אוּלַי֩ — Jeremiah 21:2 Hebrew Word Study

אוּלַי֩

𐤀𐤅𐤋𐤉

ulay

perhaps

or (shortened) אֻלַי; from אוֹ; if not; hence perhaps; if so be, may be, peradventure, unless.

H194

Jeremiah 21:2 · Word #12

Lexicon `H194`

Lemma	אוּלַי
Lemma (Paleo)	𐤀𐤅𐤋𐤉
Transliteration	ʼûwlay
Strong's	H194
In-context	perhaps

Morphology `HD` All morphology codes

Part of Speech D — Adverb — Modifies a verb

SIBI-P1 `H194-01`

perhaps / possibly

Root	או (ʾ-w)
Core Meanings	alternation, choice, contingency, possibility
Semantic Range	perhaps, possibly, if it may be, if so be, peradventure, unless (in certain conditional contexts)
Conceptual Significance	אוּלַי conveys human uncertainty before unfolding events and often appears in appeals to divine mercy or in cautious planning. It reflects a worldview in which outcomes remain contingent upon YHWH’s will, underscoring humility and hope amid uncertainty.
Morphological Notes	Adverbial particle (HD); indeclinable; expresses doubt, contingency, or tentative hope. Likely derived from אוֹ (“or”) with an enclitic element intensifying possibility.
Rendering Rationale	אוּלַי is an indeclinable Hebrew particle (HD) expressing contingency or uncertainty, derived from אוֹ (“or”), which marks alternatives. Rendering it as “perhaps / possibly” preserves the root idea of an open alternative or contingent outcome while accurately reflecting its adverbial, non-inflected form.

AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)

Word Usage (45 occurrences of H194)

Location	Form	Transliteration	Meaning
Genesis 16:2	אוּלַ֥י	ulay	perhaps/it may be
Genesis 18:24	אוּלַ֥י	ulay	perhaps
Genesis 18:28	א֠וּלַי	ulay	perhaps
Genesis 18:29	אוּלַ֛י	ulay	perhaps
Genesis 18:30	אוּלַ֛י	ulay	perhaps
Genesis 18:31	אוּלַ֛י	ulay	suppose
Genesis 18:32	אוּלַ֛י	ulay	perhaps
Genesis 24:5	אוּלַי֙	ulay	perhaps
Genesis 24:39	אֻלַ֛י	ulay	Perhaps
Genesis 27:12	אוּלַ֤י	ulay	Perhaps
Genesis 32:21	אוּלַ֖י	ulay	perhaps
Genesis 43:12	אוּלַ֥י	ulay	perhaps
Exodus 32:30	אוּלַ֥י	ulay	perhaps
Numbers 22:6	אוּלַ֤י	ulay	perhaps
Numbers 22:11	אוּלַ֥י	ulay	perhaps
Numbers 22:33	אוּלַי֙	ulay	if-not
Numbers 23:3	אוּלַ֞י	ulay	perhaps
Numbers 23:27	אוּלַ֤י	ulay	peradventure
Joshua 9:7	אוּלַ֗י	ulay	perhaps
Joshua 14:12	אוּלַ֨י	ulay	perhaps
1 Samuel 6:5	אוּלַ֗י	ulay	perhaps
1 Samuel 9:6	אוּלַי֙	ulay	perhaps
1 Samuel 14:6	אוּלַ֛י	ulay	perhaps
2 Samuel 14:15	אוּלַ֛י	ulay	perhaps
2 Samuel 16:12	אוּלַ֛י	ulay	Perhaps
1 Kings 18:5	אוּלַ֣י	ulay	perhaps
1 Kings 18:27	אוּלַ֛י	ulay	perhaps
1 Kings 20:31	אוּלַ֖י	ulay	perhaps
2 Kings 19:4	אוּלַ֡י	ulay	perhaps
Isaiah 37:4	אוּלַ֡י	ulay	perhaps
Isaiah 47:12	אוּלַ֛י	ulay	perhaps
Isaiah 47:12	אוּלַ֥י	ulay-2	perhaps
Jeremiah 20:10	אוּלַ֤י	ulay	Peradventure
Jeremiah 21:2	אוּלַי֩	ulay	perhaps
Jeremiah 26:3	אוּלַ֣י	ulay	perhaps
Jeremiah 36:3	אוּלַ֤י	ulay	perhaps
Jeremiah 36:7	אוּלַ֞י	ulay	perhaps
Jeremiah 51:8	אוּלַ֖י	ulay	perhaps
Ezekiel 12:3	אוּלַ֣י	ulay	perhaps
Hosea 8:7	אוּלַ֣י	ulay	if
Amos 5:15	אוּלַ֗י	ulay	perhaps
Jonah 1:6	אוּלַ֞י	ulay	perhaps
Zephaniah 2:3	אוּלַי֙	ulay	perhaps
Job 1:5	אוּלַי֙	ulay	perhaps
Lamentations 3:29	אוּלַ֖י	ulay	perhaps

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Lexicon H194

Morphology HD All morphology codes

SIBI-P1 H194-01

Word Usage (45 occurrences of H194)

Lexicon `H194`

Morphology `HD` All morphology codes

SIBI-P1 `H194-01`