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מִי

𐤌𐤉

mîy

H4310 particle

SILEX Entry

Definition

An interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about the identity or character of persons ('who?'), sometimes extended idiomatically to inquire about certain objects or parties when personification or rhetorical force is present. May function in both direct and indirect questions, and occasionally in indefinite or relative constructions to mean 'whoever' or 'anyone.' Rarely used in exclamatory expressions to evoke a wish or strong rhetorical question.

Semantic Range

who?; who is?; whoever; anyone; someone; he who; (occasionally) what? in personifying contexts; rhetorical or indirect interrogative pronoun

Root / Etymology

Root/Etymology: Root uncertain. The word מִי is a longstanding interrogative pronoun in Northwest Semitic languages, with close cognates in Ugaritic ('my'), Aramaic ('manu'), and Akkadian ('manu'), used for persons. It is considered etymologically distinct from מָה ('what?'), which designates non-personal entities. As מִי is not derived from a typical triliteral root, its etymology is usually listed as a frozen or primitive pronoun.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Historical & Contextual Notes: מִי occurs throughout all periods of biblical Hebrew, from early poetry (e.g., Exodus 15:11, 'Who is like you, YHWH, among the gods?') to late biblical narrative and post-exilic literature. Its primary usage remains stable: the interrogation of personal identity or character. In poetry, prophets, and wisdom literature, מִי can be used rhetorically to highlight divine uniqueness or the limits of human knowledge (Job 38:5, 'Who determined its measurements?'). On occasion, personification or idiomatic use allows מִי to refer indirectly to non-personal things (as in Isaiah 40:13, 'Who has measured the spirit of YHWH?'). The word may appear compounded or with suffixed forms (e.g., מִי־זֶה 'who is this'). Standard English versions generally render מִי as 'who,' but sometimes use 'whoever,' 'anyone,' or in exclamatory questions, 'what' or 'how.' The distinction between מִי (persons) and מָה (things) is usually maintained in Hebrew; blending occurs only in contexts of rhetorical emphasis or personification. מִי is rarely used for ethnic, geographic, or religious group identification in itself but may occur in contexts seeking the ancestral or tribal identity of individuals among Israelites, Judahites, or other groups.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

an interrogative pronoun of persons, as מָה is of things,; who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix; any (man), [idiom] he, [idiom] him, [phrase] O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), [phrase] would to God.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

uncertain (Baleadan) — uncertain

Root uncertain to question about identity, inquire about person, interrogate
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1002 בִּירָה the citadel
H105 אֲגַרְטָל bowls of
H1081 בַּלְאֲדָן Baladan
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4310-04 מִ֚י mi HTi who who? who? 333
H4310-07 וּ/מִ֣י umi HC/Ti and who and who? and who 64
H4310-03 לְֽ/מִי lemi HR/Ti to whom to whom? to whom? 17
H4310-05 מִ/מִּ֖י mimi HR/Ti from whom from who? from whom 3
H4310-06 וּ/לְ/מִי֙ ulemi HC/R/Ti and for whom and to whom? and to whom? 3
H4310-01 בְּ/מִ֔י bemi HR/Ti By whom? in whom? by whom? 1
H4310-02 בְּ/שֶׁ/לְּ/מִ֛י beshelemi HR/Tr/R/Ti on account of whom on account of who? on account of whom 1
H4310-08 וָ/מִ֖י vami HC/Ti and who and who? and who? 1

Occurrences in Scripture

423 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4310-04 Genesis 3:11 מִ֚י mi HTi who who? who
H4310-04 Genesis 19:12 מִֽי mi HTi who who? who
H4310-04 Genesis 21:7 מִ֤י mi HTi Who who? who
H4310-04 Genesis 21:26 מִ֥י mi HTi who who? who
H4310-04 Genesis 24:23 מִ֣י mi HTi whose who? who
H4310-04 Genesis 24:47 מִ֣י mi HTi whose who? who?
H4310-04 Genesis 24:65 מִֽי mi HTi who who? who?
H4310-04 Genesis 27:18 מִ֥י mi HTi Who who? who?
H4310-04 Genesis 27:32 מִי mi HTi who who? who?
H4310-04 Genesis 27:33 מִֽי mi HTi who who? who?
H4310-03 Genesis 32:18 לְ/מִי lemi HR/Ti to whom to whom? to whom?
H4310-06 Genesis 32:18 וּ/לְ/מִ֖י ulemi HC/R/Ti and for whom and to whom? and to whom?
H4310-04 Genesis 33:5 מִי mi HTi who who? who
H4310-04 Genesis 33:8 מִ֥י mi HTi What who? who?
H4310-03 Genesis 38:25 לְ/מִ֞י lemi HR/Ti whose to whom? to whom
H4310-04 Genesis 43:22 מִי mi HTi who who? who
H4310-04 Genesis 48:8 מִי mi HTi Who who? who?
H4310-04 Genesis 49:9 מִ֥י mi HTi who who? who
H4310-04 Exodus 2:14 מִ֣י mi HTi Who who? who?
H4310-04 Exodus 3:11 מִ֣י mi HTi "Who am who? who?
H4310-04 Exodus 4:11 מִ֣י mi HTi who who? who?
H4310-04 Exodus 4:11 מִֽי mi-2 HTi who who? who?
H4310-04 Exodus 5:2 מִ֤י mi HTi Who is who? who?
H4310-04 Exodus 10:8 מִ֥י mi HTi who who? who?
H4310-08 Exodus 10:8 וָ/מִ֖י vami HC/Ti and who and who? and who?
H4310-04 Exodus 15:11 מִֽי mi HTi Who who? who?
H4310-04 Exodus 15:11 מִ֥י mi-2 HTi Who who? who?
H4310-04 Exodus 16:3 מִֽי mi HTi who who? who?
H4310-04 Exodus 24:14 מִי mi HTi whoever who? whoever
H4310-03 Exodus 32:24 לְ/מִ֣י lemi HR/Ti Whoever has to whom? whoever
H4310-04 Exodus 32:26 מִ֥י mi HTi who who? who
H4310-04 Exodus 32:33 מִ֚י mi HTi whoever who? whoever
H4310-04 Numbers 11:4 מִ֥י mi HTi who who? who?
H4310-04 Numbers 11:18 מִ֤י mi HTi who who? who
H4310-07 Numbers 11:29 וּ/מִ֨י umi HC/Ti and who and who? and who
H4310-04 Numbers 22:9 מִ֛י mi HTi who who? who
H4310-04 Numbers 23:10 מִ֤י mi HTi Who who? who?
H4310-04 Numbers 24:9 מִ֣י mi HTi who who? who
H4310-04 Numbers 24:23 מִ֥י mi HTi who who? who?
H4310-04 Deuteronomy 3:24 מִי mi HTi what who? who?
H4310-04 Deuteronomy 4:7 מִי mi HTi who who? who
H4310-07 Deuteronomy 4:8 וּ/מִי֙ umi HC/Ti And what and who? and who
H4310-04 Deuteronomy 5:26 מִ֣י mi HTi who who? who
H4310-04 Deuteronomy 5:29 מִֽי mi HTi who who? who
H4310-04 Deuteronomy 9:2 מִ֣י mi HTi who who? who
H4310-04 Deuteronomy 20:5 מִֽי mi HTi who who? who
H4310-07 Deuteronomy 20:6 וּ/מִֽי umi HC/Ti And who and who? And who
H4310-07 Deuteronomy 20:7 וּ/מִֽי umi HC/Ti And who and who? And who
H4310-04 Deuteronomy 20:8 מִי mi HTi who who? who?
H4310-04 Deuteronomy 21:1 מִ֥י mi HTi who who? who
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