אִישִׁ֣ים

𐤀𐤉𐤔𐤉𐤌

ishim

O men

contracted for אֱנוֹשׁ (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation); also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare אִשָּׁה.

H376

Proverbs 8:4 · Word #2

Lexicon H376

Lemmaאִישׁ
Lemma (Paleo)𐤀𐤉𐤔
Transliterationʼîysh
Strong'sH376
In-contextO men

Morphology HNcmpa 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

SIBI-P1 H376-20

men

Rootאִישׁ (ʾ-y-sh)
Core Meaningsman, male person, individual, humanity, personhood, strength, agency
Semantic RangeThe root אִישׁ can denote an adult male in contrast to a woman or child, a husband within marriage, an individual human being irrespective of sex when context highlights personhood or responsibility, or a representative member of a group ('each' or 'every one'). The word accommodates contexts from tender marital scenes to military exploits, and frequently underscores personal responsibility before God. It can signify strength and valor, though more elastically than specialized terms like גִּבּוֹר (gibbôr, mighty man).
Conceptual SignificanceIn biblical theology, אִישׁ emphasizes the particular person—his individuality, gender, or role—in contrast to collective terms for humanity. Genesis 2:23–24 introduces the word in the marriage narrative, establishing the divine pattern for covenantal relationship. The word's capacity to mean 'each' or 'every' repeatedly underscores personal accountability before God, as seen in Deuteronomy 24:16. In the sacrificial system, the requirement for 'a male without blemish' (אִישׁ תָּמִים) foreshadows Christ as the perfect representative individual and mediator between God and humanity.
Morphological NotesHNcmpa: Hebrew Noun, common, masculine plural, absolute state. The word אִישִׁים occurs only three times in the Hebrew Bible, making it an exceptional plural form. The more typical plural for 'man' is אֲנָשִׁים (ʾănāšîm), which emphasizes mankind or humanity generally, whereas אִישִׁים emphasizes individual men with distinct identity and agency.
Rendering RationaleThe morphology HNcmpa indicates a masculine plural construct noun in absolute state. The form אִישִׁים (ʾîyšîm) is the standard plural of אִישׁ (ʾîyš), rendering it as 'men' preserves both the root's emphasis on individual male personhood and the plural number required by the morphology. This form appears rarely in biblical Hebrew, with the more common plural being אֲנָשִׁים (ʾănāšîm), making this occurrence noteworthy for its emphasis on distinct male individuals rather than humanity collectively.

AI-generated (perplexity/sonar-pro)

Words from Root אִישׁ (man, male person, individual, humanity, personhood, strength, agency)

SILEX Code Transliteration SIBI-P1
H376-14 beishah against her husband
H376-37 uleanesheyhem and to the men of them
H376-50 vehaish and the man
H376-53 velaish and to a man

Word Usage (2187 occurrences of H376)

Location Form Transliteration Meaning
Genesis 2:23 מֵ/אִ֖ישׁ meish from man
Genesis 2:24 אִ֔ישׁ ish a man
Genesis 3:6 לְ/אִישָׁ֛/הּ leishah to her husband
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