נִי
𐤍𐤉
nîy
H5204 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A term denoting lamentation or wailing, especially as an expressive utterance of mourning or grief. The word appears in poetic or liturgical contexts to signal or encapsulate an expression of sorrow, often associated with communal or ritual mourning.
Semantic Range
wailing, lamentation, utterance of grief, liturgical or poetic cry of mourning
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root נהה, which fundamentally means 'to wail, lament.' The form נִי exhibits a noun construction, likely signifying 'lament' or 'wailing' as a fixed or formulaic cry used in mourning traditions. It may reflect an onomatopoeic origin mirroring the sound of weeping or lamentation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
נִי appears in a limited number of poetic and prophetic passages, where it functions to evoke or imitate the sound of weeping, often in parallel with structured laments. While some English translations render it as 'lamentation' or 'wailing,' care should be taken not to conflate it with more general terms for mourning (such as אבל or ספד) as נִי emphasizes the sound or utterance itself rather than the wider custom. Its singular occurrence(s) and form suggest it may have functioned as a refrain or liturgical marker of grief in ritual or communal settings, particularly within Israelite prophetic poetry. Later translation traditions sometimes obscure or paraphrase the term, leading to uncertainty about its precise usage. It is not attested as a generic term for 'mourning' in everyday contexts but carries a specialized, evocative force.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a doubtful word; apparently from נָהָה; lamentation; wailing.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נהה (n-h-h) — to wail, to lament, to mourn aloud
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5204-01 |
בְּ/נִי/הֶם֙ | benihem | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp |
in their wailing | in their wailing | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5204-01 |
Ezekiel 27:32 | בְּ/נִי/הֶם֙ | benihem | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp |
in their wailing | in their wailing |