Lexicon
יָאַל
ya.al
H2974
H:V Hebrew

be willing

19
Occurrences
11
Books
Hebrew
Language

ya.al expresses a decision or readiness to undertake an action, remain somewhere, or grant a request.

The attested uses describe choosing or being ready to act: people undertake speech or explanation, agree to dwell or remain, and are described as accepting a course of action. In direct appeals, the term asks another person, or God, to consent to a requested action.

Senses in use

  1. Choosing or agreeing to undertake an action · dominant

    In Exodus 2:21, the sequential imperfect occurs where Moses accepts dwelling with the man; in Genesis 18:27 and Genesis 18:31, the first-person perfect introduces Abraham's undertaking to speak to his Lord. The same use covers a decision to explain the law in Deuteronomy 1:5 and agreement to stay in Judges 17:11; Joshua 17:12 places it with the Canaanite's continued dwelling in the land.

  2. Requested consent to an action · common

    Imperative forms address someone directly: in 2 Kings 6:3 the APB renders the appeal, "Please be willing and go with your servants," while 2 Samuel 7:29 asks for blessing. In Judges 19:6 the request concerns spending the night, and Job 6:28 asks the hearers to turn toward the speaker; Job 6:9 uses a jussive in a plea directed to God.

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB variously presents the clauses with "willing," "pleased," "undertaken," "agreed," "determined," and "persisted." Because its English is a whole-verse translation, these renderings show the surrounding clauses' emphasis on consent or readiness rather than establishing separate lexical meanings.

Passages featuring this word

Across Scripture