Lexical Summary
yaal: To profit, to gain, to benefit, to avail
Original Word:יָאַל
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:ya'al
Pronunciation:yah-ahl
Phonetic Spelling:(yaw-al')
KJV: assay, begin, be content, please, take upon, X willingly, would
NASB:willing, persisted, please, pleased, ventured, agreed, determined
Word Origin:[a primitive root (probably rather the same asH2973 (יָאַל - acted foolishly) through the idea of mental weakness)]
1. (properly) to yield, especially assent
2. hence (pos.) to undertake as an act of volition
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
assay, begin, be content, please, take upon, willingly, would
A primitive root (probably rather the same asya'al through the idea of mental weakness); properly, to yield, especially assent; hence (pos.) To undertake as an act of volition -- assay, begin, be content, please, take upon, X willingly, would.
see HEBREWya'al
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto show willingness, be pleased, determine, undertake (to do anything)
NASB Translationagreed (1), determined (1), persisted (3), please (2), pleased (2), pleased* (1), tried (1), undertook (1), ventured (2), willing (5).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
II. [] only
to do anything (and do it) (see Ki Thes; Arabic
istake refuge with, escape, hasten to a place; compare II.be in front of, NöMBAK 1880. 775; Sabean in proper name DHMEpigr. Denkm. 53; perhaps Asâlû, accept, LyonSargontexte 72) —
Perfect3masculine singularHosea 5:11 2t.; 2 masculine singular1 Chronicles 17:27; 1singularGenesis 18:27,31; 1pluralJoshua 7:7;ImperfectJob 6:9 (jussive);Exodus 2:21 4t.;1 Samuel 17:39 (but see below);Imperative2 Samuel 7:29;2 Kings 5:23;Judges 19:6;2 Kings 6:3;Job 6:28; —
shew willingness to do anything,accept an invitation, acquiesce, followed by infinitiveExodus 2:21 (JE)and Moses was willing to dwell with the man (and did so), =Judges 17:11 (of Levite); elsewhere following by finite verb;Joshua 7:7and would that we had been willing and had stayed; especially imperative, followed by imperative:Judges 19:6be willing and spend the night (kindly accept my invitation) see Ges§ 110. 2 a, R 2; 120. 2 a,2 Kings 6:3 and (no )2 Kings 5:23;Job 6:28 i.e. be good enough to look upon me.
undertake to do anything (and do it), followed by infinitive:Genesis 18:27I have undertaken to speak =Genesis 18:31 (both J); so1 Samuel 17:39 , but read ,and he laboured vainly, for , so , GeiUrschrift, 377 We Dr (compare also vb ); followed by finite verbDeuteronomy 1:5 i.e. Mosestook upon himself to expound the law.
,be pleased, determine on one's own responsibility,resolve, followed by infinitive:Joshua 17:12 (JE) =Judges 1:27 but the Canaaniteswere determined (shewed a determination) to remain in this territory (=persisted in dwelling there);Judges 1:35the Amorites persisted in dwelling in Har-Heres, etc.; followed by finite verb, of irreligious action,Hosea 5:11 Ephraimpersisted, he walked after vanity (read for , see Che); elsewhere only of the divinegood pleasure: followed by infinitive1 Samuel 12:22hath been pleased to make you a people for himself;1 Chronicles 17:27; followed by finite verb2 Samuel 7:29be pleased and bless the house of thy servant;Job 6:9and that Eloah would be pleased and crush me! (see Ges§ 120, 2 a DaSynt. § 83 b).
Topical Lexicon
Scope and Nuances of UsageThe verb יָאַל occurs nineteen times and gathers several shades of meaning around the idea of a settled willingness: to venture a request, to consent to a proposal, to undertake a task, or to persist in a chosen way—whether righteous or rebellious. Each appearance highlights the interplay between human resolve and the larger purposes of God.
Reverent Boldness in Intercession (Genesis 18:27, 18:31)
Twice in Abraham’s plea for Sodom the verb introduces his self–deprecating yet daring petitions: “I have ventured to speak to the Lord, though I am but dust and ashes” (Genesis 18:27). Abraham’s repeated “let not the Lord be angry, but let me speak” (18:31) models a faith that is humble yet unafraid to press near. The occurrences teach the Church that holy boldness is not presumption when it rests on covenant friendship with God.
Pastoral Consent and Instruction (Exodus 2:21;Deuteronomy 1:5)
Moses “consented to stay with the man” (Exodus 2:21) in Midian, a quiet affirmation of God’s hidden shaping of His servant. Decades later, on the plains of Moab, “Moses took it upon himself to expound this law” (Deuteronomy 1:5). The same root frames both private consent and public proclamation, reminding ministers that willingness in obscurity is often the seed of later fruitfulness in ministry.
Covenant Assurance in Dynastic Promises (2 Samuel 7:29;1 Chronicles 17:27)
When David hears the everlasting covenant, he prays, “Now be pleased to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You” (2 Samuel 7:29). The Chronicler repeats the scene (1 Chronicles 17:27). David’s use of יָאַל signals confident reception of God’s promise; he ventures to ask because God has ventured to speak. The passages encourage believers to claim divine pledges with similar assurance.
Willing Determination in Conquest Narratives (Joshua 7:7; 17:12;Judges 1:27, 1:35)
In Joshua’s lament after the defeat at Ai, he declares, “Why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan?” (Joshua 7:7). His words confess that Israel had undertaken the crossing by God’s lead. By contrast, the Canaanites “were determined to remain” in the land (Joshua 17:12;Judges 1:27, 1:35). The same verb exposes a stubborn will opposing God’s purposes. Scripture thus sets willingness toward God over against determination against Him.
Household Agreements and Hospitality (Judges 17:11;Judges 19:6)
Micah’s Levite “was content to dwell with the man” (Judges 17:11), and the Benjamite host of Gibeah urged his guest, “Be pleased to spend the night” (Judges 19:6). In both, יָאַל underscores voluntary covenants at the household level—one leading to idolatrous compromise, the other to a tragic civil war. The episodes caution that human agreements cannot sanctify what contradicts God’s revealed will.
National Grace and Prophetic Instruction (1 Samuel 12:22;1 Samuel 17:39;2 Kings 5:23;2 Kings 6:3)
Samuel consoles the nation, “The LORD was pleased to make you His own” (1 Samuel 12:22), rooting Israel’s security in divine willingness. Saul’s ill-fitting armor on David (“he was not used to them,”1 Samuel 17:39) shows that even a willing attempt can hinder when it is out of harmony with God’s equipping. Elisha’s accounts of Naaman and the borrowed axe (2 Kings 5:23; 6:3) reveal that prophetic ministry gladly receives practical help yet never traffics in personal gain. Willing generosity belongs to the people of God, willing glory to God alone.
Personal Anguish and Plea (Job 6:9, 6:28)
Job longs that God “would be willing to crush me” (Job 6:9) and begs his friends to “be willing to look at me” (Job 6:28). The verb lays bare a sufferer’s desire for decisive divine action and compassionate human attention. It validates the believer’s honest cry while guiding it toward submission.
Prophetic Indictment of Perverse Will (Hosea 5:11)
“Ephraim is oppressed, trampled in judgment, because he willingly followed human command” (Hosea 5:11). The last biblical use of יָאַל condemns a people whose determined pursuit of man-made decrees eclipsed obedience to the covenant. The text warns that willingness divorced from truth invites oppression.
Theological and Ministry Reflections
1. Human willingness is real but never autonomous. Throughout Scripture יָאַל is meaningful only in relation to God’s overarching will.
2. Holy boldness flows from humility, not bravado (Genesis 18;2 Samuel 7).
3. True ministry begins with quiet consent (Exodus 2:21) and matures into public faithfulness (Deuteronomy 1:5).
4. Determined opposition to God’s purposes will ultimately fail, however entrenched (Judges 1:35;Hosea 5:11).
5. The Church is invited to venture great prayers, undertake costly obedience, and cultivate discerning willingness—ever aligning human resolve with the gracious purposes of the Lord.
Forms and Transliterations
ה֥וֹאֶל הֽוֹאֶל־ הוֹאִ֔יל הוֹאִ֣יל הוֹאִ֣ילוּ הוֹאֵ֖ל הוֹאֵל֙ הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ הוֹאַ֙לְתָּ֙ הוֹאַ֣לְנוּ הואיל הואילו הואל הואל־ הואלנו הואלת הואלתי וְיֹאֵ֣ל וַיֹּ֣אֶל וַיּ֙וֹאֶל֙ וַיּ֤וֹאֶל וַיּ֥וֹאֶל ויאל ויואל hō·w·’al·nū hō·w·’al·tā hō·w·’al·tî hō·w·’el hō·w·’êl hō·w·’el- hō·w·’î·lū hō·w·’îl hoAlnu hoAlta hoAlti hoel hoIl hoIlu hōw’alnū hōw’altā hōw’altî hōw’el hōw’êl hōw’el- hōw’îl hōw’îlū vaiYoel veyoEl way·yō·’el way·yō·w·’el wayyō’el wayyōw’el wə·yō·’êl wəyō’êl
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
