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Lexicon :: Strong's H457 - 'ĕlîl

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Jul 19, 2026 - 00:00
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אֱלִיל
Transliteration
'ĕlîl
Pronunciation
el-eel'
Part of Speech
masculine adjective
Root Word (Etymology)
Apparently from אַל (H408)
Dictionary Aids

TWOT Reference: 99a

Strong’s Definitions

אֱלִיל ʼĕlîyl, el-eel'; apparently from H408; good for nothing, by analogy vain or vanity; specifically an idol:—idol, no value, thing of nought.

KJV Translation Count — Total: 20x

The KJV translates Strong's H457 in the following manner: idol (17x), image (1x), no value (1x), things of nought (1x).

KJV Translation Count — Total: 20x
The KJV translates Strong's H457 in the following manner: idol (17x), image (1x), no value (1x), things of nought (1x).

  1. of nought, good for nothing, worthless

    1. of physicians, a shepherd, a divination

    2. of false gods

Strong’s Definitions [?](Strong’s Definitions Legend)
אֱלִיל ʼĕlîyl, el-eel'; apparently from H408; good for nothing, by analogy vain or vanity; specifically an idol:—idol, no value, thing of nought.
STRONGS H457: Abbreviations
† אֱלִיל noun masculine (etymology uncertain: most probably akin to Syriac LwlAf   weak, feeble, poor; perhaps also in usage [compare b] felt to suggest אַל not; compare Che on Isaiah 2:8) insufficiency, worthlessness.
a. Zechariah 11:17 רֹעִי הָאֱלִיל the shepherd of worthlessness = the worthless shepherd, Job 13:4 רֹפְאֵי אֱלִל worthless physicians (|| טֹפְלֵי־שֶׁקֶר), Jeremiah 14:14 Qr concrete a thing nought (uttered by prophets), but here קֶסֶם אֱלִיל a worthless divinity (|| חֲזוֺן שֶׁקֶר, תַּרְמִית לִבָּם) should perhaps be read (compare Gf).
b. especially plural אֱלִילִים concrete worthless gods, idols (compare הֲבָלִים) (possibly originally an independent word = gods, compare Sabean אלאלת, & see NöSBAk 1882, p. 1191, but even if so, associated by the prophets with idea of worthlessness, & used by them in irony contrast with אֵלִים, אֱלֹהִים) Leviticus 19:4 (not to be made) Leviticus 26:1 (both H), Isaiah 2:8, 18, 20 (twice in verse) (of silver & gold), Isaiah 10:10 מַמְלְכוֺת הָאֱלִיל (collective) kingdoms of idolatrous worthlessness, Isaiah 10:11; Isaiah 19:1, 3 (of Egypt) Isaiah 31:7 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 30:13 (Egypt), Habakkuk 2:18 אִלְּמִים א׳ dumb idols, Psalm 96:5 (= 1 Chronicles 16:26) all the gods of the nations are א׳ vain, worthless gods Psalm 97:7.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, Unabridged, Electronic Database.
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BLB Scripture Index of Brown-Driver-Briggs

Leviticus

19:4; 26:1

1 Chronicles

16:26

Job

13:4

Psalms

96:5; 97:7

Isaiah

2:8; 2:8; 2:18; 2:20; 10:10; 10:11; 19:1; 19:3; 31:7

Jeremiah

14:14

Ezekiel

30:13

Habakkuk

2:18

Zechariah

11:17