אַי (H335) — Hebrew Lexicon — Scattered Israelites

אַי

𐤀𐤉

ʼay

H335 particle

SILEX Entry

Definition

Interrogative particle meaning 'where?' and, by extension, inquires about place, location, presence, or absence. Primarily functions as a direct question about the whereabouts or situation, especially of persons or objects. In contexts expressing loss, absence, or disregard, it can further signal dismay or incredulity ('where is...?').

Semantic Range

where?, where is...?, (expressing absence or loss) where has ... gone?; idiomatically, exclamation of absence or abandonment; inquiry into present location, rhetorical questioning

Root / Etymology

Root: אין (ayin), meaning 'to be nothing,' 'to be absent,' or 'nonexistence.' The word אַי is most likely a contracted interrogative form from this root, expressing inquiry into the presence or absence (i.e., 'where [is it]?', especially when something is or seems missing). The precise morphological development is debated, but connection with אַיִן ('nothing,' 'there is not') is generally accepted.

Historical & Contextual Notes

אַי appears chiefly in poetic, interrogative, or lament contexts, often expressing the search for a person, object, or, at times, the presence of a deity (as in rhetorical lament: 'Where is their god?'). Unlike other interrogatives such as אֵיפֹה (eifo, 'where'), אַי emphasizes absence, doubt, or loss rather than merely unidentified location. Its appearance is mostly restricted to prophetic or poetic passages (e.g., Isa 36:19; Hos 13:10,14). Common English translations ('where?') convey the primary meaning, but do not always capture its nuance of absence or distress present in some biblical uses. Later Jewish literature and translations (e.g., LXX, Vulgate) often paraphrase or expand this nuance, but in Biblical Hebrew the word does not carry a developed theological sense.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

perhaps from אַיִן; where? hence how?; how, what, whence, where, whether, which (way).

Bantu Hebrew

Language	Bantu Word	Meaning
Kikuyu	kahi	where?
Lozi	kai	Where
Luyana	kai	where?

View comparison page →

Root Family

אינ (ʼay) — to be nothing, to be absent, nonexistence

Root אינ to be nothing, to be absent, nonexistence

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H335-05`	אֵֽי	ey	`HTi`	where	where is?	where	25
`H335-06`	וְ/אֵ֥י	veey	`HC/Ti`	and where	and where?	and where?	6
`H335-01`	אַיָּ/ם֙	ayam	`HTi/Sp3mp`	where are they	where are they?	where are they	2
`H335-04`	אַיּ֤/וֹ	ayo	`HTi/Sp3ms`	Where is he?	where is he?	where is he?	2
`H335-02`	אַ֭יֵּה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where	where?	where?	1
`H335-03`	אַיֶּֽ/כָּה	ayekah	`HTi/Sp2ms`	Where are you?	where are you (ms)?	where are you (ms)?	1
`H335-07`	ו/אי/ו	vyv	`HC/Ti/Sp3ms`	and-where-[are]-they	and where is he?	and where are they	1

Occurrences in Scripture

38 occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H335-03`	Genesis 3:9	אַיֶּֽ/כָּה	ayekah	`HTi/Sp2ms`	Where are you?	where are you (ms)?	where are you (ms)?
`H335-05`	Genesis 4:9	אֵ֖י	ey	`HTi`	Where	where is?	where is?
`H335-05`	Genesis 16:8	אֵֽי	ey	`HTi`	where	where is?	where
`H335-05`	Deuteronomy 32:37	אֵ֣י	ey	`HTi`	Where	where is?	where
`H335-05`	Judges 13:6	אֵֽי	ey	`HTi`	where	where is?	where
`H335-05`	1 Samuel 9:18	אֵי	ey	`HTi`	where	where is?	where is?
`H335-05`	1 Samuel 25:11	אֵ֥י	ey	`HTi`	where	where is?	where is?
`H335-05`	1 Samuel 26:16	אֵֽי	ey	`HTi`	where	where is?	where is?
`H335-06`	1 Samuel 30:13	וְ/אֵ֥י	veey	`HC/Ti`	And where	and where?	and where?
`H335-05`	2 Samuel 1:3	אֵ֥י	ey	`HTi`	Where	where is?	where
`H335-05`	2 Samuel 1:13	אֵ֥י	ey	`HTi`	Where	where is?	where
`H335-05`	2 Samuel 15:2	אֵֽי	ey	`HTi`	Of what	where is?	where
`H335-05`	1 Kings 13:12	אֵֽי	ey	`HTi`	where	where is?	where is?
`H335-05`	1 Kings 22:24	אֵי	ey	`HTi`	which way	where is?	where is?
`H335-05`	2 Kings 3:8	אֵי	ey	`HTi`	By what	where is?	where
`H335-04`	2 Kings 19:13	אַיּ֤/וֹ	ayo	`HTi/Sp3ms`	Where	where is he?	where is he?
`H335-01`	Isaiah 19:12	אַיָּ/ם֙	ayam	`HTi/Sp3mp`	Where are they	where are they?	where are they
`H335-05`	Isaiah 50:1	אֵ֣י	ey	`HTi`	Where	where is?	where is
`H335-05`	Isaiah 66:1	אֵי	ey	`HTi`	Where	where is?	where is
`H335-06`	Isaiah 66:1	וְ/אֵי	veey	`HC/Ti`	And where	and where?	and where is
`H335-05`	Jeremiah 5:7	אֵ֤י	ey	`HTi`	How	where is?	where is?
`H335-05`	Jeremiah 6:16	אֵי	ey	`HTi`	where	where is?	where
`H335-07`	Jeremiah 37:19	ו/אי/ו	vyv	`HC/Ti/Sp3ms`	and-where-[are]-they	and where is he?	and where are they
`H335-06`	Jonah 1:8	וְ/אֵֽי	veey	`HC/Ti`	and what	and where?	and where?
`H335-01`	Nahum 3:17	אַיָּֽ/ם	ayam	`HTi/Sp3mp`	where are they	where are they?	where are they?
`H335-05`	Proverbs 31:4	אֵ֣י	ey	`HTi`	where	where is?	where
`H335-05`	Job 2:2	אֵ֥י	ey	`HTi`	From where	where is?	where
`H335-04`	Job 20:7	אַיּֽ/וֹ	ayo	`HTi/Sp3ms`	Where is he?	where is he?	where is he?
`H335-06`	Job 28:12	וְ/אֵ֥י	veey	`HC/Ti`	and where	and where?	and where
`H335-06`	Job 28:20	וְ/אֵ֥י	veey	`HC/Ti`	and where	and where?	and where
`H335-02`	Job 35:10	אַ֭יֵּה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where	where?	where?
`H335-05`	Job 38:19	אֵי	ey	`HTi`	where	where is?	where is
`H335-05`	Job 38:19	אֵי	ey-2	`HTi`	where	where is?	where is
`H335-05`	Job 38:24	אֵי	ey	`HTi`	Where	where is?	where is?
`H335-05`	Ecclesiastes 2:3	אֵי	ey	`HTi`		where is?	where
`H335-05`	Ecclesiastes 11:6	אֵ֣י	ey	`HTi`	whether	where is?	whether
`H335-06`	Esther 7:5	וְ/אֵֽי	veey	`HC/Ti`	and where	and where?	and where?
`H335-05`	2 Chronicles 18:23	אֵ֣י	ey	`HTi`	which way	where is?	where is?

← H334 Hebrew Lexicon H336 →