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אוּלַי

𐤀𐤅𐤋𐤉

Ulay

H195 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain, borrowed river name

Definition

A proper noun referring specifically to the Ulai river, a watercourse located near Susa in ancient Elam (Persian Empire). Used exclusively as a geographic name in the Hebrew Bible, it identifies a real-world river boundary rather than metaphorical or symbolic uses.

Semantic Range

the river Ulai (Eulaeus) near Susa in Elam; a watercourse in Persia; proper geographical name

Root / Etymology

The term אוּלַי is not of native Semitic origin; etymology uncertain but generally considered to be of non-Semitic—likely Old Persian or Elamite—derivation. The form is adopted into Biblical Hebrew to designate the river known in Greek as Eulaeus (mod. Karun River near Susa).

Historical & Contextual Notes

אוּלַי appears only in the book of Daniel (Daniel 8:2,16), and is used to refer to a river or canal near Susa in Elam, the ancient city serving as a key capital of the Persian Empire. In the context of Daniel's visions, the Ulai serves as a geographical anchor, situating the prophetic vision firmly in a recognizable setting for readers of the Persian or post-exilic period. Unlike some biblical river names, אוּלַי does not appear to undergo semantic expansion; it is strictly geographical. Later English translations often transliterate the name or render it as 'Ulai,' aligning with its function as a locative reference. There is no attested use of אוּלַי outside the Daniel passages, and it is distinct from other biblical river names such as חִדֶּקֶל (Hiddekel/Tigris) or פְּרָת (Perath/Euphrates), which have broader usage and symbolic resonance in biblical and later traditions.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of Persian derivation; the Ulai (or Eulaeus), a river of Persia; Ulai.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

או (ʾ-w) — alternation, alternative, possibility

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H194 אוּלַי perhaps

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H195-01 אוּלָֽי ulay HNp of Ulai perhaps 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H195-01 Daniel 8:2 אוּלָֽי ulay HNp of Ulai perhaps
H195-01 Daniel 8:16 אוּלָ֑י ulay HNp the banks of Ulai perhaps
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