ma.chol denotes dancing associated with rejoicing, praise, restored gladness, or joy turned to mourning.

The attested use describes dancing in settings of communal rejoicing and praise, including restored gladness in Jeremiah 31:4 and Jeremiah 31:13 and praise in Psalm 149:3 and Psalm 150:4; Lamentations 5:15 sets it against mourning when joy has ceased.

1. Dancing in joy, praise, or mourning · dominant

   In Jeremiah 31:4 the construct form occurs in the clause about going forth among merrymakers, and in Jeremiah 31:13 the absolute form accompanies the virgin's rejoicing as mourning is turned to joy; the APB renders these clauses with “the dance” and “the dance of merrymakers.” In Psalm 149:3 and Psalm 150:4 the absolute form occurs in calls to praise alongside instruments, while Lamentations 5:15 places the construct form in the statement that the community's dance has been turned into mourning. Psalm 30:12 also has the absolute form, though the supplied APB rendering does not isolate its contribution.

   Jeremiah 31:13Jeremiah 31:4Lamentations 5:15Psalm 149:3Psalm 150:4Psalm 30:12

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB explicitly renders the term with “dance” or “dancing” in Jeremiah 31:13, Jeremiah 31:4, Lamentations 5:15, Psalm 149:3, and Psalm 150:4. In Psalm 30:12 it instead renders a clause about singing praise and giving thanks, so the translation does not visibly isolate the term there.