אָלַץ (a.lats)
a.lats
to urge
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb alets appears only once in the Old Testament, found in Judges 16:16. In this specific instance, it describes the persistent pressure Samson’s wife applied to him to discover the secret of his strength. The Piel stem conveys an active sense of urging or pressing someone, suggesting a forceful insistence rather than a gentle request.
This single occurrence highlights the word’s intensity. It captures the dynamic of relentless persuasion that eventually wore down Samson’s resistance. The term does not imply physical violence but rather a psychological weight of repeated demands that became impossible to ignore.
Because its usage is so limited, the word remains closely tied to this narrative moment. It serves as a linguistic marker for the coercive tactics used in the conflict between Samson and his wife, emphasizing how persistent urging can lead to compromise.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word alets describes a persistent pressure that wears down resistance over time. In Judges 16:16, Samson’s wife used this relentless urging to break his silence about his strength. This shows how repeated demands can create a heavy psychological weight, even without physical force.
For your faith life, this word reminds us of the power of persistence. It invites reflection on how we respond to pressure from others or our own desires. Sometimes, gentle requests are enough; other times, persistent urging reveals what truly matters to us. We can seek wisdom in discerning when to stand firm and when to listen.
May you find peace in knowing that God understands the weight of such pressures. His strength is sufficient for every trial, offering rest rather than exhaustion. Trust in His guidance as you navigate moments of influence and decision.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ she urged/ him1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/תְּאַֽלֲצֵ֑/הוּ1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 16:16
When she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, his soul was troubled to death.
This verse shows the word describing how daily urging created a heavy psychological burden that eventually wore down Samson's resistance.