sa.lal describes building or preparing routes, and can also denote building up, piling up, or self-exaltation.

Its most visible use concerns making or preparing a road or way, while other contexts show building something up or piling it up; one reflexive participle describes self-exaltation.

1. Preparing or making a way · dominant

   In Isaiah 57:14 and Isaiah 62:10, Qal imperatives occur in commands concerning the way for the people; the APB renders the surrounding commands "prepare the way" and "build up, build up the highway." Job 19:12 and Job 30:12 place sequential imperfects in descriptions of opponents building a way against the speaker, while Jeremiah 18:15 and Proverbs 15:19 use passive participles for roads or ways presented as not built up or built.

   Isaiah 57:14Isaiah 62:10Job 19:12Job 30:12Jeremiah 18:15Proverbs 15:19
2. Building up or piling up · occasional

   In Proverbs 4:8, a Pilpel imperative stands in the clause the APB renders "Build her," followed by exaltation and honor. In Jeremiah 50:26, a Qal imperative occurs in a command that the APB renders "pile her up like heaps"; Psalm 68:5 also has a Qal imperative, though the supplied APB wording does not isolate its contribution.

   Proverbs 4:8Jeremiah 50:26Psalm 68:5
3. Exalting oneself · rare

   Exodus 9:17 uses a Hithpolel participle of the addressee in a rebuke for refusing to send the people; the APB renders the clause "You are still exalting yourself against my people."

   Exodus 9:17

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB presents the route contexts with phrases such as "prepare the way," "build up, build up the highway," and "built," while other verses use "Build her," "pile her up," and "exalting yourself." These are renderings of whole clauses; in Psalm 68:5 the supplied translation does not make the imperative's contribution clear.