אֳנִי
𐤀𐤍𐤉
ʼŏnîy
H590 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A large, sea-going vessel, particularly a merchant or cargo ship. In biblical contexts, אֳנִי refers to sizable ships used for trade, transport, or exploration, and in some cases it may denote a collective, such as a fleet of ships. The semantic range includes both singular and collective senses, focusing on substantial watercraft, as opposed to smaller boats used for local travel or fishing.
Semantic Range
large ship, merchant ship, cargo vessel, fleet of ships, sea-going vessel, trading ship
Root / Etymology
The word derives from the root אָנָה (ʾ-n-h), possibly with the sense of 'to undertake a journey' or 'to bring.' However, the precise etymological development is uncertain. The link to 'conveyance' is suggested, as ships are vehicles of transport. The word אֳנִי most likely developed to denote a ship due to its primary function as a means of long-distance conveyance over water.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, אֳנִי typically appears in texts describing maritime commerce or distant trade expeditions, such as those mentioning the fleets of Solomon or the ships of Tarshish (e.g., 1 Kings 10:22; Isaiah 2:16). The term particularly connotes larger seafaring vessels as opposed to the smaller סירה (sirah, 'boat') used on inland waterways. Over time, and especially in later biblical writings or translations, אֳנִי could be rendered in Greek as ναῦς (naus) or in other languages by terms for 'ship' or 'fleet.' The meaning remained relatively stable from monarchic through post-exilic periods, always referring to substantial ships, but English translations like 'navy' or 'galley' may obscure the emphasis on commerce and cargo. Unlike later terms used for war galleys, אֳנִי does not specifically connote military vessels in Hebrew usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably from אָנָה (in the sense of conveyance); -a ship or (collectively) a fleet; galley, navy (of ships).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אנה (ʾ-n-h) — to bring, to reach, to undertake a journey
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H578 | אָנָה | and they groaned aloud |
| H579 | אָנָה | he brought upon |
| H592 | אֲנִיָּה | and affliction-cry |
| H8385 | תַּאֲנָה | her pretext |
| H8386 | תַּאֲנִיָּה | formal lamentation |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H590-02 |
אֳנִ֣י | oni | HNcbsc |
the fleet | sea-going ship | 5 |
H590-01 |
בָּֽ/אֳנִי֙ | baoni | HR/Ncbsa |
in the ship | in a sea-going vessel of | 1 |
H590-03 |
וָ/אֳנִ֡י | vaoni | HC/Ncbsa |
and-a-fleet-of-ships | and a sea-going vessel | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
7 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H590-03 |
1 Kings 9:26 | וָ/אֳנִ֡י | vaoni | HC/Ncbsa |
and-a-fleet-of-ships | and a sea-going vessel |
H590-01 |
1 Kings 9:27 | בָּֽ/אֳנִי֙ | baoni | HR/Ncbsa |
in the ship | in a sea-going vessel of |
H590-02 |
1 Kings 10:11 | אֳנִ֣י | oni | HNcbsc |
the ships | sea-going ship |
H590-02 |
1 Kings 10:22 | אֳנִ֨י | oni | HNcbsc |
fleet | sea-going ship |
H590-02 |
1 Kings 10:22 | אֳנִ֣י | oni-2 | HNcbsc |
the fleet | sea-going ship |
H590-02 |
1 Kings 10:22 | אֳנִ֣י | oni-3 | HNcbsc |
the fleet | sea-going ship |
H590-02 |
Isaiah 33:21 | אֳנִי | oni | HNcbsc |
ship | sea-going ship |