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הוֹי

𐤄𐤅𐤉

hôwy

H1945 particle

SILEX Entry

Definition

An interjection expressing distress, lamentation, threat, or summons, often translated as 'woe,' 'alas,' or 'ah.' In prophetic and poetic speech, הוֹי signals impending calamity, calls to attention, mourning, or intense emotion. The term introduces pronouncements of doom, expressions of sorrow, or draws focus to significant statements. Its semantic range includes exclamation of pain, grief, warning, or urgent address depending on context.

Semantic Range

expression of impending doom, exclamation of grief or pain, call for attention, summons to hear pronouncement, lamentation, pronouncement of threat

Root / Etymology

הוֹי is generally viewed as onomatopoeic, reflecting a natural exclamation of distress or alarm. It is a lengthened form of הוֹ or related to אוֹי, all expressing similar emotional cries or calls. The root is הוי, which is not used as an independent verb in Biblical Hebrew. Its exact morphological origin is uncertain, but it fits within a set of Hebrew interjections of lament or vocative force.

Historical & Contextual Notes

הוֹי is found especially in prophetic pronouncements, frequently preceding indictments or judgments (e.g., Isaiah 5:8; Habakkuk 2:6). It signals lament or mourning in poetic contexts and sometimes appears as a call to attention. In later periods (Second Temple and beyond), similar forms persist in Hebrew and related languages as emotional interjections. English 'woe' captures much but not all of the semantic range; 'ah,' 'alas,' and 'ho' are also possible but context-specific. In Greek translations (LXX), often rendered as οὐαί, a term later associated with Gospel language. Though sometimes translated as 'O' as a direct address, such usage is rare; more commonly it introduces exclamations of threat or grief. Distinct from related interjections such as אוֹי ('oy'), which more narrowly denotes personal distress. Meaning remains stable across biblical periods but is especially prominent in oracular literature.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a prolonged form of הוֹ (akin to אוֹי); oh!; ah, alas, ho, O, woe.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

הוי (hôwy) — to lament, to cry out in distress, to summon with urgency

Root הוי to lament, to cry out in distress, to summon with urgency

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1945-01 ה֥וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe 48
H1945-02 וְ/ה֣וֹי vehoy HC/Tj and Alas and woe! and woe 3

Occurrences in Scripture

51 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1945-01 1 Kings 13:30 ה֥וֹי hoy HTj Alas Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 1:4 ה֣וֹי hoy HTj Ah! Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 1:24 ה֚וֹי hoy HTj Ah Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 5:8 ה֗וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 5:11 ה֛וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 5:18 ה֛וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 5:20 ה֣וֹי hoy HTj Woe! Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 5:21 ה֖וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 5:22 ה֕וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 10:1 ה֥וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 10:5 ה֥וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 17:12 ה֗וֹי hoy HTj Ah! Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 18:1 ה֥וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 28:1 ה֗וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 29:1 ה֚וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 29:15 ה֛וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 30:1 ה֣וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 31:1 ה֣וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 33:1 ה֣וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 45:9 ה֗וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 45:10 ה֛וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Isaiah 55:1 ה֤וֹי hoy HTj Ho! Woe! Ho
H1945-01 Jeremiah 22:13 ה֣וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Jeremiah 22:18 ה֥וֹי hoy HTj Alas Woe! Woe
H1945-02 Jeremiah 22:18 וְ/ה֣וֹי vehoy HC/Tj and Alas and woe! and woe
H1945-01 Jeremiah 22:18 ה֥וֹי hoy-2 HTj Alas Woe! Woe
H1945-02 Jeremiah 22:18 וְ/ה֥וֹי vehoy-2 HC/Tj and Alas and woe! and woe
H1945-01 Jeremiah 23:1 ה֣וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Jeremiah 30:7 ה֗וֹי hoy HTj Alas! Woe! Woe
H1945-02 Jeremiah 34:5 וְ/ה֥וֹי vehoy HC/Tj and alas and woe! and woe
H1945-01 Jeremiah 47:6 ה֗וֹי hoy HTj Alas Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Jeremiah 48:1 ה֤וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Jeremiah 50:27 ה֣וֹי hoy HTj woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Ezekiel 13:3 ה֖וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Ezekiel 13:18 הוֹי֩ hoy HTj woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Ezekiel 34:2 ה֤וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Amos 5:18 ה֥וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Amos 6:1 ה֚וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Micah 2:1 ה֧וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Nahum 3:1 ה֖וֹי hoy HTj Woe to Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Habakkuk 2:6 ה֚וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Habakkuk 2:9 ה֗וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Habakkuk 2:12 ה֛וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Habakkuk 2:15 ה֚וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Habakkuk 2:19 ה֣וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Zephaniah 2:5 ה֗וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Zephaniah 3:1 ה֥וֹי hoy HTj Woe Woe! Woe
H1945-01 Zechariah 2:10 ה֣וֹי hoy HTj Ho! Woe! Ho
H1945-01 Zechariah 2:10 ה֗וֹי hoy-2 HTj Ho! Woe! Ho
H1945-01 Zechariah 2:11 ה֥וֹי hoy HTj Ho! Woe! Ho
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