אֱלִיל

n.m. (etym. uncertain: most prob. akin to Syriac ܐܰܠܻܝܠ weak, feeble, poor; perhaps also in usage [cf. b.] felt to suggest אַל not; cf. Che on Is 2:8) insufficiency, worthlessness. Zc 11:17 רֹעִי הָאֱלִיל the shepherd of worthlessness = the worthless shepherd, Jb 13:4 רֹפְאֵי אֱלִל worthless physicians (‖ טֹפְלֵי־שֶׁקֶר), Je 14:14 Qr concr. a thing of nought (uttered by prophets), but here קֶסֶם אֱלִיל a worthless divin. (‖ חֲזוֹן שֶׁקֶר, תַּרְמִית לִבָּם) should perhaps be read (cf. Gf). especially pl. אֱלִילִים concr. worthless gods, idols (cf. הֲבָלִים) (possibly orig. an indep. word = gods, cf. Sab. אלאלת, & v. NöSBAk 1882, p. 1191, but even if so, associated by the prophets with idea of worthlessness, & used by them in iron. contrast with אֵלִים, אֱלֹהִים) Lv 19:4 (not to be made) 26:1 (both H), Is 2:8, 18, 20(×2) (of silver & gold), 10:10 מַמְלְכֹת הָאֱלִיל (coll.) kingdoms of idolatrous worthlessness, v 11; 19:1, 3 (of Egypt) 31:7(×2) Ez 30:13 (Egypt), Hb 2:18 א׳ אִלְּמִים dumb idols, ψ 96:5 (= 1 Ch 16:26) all the gods of the nations are א׳ vain, worthless gods 97:7.