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אַיִן

𐤀𐤉𐤍

ʼayin

H369 particle

SILEX Entry

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

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

Root Family

אין (ʼayin) — to be absent, to not exist, to lack, to be void

Root אין to be absent, to not exist, to lack, to be void
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H370 אַיִן from where?
H575 אָן where?

Word Forms

33 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H369-03 אֵ֖ין eyn HTn there is no there is not there is not 358
H369-25 וְ/אֵ֥ין veeyn HC/Tn and there is no and there is not and there is not 230
H369-10 אֵינֶ֑/נּוּ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms is not he is not he is not 36
H369-18 מֵ/אֵ֥ין meeyn HR/Tn without from non-existence without 26
H369-01 אָ֑יִן ayin HTn not there is not there is not 24
H369-31 וְֽ/אֵינֶ֨/נּוּ veeynenu HC/Tn/Sp3ms and he is not and he is absent and it is not 12
H369-02 בְּ/אֵ֣ין beeyn HR/Tn without in absence of in absence of 9
H369-04 אֵינָ֣/ם eynam HTn/Sp3mp are not they are not they are not 9
H369-05 אֵ֨ינְ/ךָ֜ eynekha HTn/Sp2ms you are not you are not you are not 9
H369-09 אֵינֶ֖/נִּי eyneni HTn/Sp1cs I am not I am not I am not 9

Occurrences in Scripture

790 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H369-01 Genesis 2:5 אַ֔יִן ayin HTn there was none there is not there was not
H369-31 Genesis 5:24 וְ/אֵינֶ֕/נּוּ veeynenu HC/Tn/Sp3ms and he was not and he is absent and he was not
H369-08 Genesis 7:8 אֵינֶ֖נָּ/ה eynenah HTn/Sp3fs are not she is not is not
H369-03 Genesis 11:30 אֵ֥ין eyn HTn she had no there is not there was not
H369-03 Genesis 19:31 אֵ֤ין eyn HTn there is no there is not there is not
H369-05 Genesis 20:7 אֵֽינְ/ךָ֣ eynekha HTn/Sp2ms you are not you are not you are not
H369-03 Genesis 20:11 אֵין eyn HTn there is no there is not there is not
H369-03 Genesis 28:17 אֵ֣ין eyn HTn is none there is not there is not
H369-01 Genesis 30:1 אַ֖יִן ayin HTn not there is not there is not
H369-10 Genesis 30:33 אֵינֶ/נּוּ֩ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms is not he is not it is not
H369-10 Genesis 31:2 אֵינֶ֛/נּוּ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms it was not he is not it is not
H369-10 Genesis 31:5 אֵינֶ֥/נּוּ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms it is not he is not he is not
H369-03 Genesis 31:50 אֵ֥ין eyn HTn no there is not there is not
H369-03 Genesis 37:24 אֵ֥ין eyn HTn there was no there is not there was no
H369-03 Genesis 37:29 אֵין eyn HTn not there is not there is not
H369-10 Genesis 37:30 אֵינֶ֔/נּוּ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms is not he is not is not
H369-10 Genesis 39:9 אֵינֶ֨/נּוּ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms There is none he is not there is not
H369-25 Genesis 39:11 וְ/אֵ֨ין veeyn HC/Tn and there was no and there is not and there was not
H369-03 Genesis 39:23 אֵ֣ין eyn HTn there was no there is not there was not
H369-03 Genesis 40:8 אֵ֣ין eyn HTn there is no there is not there is no
H369-25 Genesis 41:8 וְ/אֵין veeyn HC/Tn but there was no and there is not and there is not
H369-03 Genesis 41:15 אֵ֣ין eyn HTn there is no there is not there is not
H369-25 Genesis 41:24 וְ/אֵ֥ין veeyn HC/Tn but there was no and there is not and there was not
H369-03 Genesis 41:39 אֵין eyn HTn there is none there is not there is not
H369-03 Genesis 41:49 אֵ֥ין eyn HTn there was no there is not there was no
H369-10 Genesis 42:13 אֵינֶֽ/נּוּ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms is no more he is not he is not
H369-10 Genesis 42:32 אֵינֶ֔/נּוּ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms is not he is not is not
H369-10 Genesis 42:36 אֵינֶ֨/נּוּ֙ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms is not he is not he is not
H369-10 Genesis 42:36 אֵינֶ֔/נּוּ eynenu-2 HTn/Sp3ms is not he is not he is not
H369-05 Genesis 43:5 אֵינְ/ךָ֥ eynekha HTn/Sp2ms you will not you are not you will not be
H369-10 Genesis 44:26 אֵינֶ֥/נּוּ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms is not he is not he is not
H369-10 Genesis 44:30 אֵינֶ֣/נּוּ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms is not he is not he is not
H369-03 Genesis 44:31 אֵ֥ין eyn HTn is not there is not there is not
H369-10 Genesis 44:34 אֵינֶ֣/נּוּ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms is not he is not is not
H369-03 Genesis 45:6 אֵין eyn HTn there will be no there is not there is not
H369-03 Genesis 47:4 אֵ֣ין eyn HTn there is no there is not there is not
H369-03 Genesis 47:13 אֵין֙ eyn HTn there was no there is not there was not
H369-03 Exodus 2:12 אֵ֣ין eyn HTn there was no there is not there was not
H369-10 Exodus 3:2 אֵינֶ֥/נּוּ eynenu HTn/Sp3ms was not he is not it is not
H369-09 Exodus 5:10 אֵינֶ֛/נִּי eyneni HTn/Sp1cs I am not I am not I am not
H369-03 Exodus 5:11 אֵ֥ין eyn HTn nothing there is not there is not
H369-03 Exodus 5:16 אֵ֤ין eyn HTn there is none there is not there is not
H369-03 Exodus 8:6 אֵ֖ין eyn HTn there is none there is not there is not
H369-05 Exodus 8:17 אֵינְ/ךָ֮ eynekha HTn/Sp2ms you do not you are not you do not
H369-03 Exodus 9:14 אֵ֥ין eyn HTn there is none there is not there is none
H369-03 Exodus 12:30 אֵ֣ין eyn HTn there was not there is not there was not
H369-03 Exodus 12:30 אֵֽין eyn-2 HTn not there is not there was not
H369-03 Exodus 14:11 אֵין eyn HTn there are no there is not there is not
H369-25 Exodus 17:1 וְ/אֵ֥ין veeyn HC/Tn and no and there is not and there is not
H369-01 Exodus 17:7 אָֽיִן ayin HTn not there is not there is not
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