אֹשׁ
𐤀𐤔
ʼôsh
H787 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Aramaic masculine noun referring to a foundation or base, especially the structural base or substructure of a building, but by extension also figurative for a basis or supporting element underlying something.
Semantic Range
foundation (of a building), base, substructure; by extension, basis or supportive element (figurative)
Root / Etymology
Root: אשׁ ('-sh), Aramaic form, corresponding to unused Hebrew root אֲשׁוּיָה (possibly related to the idea of laying or making a foundation). The precise derivation and relationship to any extant Hebrew verbal root is uncertain; it is thought to denote that which is laid down as a support or base.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Occurs in the Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible (notably Daniel 6:18 [MT 6:19]), denoting the physical foundation of a structure. The term is distinctively Aramaic, and the etymological equivalent in Hebrew would likely be יְסוֹד (yesod), which is more prominent in Hebrew biblical texts. While standard translations render it 'foundation', the nuance is architectural and concrete, with rare instances of metaphorical usage. In post-exilic literature where Aramaic was increasingly used, vocabulary like אֹשׁ would have been more familiar. English translations rendering this as simply 'foundation' adequately capture the main sense but may not reflect the term's specifically Aramaic character.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding (by transposition and abbreviation) to אֲשׁוּיָה; a foundation; foundation.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אשׁ (ʾ-š) — to lay a base, to found, to construct supporting structure
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H784 | אֵשׁ | in the fire |
| H785 | אֵשׁ | fire |
| H800 | אֶשָּׁה | from their altar-fire |
| H801 | אִשָּׁה | the fire-offering |
| H808 | אָשִׁישׁ | pressed fruit-cakes of |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H787-02 |
וְ/אֻשַּׁיָּ֖/א | veushaya | AC/Ncmpd/Td |
and the foundations | and the foundations | 1 |
H787-01 |
אֻשַּׁיָּ֛/א | ushaya | ANcmpd/Td |
foundations | the foundations | 1 |
H787-03 |
וְ/אֻשּׁ֖וֹ/הִי | veushohi | AC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
and its foundation | his foundations | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H787-02 |
Ezra 4:12 | וְ/אֻשַּׁיָּ֖/א | veushaya | AC/Ncmpd/Td |
and the foundations | and the foundations |
H787-01 |
Ezra 5:16 | אֻשַּׁיָּ֛/א | ushaya | ANcmpd/Td |
foundations | the foundations |
H787-03 |
Ezra 6:3 | וְ/אֻשּׁ֖וֹ/הִי | veushohi | AC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
and its foundation | his foundations |