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οὐαί

ouaí

G3759 exclamation

SILEX Entry

Root οὐαί to exclaim, to lament, to forewarn

Definition

An exclamation expressing distress, grief, denunciation, or threat; in Koine Greek, primarily used as an interjection to announce impending danger, misfortune, or judgment on oneself or others. In various contexts, it can serve to express natural lament ("alas!"), deep sorrow, or to pronounce a formal warning or curse ("woe to..."). Also carries the sense of warning or foreboding against those addressed.

Semantic Range

exclamation of grief, lament, denunciation, warning, pronouncement of doom or curse, expression of sorrow or threat, formal or informal invective

Root / Etymology

Onomatopoeic interjection; root uncertain. Likely of Semitic origin (cf. Hebrew אוֹי, 'woe', and Aramaic אוֹי), but fully integrated into Greek usage as an exclamation.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term οὐαί appears in both secular and religious contexts in Hellenistic and Koine Greek. In the Septuagint, it frequently renders the Hebrew אוֹי (oy), conveying grief or coming disaster. In the New Testament, οὐαί is predominantly used by Jesus and prophets to pronounce warnings, condemnations, or judgments—most often against individuals, groups, or cities—conveying both sorrow and the threat of divine retribution. While English translations often render οὐαί as “woe,” this does not fully capture its rhetorical force, which can range from lamentation to stern pronouncement. In classical Greek, exclamatory expressions of pain or distress existed (like ὤ), but οὐαί is especially prominent from the LXX onwards. Unlike ordinary expressions of sadness, οὐαί conveys a sense of impending doom and sometimes serves as a formal pronouncement in oracular or prophetic language.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primary exclamation of grief; "woe":--alas, woe.

Root Family

οὐαί (ouai) — exclaim, lament, forewarn

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G3759-01 οὐαί ouai EXCL Woe Woe! 47

Occurrences in Scripture

47 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G3759-01 Matthew 11:21 οὐαί ouai EXCL Woe!
G3759-01 Matthew 11:21 οὐαί ouai-2 EXCL Woe!
G3759-01 Matthew 18:7 οὐαὶ ouai EXCL Woe!
G3759-01 Matthew 18:7 οὐαὶ ouai-2 EXCL Woe!
G3759-01 Matthew 23:13 οὐαὶ ouai EXCL Woe!
G3759-01 Matthew 23:14 οὐαὶ ouai EXCL Woe!
G3759-01 Matthew 23:15 οὐαὶ ouai EXCL Woe!
G3759-01 Matthew 23:16 οὐαὶ ouai EXCL Woe!
G3759-01 Matthew 23:23 οὐαὶ ouai EXCL Woe!
G3759-01 Matthew 23:25 οὐαὶ ouai EXCL Woe!
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