ay.ya.lah denotes a female deer, used in animal scenes, comparisons of feet on heights, and oaths invoking does of the field.

The term denotes a female deer across literal animal scenes and poetic speech: it is associated with labor, trembling, and “does of the field,” while comparisons use deer-like feet in elevated places.

1. Female deer in animal scenes and imagery · dominant

   The noun identifies the animal in Job 39:1, where the APB renders the clause about observing when “the doe labors,” and in Psalm 29:9, where the LORD’s voice makes “the does tremble.” In Song of Songs 2:7 and Song of Songs 3:5, plural construct forms occur in the oath “by the gazelles or by the does of the field”; Genesis 49:21 uses a singular form in the comparison, “Naphtali is a doe let loose.” In 2 Samuel 22:34 and Habakkuk 3:19, plural forms occur in comparisons of the speaker’s feet with those of deer on high places.

   Job 39:1Psalm 29:9Song of Songs 2:7Song of Songs 3:5Genesis 49:212 Samuel 22:34

In the Anselm Paraphrase: The APB commonly presents the term as “doe” or “does,” while comparisons in 2 Samuel 22:34 and Habakkuk 3:19 use “deer.” Because the APB is not word-aligned, its wording confirms the animal setting of each clause rather than supplying a separate definition.