אֱלִיל noun masculine (etymology uncertain: most probably akin to Syriac weak, feeble, poor; perhaps also in usage [compare b] felt to suggest אַל not; compare Che on [Isa 2:8]) insufficiency, worthlessness.
\ \ a. [Zech 11:17] רֹעִי הָאֱלִיל the shepherd of worthlessness = the worthless shepherd, [Job 13:4] רֹפְאֵי אֱלִל worthless physicians (|| טֹפְלֵישֶֿׁקֶר), [Jer 14:14] Qr concrete a thing nought (uttered by prophets), but here קֶסֶם אֱלִיל a worthless divin. (|| 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 iron. contrast with אֵלִים, אֱלֹהִים) [Lev 19:4] (not to be made) [Lev 26:1] (both H), [Isa 2:8]; [Isa 2:18]; [Isa 2:20] (twice in verse) (of silver & gold), [Isa 10:10] מַמְלְכוֺת הָאֱלִיל (collective) kingdoms of idolatrous worthlessness, v[Isa 10:11]; [Isa 19:1]; [Isa 19:3] (of Egypt) [Isa 31:7] (twice in verse); [Ezek 30:13] (Egypt), [Hab 2:18] אִלְּמִים ׳א dumb idols, [Ps 96:5] ( = [1Chr 16:26]) all the gods of the nations are ׳א vain, worthless gods [1Chr 97:7].
The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon
License: Public domain document; formatting developed for use in https://marvel.bible by Eliran Wong.
Source: provided by Tim Morton, the developer of Bible Analyzer