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אַיִן

𐤀𐤉𐤍

ʼayin

H369 particle

SILEX Entry

Root אין to be absent, to not exist, to lack, to be void

Definition

A particle of negation meaning 'there is not,' 'is not,' or 'does not exist'; used to express the absence, non-existence, or lack of a person, thing, quality, or condition. By extension, it can mark someone as lacking (e.g., fatherless), or denote a place or thing as absent or no longer present. Rarely functions substantively to indicate a non-entity or nothingness.

Semantic Range

not (as a negator of existence), there is not, none, nothing, absence, without, lacking, non-existent, not present, no longer present; sometimes implying loss, destitution, or helplessness (e.g., fatherless)

Root / Etymology

From the root אין (aleph-yod-nun, א-י-ן), whose core idea is non-existence or absence. The form אַיִן is a fixed particle, not inflected for number, gender, or state, and does not function as a true verb or noun in Biblical Hebrew. In morphology and sense, it is closely related to but distinct from the particle לֹא (loʼ), which negates actions or qualities, whereas אַיִן categorically asserts non-existence or absence, frequently in existential constructions.

Historical & Contextual Notes

אַיִן serves as a key marker of absence or non-existence in Biblical Hebrew. It is typically used in clauses to indicate that something or someone 'is not present' or 'does not exist,' functioning either as a simple negation or in more formulaic expressions (e.g., אֵין אִ֔ישׁ 'there is no man/person'). Unlike לֹא ('not'), which negates a verb or action, אַיִן negates existence or possession. It can be combined with pronominal suffixes (e.g., אֵינֶנּוּ 'he is not') and sometimes appears in poetic or emphatic contexts to reflect nothingness or futility. In later Hebrew usage, אַיִן evolves toward more abstract philosophical concepts of nothingness versus being. English translations often render אַיִן as 'there is not,' 'no,' 'none,' or 'without,' but at times, idiomatic translations such as 'gone' or 'fail' are used. The nuances of absence or non-existence are sometimes lost in translation. Distinct from אַיִן is אֶפֶס ('end,' 'nothingness') and חָסֵר ('lacking'), though all may overlap in expressing concepts of absence.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle; else, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare אַיִן.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אין (ʾ-y-n) — non-existence, absence, lack, voidness

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1156 בְּעָא and there is not
H370 אַיִן from where?
H371 אִין and is it not?
H575 אָן where?
H576 אֲנָא where?

Word Forms

33 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H369-03 אֵ֥ין eyn HTn there is no there is not 358
H369-25 וְ/אֵ֨ין veeyn HC/Tn and there is no and there is not 230
H369-10 אֵינֶ/נּוּ֩ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms is not he is not 36
H369-18 מֵ/אֵ֥ין meeyn HR/Tn without from non-existence 26
H369-01 אַ֔יִן ayin HTn not there is not 24
H369-31 וְ/אֵינֶ֕/נּוּ veeynenu HC/Tn/Sp3ms and he is not and he is absent 12
H369-02 בְּ/אֵ֣ין beeyn HR/Tn without in absence of 9
H369-09 אֵינֶ֛/נִּי eyneni HTn/Sp1cs I am not I am not 9
H369-04 אֵינָ֣/ם eynam HTn/Sp3mp are not they are not 9
H369-24 וָ/אַ֔יִן vaayin HC/Tn but there is none and there is not 9

Occurrences in Scripture

790 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H369-01 Genesis 2:5 אַ֔יִן ayin HTn there was none there is not
H369-31 Genesis 5:24 וְ/אֵינֶ֕/נּוּ veeynenu HC/Tn/Sp3ms and he was not and he is absent
H369-08 Genesis 7:8 אֵינֶ֖נָּ/ה eynenah HTn/Sp3fs are not she is not
H369-03 Genesis 11:30 אֵ֥ין eyn HTn she had no there is not
H369-03 Genesis 19:31 אֵ֤ין eyn HTn there is no there is not
H369-05 Genesis 20:7 אֵֽינְ/ךָ֣ eynekha HTn/Sp2ms you are not you are not
H369-03 Genesis 20:11 אֵין eyn HTn there is no there is not
H369-03 Genesis 28:17 אֵ֣ין eyn HTn is none there is not
H369-01 Genesis 30:1 אַ֖יִן ayin HTn not there is not
H369-10 Genesis 30:33 אֵינֶ/נּוּ֩ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms is not he is not
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