Aramaic word · H5931
עִלָּה
'ilah
pretext
A cause or occasion, especially a ground for complaint or a pretext someone can use to bring an accusation. It points to something to hang a charge on, not necessarily an actual wrong.
A Biblical Aramaic word, from the parts of the Old Testament written in Aramaic. Why Aramaic?
Appears 3 times in 2 verses of the Aramaic of the Old Testament. ·
What it means
matter, affair, occasion
Aramaic of a.lah (עָלָה ": rise" H5927)
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
- Range of meaning
A cause or occasion, especially a ground for complaint or a pretext someone can use to bring an accusation. It points to something to hang a charge on, not necessarily an actual wrong.
- Against the English
KJV/WEB 'occasion', YLT 'cause of complaint', BSB 'charge', NIV 'grounds for charges', ESV 'ground for complaint'. Modern versions catch the legal sense. 'Occasion' only works if the reader knows its older meaning of 'pretext'.
- How it drifted
In 1611 'occasion' could mean 'a pretext or opportunity for attack' (compare 'seek occasion against' in older English). Today it mostly means an event or a celebration.
- Used elsewhere in the period
In biblical Aramaic it occurs only in Daniel 6:4–5. Later Aramaic, Syriac (ʿelltā) and Rabbinic Hebrew (ʿillâ) use the word for 'cause, reason, pretext'. Theodotion's Greek translates it prophasis ('pretext'), the same word used for a false excuse or cover story.
- Range of meaning
In Biblical Aramaic: a pretext, cause or grounds, especially grounds for accusing someone. It means something that can be used to start a case. The word does not show whether the charge is true. Related words in later Aramaic and Syriac (ʿelltā) mean “cause, reason, pretext.”
- Against the English
KJV and WEB “occasion” (from the Vulgate's occasio); BSB “charge”; YLT “cause of complaint.” Modern versions use phrases like “grounds for complaint” or “basis for charges.” “Charge” is close to the sense but can suggest a formal indictment already exists. The point is that they have nothing to build one on.
- How it drifted
In older English, “occasion” meant a ground or opportunity for something, as in “give no occasion to the adversary.” Today it mostly means an event or a special day, so the KJV wording is now unclear.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Daniel 6:4 (twice) and 6:5. In Theodotion's Greek and in Old Greek Daniel the word is rendered prophasis, “pretext.” That shows ancient readers took it to mean a pretext rather than a proven offence.
Where it appears
Daniel · 3
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Daniel 6:4 עִלָּ֛ה עִלָּ֨ה an occasion, occasion
Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.
Here: A 'cause' someone can use to bring a charge. It does not have to be a real crime, only something that could be turned into one. Here it means they wanted a pretext.
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Daniel 6:5 עִלָּ֑א occasion
Finally these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”
Here: A pretext or grounds for an accusation: something that could be used to bring a charge. The same word is used in verse 4. It means a usable handle against him, not necessarily real guilt.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.