אוֹיָה
𐤀𐤅𐤉𐤄
ʼôwyâh
H190 particle
SILEX Entry
Definition
An exclamation expressing pain, grief, or distress; used to articulate wailing or lamentation, especially in the face of disaster or misfortune. As a noun, refers to lamentation or a cry of distress. The term functions both as an interjection and as a noun denoting lament or woe, depending on context.
Semantic Range
exclamation of woe, expression of pain or distress, lamentation, cry of grief, interjectional oh or alas
Root / Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew root או"י (aleph-vav-yod), which carries the core sense of crying out or uttering a wail. אוֹיָה (ʼôwyâh) is the feminine form of אוֹי (ʼôy), intensifying the expression of grief or mourning.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אוֹיָה appears primarily in poetic or prophetic texts (e.g., Ezekiel 21:23) to mark intense mourning or to punctuate oracles of judgment. Unlike more general terms for sorrow or suffering, אוֹיָה is used specifically to vocalize woe or lament, often in response to impending catastrophe. While English translations typically render this as 'woe,' 'alas,' or 'oh,' no single term fully captures its emotive, onomatopoeic value. The use of a feminine form may serve to heighten the emotional or literary effect, as is common in Hebrew poetry. The term is distinct from other Hebrew words for sorrow (such as תַּאֲנִיָּה taʾăniyyāh, 'dirge'), which may refer to formal lament rather than spontaneous outcry. In later periods, אוֹיָה does not display significant semantic shift, retaining its association with oracular lamentation and direct speech.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of אוֹי; {lamentation; also interjectionally Oh!}; woe.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אוי (ʾ-w-y) — cry out, lament, express woe
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H190-01 |
אֽוֹיָה | oyah | HTj |
Woe | Alas, woe! | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H190-01 |
Psalms 120:5 | אֽוֹיָה | oyah | HTj |
Woe | Alas, woe! |