לַ/חַיִּ֖ים
𐤋/𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌
chay
for life
Living, alive; that which possesses life, animate as opposed to inanimate. Used adjectivally to describe living beings—human, animal, plant—or living conditions. As a substantive (noun), designates life itself, a living being or creature, those who are alive, or vitality. By extension, can denote raw, fresh, vigorous, or lively aspects (as in raw meat, fresh plants, or flowing water).
hī "alive" (Kikuyu) · hai "alive, living" (Swahili)Isaiah 4:3 · Word #11
Lexicon H2416
| Lemma | חַי |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤇𐤉 |
| Transliteration | chay |
| Strong's | H2416 |
| Definition | Living, alive; that which possesses life, animate as opposed to inanimate. Used adjectivally to describe living beings—human, animal, plant—or living conditions. As a substantive (noun), designates life itself, a living being or creature, those who are alive, or vitality. By extension, can denote raw, fresh, vigorous, or lively aspects (as in raw meat, fresh plants, or flowing water). |
Morphology HRd/Ncmpa
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | p — Plural — Plural |
| State | a — Absolute — The noun stands independently |
Common Translation
| Phrase | for life |
SIBI-P1 Translation H2416-40
to the living ones
| Morphological Notes | Preposition ל (to/for) + masculine plural noun חַיִּים, absolute state; substantive use of adjective meaning “living ones/lives.” |
| Rendering Rationale | The noun חַיִּים is masculine plural, functioning substantivally to denote living beings or lives; the prefixed לַ indicates direction or relation (“to/for”). Rendering it as “to the living ones” preserves both the plural morphology and the animate sense rooted in חיה (“to live”). |
View full lexicon entry for H2416 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
for life
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | 'To the living ones' (P1) is a literal option, but in the context of being recorded among the living, 'for life' matches the English idiom and the contextual use of חַיִּ֖ים here. |
Bantu Hebrew
לַ/חַיִּ֖ים (chay) — Living, alive; that which possesses life, animate as opposed to inanimate. Used adjectivally to describe living beings—human, animal, plant—or living conditions. As a substantive (noun), designates life itself, a living being or creature, those who are alive, or vitality. By extension, can denote raw, fresh, vigorous, or lively aspects (as in raw meat, fresh plants, or flowing water).