Hebrew word · H4234

מָחוֹל

lemachol

dance

A dance, especially a round or circle dance (related to ḥûl, to whirl or turn). It is done in a group, often by women, at festivals and victory celebrations. It is the opposite of mourning (Ps 30:11; Lam 5:15).

Appears 6 times in 6 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

dance, dancing

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Jeremiah 31:4

Range of meaning

A dance, especially a round or circle dance (related to ḥûl, to whirl or turn). It is done in a group, often by women, at festivals and victory celebrations. It is the opposite of mourning (Ps 30:11; Lam 5:15).

Against the English

BSB "joyful dancing" makes it sound like one woman's private joy. The Hebrew "in the dance of the merrymakers" pictures her stepping into a circle of people.

Used elsewhere in the period

Exod 15:20 (meḥōlōt with drums), Judg 11:34, 1 Sam 18:6, Ps 30:11 ("you turned my mourning into dancing"), Ps 149:3, Lam 5:15 ("our dancing has turned to mourning"), Jer 31:13 ("then the young woman will rejoice in the dance"). Judges 21:19–21 is especially close. At the yearly feast at Shiloh in Ephraim, the daughters of Shiloh "go out" to dance "in the dances" near the vineyards.

From the study of Psalm 150:4

Range of meaning

A dance, usually a group or circle dance. It probably comes from the root ḥ-w-l / ḥ-y-l, 'to whirl, twist, turn'. It is often paired with the tof (Exodus 15:20, related form meḥolot; Judges 11:34; Psalm 149:3; Jeremiah 31:4, 13). It is the opposite of mourning: 'you turned my mourning into dancing' (Psalm 30:11); 'our dancing has turned to mourning' (Lamentations 5:15).

Against the English

'Dance' is accurate. But modern readers may picture couples, a solo performance, or individual free expression. The biblical machol is communal: a ring or line of people, often women, moving together to the drum.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Septuagint renders it χορός (choros) and the Vulgate chorus. In ancient Greek a choros was a group that danced and sang together. Only later did English 'chorus/choir' come to mean singers who stand still. Judges 21:21 describes the girls of Shiloh coming out 'to dance in the dances' (laḥul bamḥolot) at a yearly feast.

From the study of Jeremiah 31:13

Range of meaning

A dance, probably a circle or whirling dance (related to ḥûl, 'to whirl, writhe'). It was a group celebration, usually led by women with tambourines, at victories (Exod 15:20 with the related měḥōlâ; 1 Sam 18:6), at vineyard festivals (Judg 21:21) and in worship (Ps 149:3; 150:4).

Against the English

'The dance' or 'dancing' in all major versions. This is accurate. What English loses is the setting: a public, communal dance, not couples dancing or a performance.

Used elsewhere in the period

Ps 30:11 (Heb 30:12): 'You turned my wailing into māḥôl'. Lam 5:15: 'our māḥôl has been turned (nehpak) into mourning (ʾēbel)'. Jer 31:4: biměḥôl měśaḥăqîm, 'in the dance of the merrymakers'.

Similar words

Where it appears

Psalms · 3

  1. Psalm 30:11 לְמָח֪וֹל into dancing

    You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

    Here: "Into a dance": the circling group dance of festivals and victory celebrations. It is the exact public opposite of the funeral wail.

  2. Psalm 149:3 בְמָח֑וֹל with dancing

    Let them praise His name with dancing, and make music to Him with tambourine and harp.

    Here: "With dancing." Most likely a group dance in a ring or procession, from a root meaning to whirl or turn. The traditional Hebrew accents put a pause after this word, so the first half of the verse ends here: praise is given in the dance itself.

  3. Psalm 150:4 וּמָח֑וֹל and dancing

    Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; praise Him with strings and flute.

    Here: The circling group dance that went with the hand-drum at festivals and victories. 'Drum and dance' is a fixed pair in Hebrew (Exodus 15:20; Judges 11:34; Psalm 149:3), so a hearer would picture a whole celebration, not two separate items.

Jeremiah · 2

  1. Jeremiah 31:4 בִּמְח֥וֹל in [the] dancing of

    Again I will build you, and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out in joyful dancing.

    Here: "In the dance of". Probably a circle dance done in a group (the related verb means to whirl or turn). It is a dance shared by a community, not one person dancing.

  2. Jeremiah 31:13 בְּמָח֔וֹל with dancing

    Then the maidens will rejoice with dancing, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy, and give them comfort and joy for their sorrow.

    Here: 'In the dance', a whirling or circle dance. Women typically led it at victories, festivals and harvests (Exod 15:20; Judg 21:21; 1 Sam 18:6). It is the same word whose loss Lamentations grieves (Lam 5:15).

Lamentations · 1

  1. Lamentations 5:15 מְחֹלֵֽנוּ׃ dancing our

    Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.