a. (a) with a verb, which is then always an imperfect (never an imperative), by preference in the cohortative or jussive mood, where this is in use, and may be of any person or number; Genesis 15:1 and often אַלתִּֿירָא fear not! Genesis 22:12 אַלתִּֿשְׁלַח יָָֽדְךָ put not forth thy hand, Genesis 37:27 וְיָדֵנוּ אַלתְּֿהִיבֿוֺ and let not our hand be upon him, Genesis 21:16 אַלאֶֿרְאֶה let me not look upon the death of the lad! Psalm 25:2 אַלאֵֿבוֺשָׁה let me not be ashamed; with 1 plural (rare) 2 Samuel 13:25; Jeremiah 18:18; Jonah 1:14. In an imprecation: Genesis 49:4 אַלתּֿוֺתַר have not thou the excellency! Psalm 109:12; Job 3:4,6. Sometimes strengthened by נָא : Genesis 13:8; Genesis 18:3 and elsewhere (b) without a verb, (α) 2 Samuel 1:21 let (there be) not dew & not rain upon you! Isaiah 62:6; Psalm 83:1. (β) used absolutely, in deprecation Genesis 19:18; 2 Samuel 13:16 (see below אוֺדָה) 2 Kings 3:13; 2 Kings 4:16; 2 Kings 6:27 (see RVm: but possibly to be explained by Dr^{§ 152 iii}; so Th Ke: hardly as Ew^{§ 355 b}) Ruth 1:13 אַל בְּנֹתַי Nay, my daughters, compare Judges 19:23; (γ) after a preceding imperative Amos 5:14; Joel 2:13; Proverbs 8:10, a jussive Proverbs 27:2, an infinitive absolute Proverbs 27:2. (χ) in poetry אַל sometimes expresses vividly the emotion or sympathy of the poet (see Dr^{§ 56-8}); Isaiah 2:9 וְאַלתִּֿשָּׂא לָהֶם and forgive them not! (with a touch of passion), Psalm 41:3; Proverbs 3:25; Job 5:22; Psalm 34:6 (but ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Ew Che here read וּפְנֵיכֶם, probably rightly); Psalm 50:3 a may our God come וְאַלֿ יֶ֫חֱשָרשׁ and not be silent! (the psalmist identifying himself with a spectator of the scene Psalm 50:2,3b-c) Psalm 121:3 (contrast Psalm 121:4 לֹא) Jeremiah 46:6 +.

b. once Proverbs 12:28 joined closely to a substantive (compare לֹא 2 b) to express with emphasis its negation: In the way of righteousness is life, and in the pathway therecf אַלמָֿוֶת there is no-death! i.e. immortality.

c. once Job 24:25 used in poetry as a substantive, And bring my words לְאַל to nought! — N.B. 1 Samuel 27:10 אַלמְּֿשַׁטְתֶּם הַיּוֺם, אַל with the perfect is against all analogy; and either אֶלמִֿי (with ᵐ5. ᵑ9), or better אָן whither? (with ᵑ6 ᵑ7 : see 1 Samuel 10:14) must be read.