עָלַס (a.las)
a.las
to rejoice
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb `a.las` conveys a vivid sense of rejoicing or exultation. While it appears in only three verses, its usage spans both human emotion and animal behavior. In the Qal stem, it describes the simple act of taking delight, such as when Proverbs 10:28 notes that the hope of the righteous brings joy.
A striking nuance emerges in the Niphal stem, where the word is applied to an ostrich flapping its wings. This specific imagery in Job 39:16 suggests a movement of energetic celebration rather than just internal feeling. It paints a picture of physical expression accompanying inner gladness.
The Hithpael form appears in Song of Solomon 7:13, where the speaker invites delighting in love. Here, the reflexive nature of the stem emphasizes personal engagement with that joy. The word captures a dynamic, outward-moving happiness that is both emotional and physical.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
This word paints joy as something lively and visible, not just a quiet feeling inside. When we look at how it is used, we see happiness that moves outward. It can be the steady hope of those who follow God’s ways, or even the energetic flapping of wings in celebration. This reminds us that true gladness often shows itself in our actions and posture.
In intimate moments, like the invitation to delight in love found in Song of Solomon, the word suggests a deep personal engagement with joy. It is not distant or reserved. Instead, it invites us into the full experience of what brings us life. This kind of joy connects our inner hearts with our outer expressions.
For your daily walk, this means you do not need to hide your gladness. Whether in simple hopes or deep relationships, letting joy show is part of being fully human and fully alive before God. May you find opportunities to let that light shine through your own actions today.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- let us delight ourselves1×
- it flaps joyously1×
- he will rejoice1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נֶעֱלָ֑סָה1×
- נִ֝תְעַלְּסָ֗ה1×
- יַעֲלֹֽס\׃1×