [phrase] why with.

• {above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications}

1) upon, over, on account of, above, to, against
1a) upon, over, on account of, regarding, concerning, on behalf of
1b) over (with verbs of ruling)
1c) above, beyond (in comparison)
1d) to, against (of direction)

Extended Information

Aramaic of: עַל

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎עַל‎ preposition upon, over, on account of, above, to, against (Biblical Hebrew and general Aramaic id.); — suffix 1 singular ‎עֲלַי‎; 2 masculine singular ‎עליך‎ Kt (so Egyptian Aramaic, Cooke^{No. 77, A 5, 6, B 8}, S-C^{Pap. A 3, B 5} +), ‎עֲלָךְ‎, Qr (ᵑ7 ‎עֲלַךְ‎, Dalm^{§ 47, 2}) Dan 3:12 + 6 t. Daniel; Ezra 7:18 3 masculine singular ‎עֲלוֺהִי‎ (so Nabataean, Palmyrene; Egyptian Aramaic ‎עלוי‎ S-C^{A 6} +) Dan 3:28 +, ‎עֲלֹהִי‎ Ezra 6:11 3 feminine singular ‎עליה‎ Kt (so Egyptian Aramaic, S-C^{D 24}), ‎עֲלַהּ‎ Qr (so ᵑ7) Dan 4:14*; Dan 5:21 1 plural ‎עֲלֵינָא‎ Ezra 4:12, ‎עֲלֵ֑ינָא‎ Ezra 4:18; Ezra 5:17 Baer (Gi ‎עֲלֶ֑ינָא‎); 3 masculine plural ‎עֲלֵיהֹם‎ (so Nabataean, CIS^{ii. 226}; Egyptian Aramaic, S-C^{Pap. F 5, 8}+) Ezra 7:24, ‎עֲלֵיהוֺן‎ Ezra 5:1; Ezra 5:3 —

1. a. upon, Dan 2:10; Dan 2:28; Dan 2:46; Dan 5:5; Dan 5:7; Dan 6:11* + often, Dan 4:26* ‎עַלהֵֿיכַל מַלְכוּתָא‎ (2Sam 11:2); to be established ‎עַל מַלְכוּתִי‎ 2Sam 4:33 (compare 2Chr 1:1 Biblical Hebrew II. 1) to lay an impost upon, Ezra 7:24 to trust on, Dan 3:28 after a verb of motion, ‎מְטָא עַל‎ to come upon, Dan 4:21*; Dan 4:25* of times, to pass over, Dan 4:13*; Dan 4:20*; Dan 4:22*; Dan 4:29*; Ezra 5:1 ‎בְּשֻׁם אֱלָהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲלֵיהוֺן‎ i.e. (named) over them.
b. idiomatic (as in Biblical Hebrew; see II. 1 d) of the person who is the subject of an emotion or experience, Dan 5:9 ‎וְזִיוֺתִי שָׁנַיִן עֲלוֺהִי‎ were changed upon him, Dan 7:28; Dan 6:19* ‎וְשִׁנְּתֵהּ נַדַּת עֲלוֺהִי‎ (compare Dan 2:1).
c. on accusative of (Biblical Hebrew 1 f b), Dan 3:16 ‎פִּתְגָּם עַלדְּֿנָה‎. So in ‎עַלדְּֿנָה‎ on this accusative Ezra 4:15; Ezra 4:22; Ezra 5:17, ‎עַלמָֿה‎ wherefore ? Dan 2:15 and ‎עַל דִּבְרַת דִּי‎ (see ‎׳‎‎דְּ‎).
d. on behalf of (ib. 1 f c), Ezra 6:17.
e. regarding, concerning (ib. 1 f g), Dan 2:18; Dan 5:14; Dan 5:29; Dan 6:6*; Dan 6:13*; Ezra 7:14 + often

2. over, with verbs of ruling, appointing, etc., Dan 2:48; Dan 2:49; Dan 3:12; Dan 4:14* +, Ezra 4:20; Ezra 6:18.

3. in a comparative sense, above, beyond, Dan 3:19; Dan 6:4*.

4. expressing direction:
a. to, of a person, after a verb of motion (compare Biblical Hebrew 7 c a a), Dan 2:24; Dan 4:31*; Dan 4:33*; Dan 6:7*; Dan 6:16*; Ezra 4:12; Ezra 4:23 + often; after to send (a letter, etc.) Ezra 4:11; Ezra 4:17; Ezra 4:18; Ezra 5:6 +, write Ezra 4:7, prophesy Ezra 5:1 of the direction of the mind (ib. 7c c), Dan 3:12; Dan 6:14* (twice in verse); Dan 6:15* compare Ezra 5:5 ‎הֲוַת עַל‎ ‎׳‎‎וְעֵין אֱל‎ (compare Jer 40:4 and ‎אֶל‎ Ps 34:16*).
b. against, Dan 3:19; Dan 3:29; Dan 5:23; Dan 6:5*; Dan 6:6* +; Ezra 4:8; Ezra 7:23.

5. in such phrases as ‎שְׁפַר עַל‎, ‎טְאֵב‎ (to be) good or acceptable to (as in Syriac and late Hebrew: see Biblical Hebrew 8), Ezra 5:17 ‎אִם עַל מַלְכָּא טָב‎, Ezra 7:18 (twice in verse); Dan 4:24* (‎יִשְׁפַּר‎), Dan 6:15* (‎בְּאֵשׁ‎), v.Dan 6:24* (‎טְאֵב‎). — compare the synopsis of meanings in Lzb³⁴⁰.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References