אַיֵּה (H346) — Hebrew Lexicon

אַיֵּה

𐤀𐤉𐤄

ʼayêh

H346 particle

SILEX Entry

Root אי where, question about location, seek the presence/absence

Definition

Interrogative adverb expressing inquiry about the location or presence of a person, object, or occurrence (where? in what place?), typically used to question absence, loss, or status. Also used rhetorically to emphasize searching or longing for something absent.

Semantic Range

where?, in what place?, seeking or demanding the location or presence of someone or something, rhetorical inquiry about absence, expression of loss or longing

Root / Etymology

From the root אי (ʼy), meaning 'where?', with the paragogic suffix ה (he) producing אַיֵּה as an emphatic or prolonged form. The root meaning ('where?') underlies the interrogative sense across its uses. The addition of final ה is common in Hebrew interrogative and adverbial forms.

Historical & Contextual Notes

אַיֵּה appears in narratives, especially in poetic and rhetorical speech, to express seeking or lamenting the absence of someone or something, as in Genesis 4:9 ('Where is your brother Abel?') or in prayers of complaint (e.g., Judges 6:13). The form is heavily context-dependent, strengthening the inquiry about location or state. It differs from אֵיפֹה (eifo), which more commonly denotes a request about the specific place of an object, while אַיֵּה often has a stronger emotive or existential force. Later Jewish liturgical texts occasionally echo this use in laments. Standard English translations ("where?") mostly capture its meaning, but may not convey the full rhetorical or emotional impact present in some contexts. The term is not exclusive to any particular Israelite period and remains consistent throughout the Hebrew Bible.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

prolonged from אַי; where?; where.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אי (ʾ-y) — where, location inquiry, seeking presence or absence

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H335	אַי	where?
H336	אִי	coastland
H375	אֵיפֹה	where?

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H346-01`	אַיֵּ֖ה	ayeh	`HTi`	where	where?	36
`H346-03`	וְ/אַיֵּ֥ה	veayeh	`HC/Ti`	and-where	and where?	8
`H346-04`	וְ/אַיּ֑/וֹ	veayo	`HC/Ti/Sp3ms`	Where is he?	and where is he?	2
`H346-02`	אַיּ֖/וֹ	ayo	`HTi/Sp3ms`	where is he	where is he?	1

Occurrences in Scripture

47 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H346-01`	Genesis 18:9	אַיֵּ֖ה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where	where?
`H346-01`	Genesis 19:5	אַיֵּ֧ה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where are	where?
`H346-03`	Genesis 22:7	וְ/אַיֵּ֥ה	veayeh	`HC/Ti`	but where is	and where?
`H346-01`	Genesis 38:21	אַיֵּ֧ה	ayeh	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-04`	Exodus 2:20	וְ/אַיּ֑/וֹ	veayo	`HC/Ti/Sp3ms`	Where is he?	and where is he?
`H346-03`	Judges 6:13	וְ/אַיֵּ֣ה	veayeh	`HC/Ti`	and where	and where?
`H346-01`	Judges 9:38	אַיֵּ֨ה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where	where?
`H346-03`	2 Samuel 16:3	וְ/אַיֵּ֖ה	veayeh	`HC/Ti`	And where	and where?
`H346-01`	2 Samuel 17:20	אַיֵּ֗ה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where	where?
`H346-01`	2 Kings 2:14	אַיֵּ֕ה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where	where?
`H346-01`	2 Kings 18:34	אַיֵּה֩	ayeh	`HTi`	Where are	where?
`H346-01`	2 Kings 18:34	אַיֵּ֛ה	ayeh-2	`HTi`	Where are	where?
`H346-01`	Isaiah 33:18	אַיֵּ֤ה	ayeh	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-01`	Isaiah 33:18	אַיֵּ֣ה	ayeh-2	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-01`	Isaiah 33:18	אַיֵּ֖ה	ayeh-3	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-01`	Isaiah 36:19	אַיֵּ֞ה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where are	where?
`H346-01`	Isaiah 36:19	אַיֵּ֖ה	ayeh-2	`HTi`	Where are	where?
`H346-01`	Isaiah 37:13	אַיֵּ֤ה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where	where?
`H346-03`	Isaiah 51:13	וְ/אַיֵּ֖ה	veayeh	`HC/Ti`	and-where	and where?
`H346-01`	Isaiah 63:11	אַיֵּ֣ה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where	where?
`H346-01`	Isaiah 63:11	אַיֵּ֛ה	ayeh-2	`HTi`	Where	where?
`H346-01`	Isaiah 63:15	אַיֵּ֤ה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where	where?
`H346-01`	Jeremiah 2:6	אַיֵּ֣ה	ayeh	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-01`	Jeremiah 2:8	אַיֵּ֣ה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where	where?
`H346-03`	Jeremiah 2:28	וְ/אַיֵּ֤ה	veayeh	`HC/Ti`	But where	and where?
`H346-01`	Jeremiah 13:20	אַיֵּ֗ה	ayeh	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-01`	Jeremiah 17:15	אַיֵּ֥ה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where	where?
`H346-03`	Jeremiah 37:19	וְ/אַיֵּה֙	veayeh	`HC/Ti`	and-where	and where?
`H346-01`	Ezekiel 13:12	אַיֵּ֥ה	ayeh	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-01`	Joel 2:17	אַיֵּ֖ה	ayeh	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-02`	Micah 7:10	אַיּ֖/וֹ	ayo	`HTi/Sp3ms`	where is he	where is he?
`H346-01`	Nahum 2:12	אַיֵּה֙	ayeh	`HTi`	Where is	where?
`H346-01`	Zechariah 1:5	אַיֵּה	ayeh	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-01`	Malachi 1:6	אַיֵּ֣ה	ayeh	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-01`	Malachi 1:6	אַיֵּ֨ה	ayeh-2	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-01`	Malachi 2:17	אַיֵּ֖ה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where	where?
`H346-01`	Psalms 42:4	אַיֵּ֥ה	ayeh	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-01`	Psalms 42:11	אַיֵּ֥ה	ayeh	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-01`	Psalms 79:10	אַיֵּ֪ה	ayeh	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-01`	Psalms 89:50	אַיֵּ֤ה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where	where?
`H346-01`	Psalms 115:2	אַיֵּה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where	where?
`H346-04`	Job 14:10	וְ/אַיּֽ/וֹ	veayo	`HC/Ti/Sp3ms`	and where is he?	and where is he?
`H346-01`	Job 15:23	אַיֵּ֑ה	ayeh	`HTi`	Where is it?	where?
`H346-03`	Job 17:15	וְ֭/אַיֵּה	veayeh	`HC/Ti`	where	and where?
`H346-01`	Job 21:28	אַיֵּ֥ה	ayeh	`HTi`	where	where?
`H346-03`	Job 21:28	וְ֝/אַיֵּ֗ה	veayeh	`HC/Ti`	and where	and where?
`H346-01`	Lamentations 2:12	אַיֵּ֖ה	ayeh	`HTi`	where	where?

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