Word
מָה
mâh · H4100 · Hebrew · 752 occurrences
Meanings
-
why?, for what purpose?
A reference to the cause, reason or purpose of an event; normally used in questions with the purpose of identifying that cause, reason, or purpose; sometimes used in rhetorical questions expressing one's conviction that these things cannot be identified
ExamplesGenesis 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.
Genesis 3:13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Genesis 4:10 Then He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground.
How it’s used In 9 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Words describing itAdjectives, demonstratives, participles
8 occurrences in 2 groups
- הָיָהto be, to become 7
- עָשָׂהto do, to make 1
Named alongside itApposition
4 occurrences in 4 groups
- פַּעַםtime, step, foot 2
- גְּדוּלָהgreatness 1
- יְקָרpreciousness 1
- שָׁנֶהyear 1
What it doesIt is the subject
19 occurrences in 7 groups
- הָיָהto be, to become 9
- עָשָׂהto do, to make 5
- הָוָאbe 1
- הָלַךְto go, to walk 1
- מָרַץto be painful 1
- סָכַןto be of benefit 1
What is done to itIt is the object
198 occurrences in 34 groups
- עָשָׂהto do, to make 75
- יָדַעto know 16
- אָמַרto say 16
- דָבַרto speak, to say 15
- רָאָהto see 14
- נָתַןto give, to put, to set 9
- Other words · 21 groups that occur once or twice (23) 23
Second object ofSecond object
8 occurrences in 4 groups
- עָנָהto answer 4
- שׁוּבto return, to turn back 2
- עוּדto warn 1
- רָאָהto see 1
What it is said to bePredicate
51 occurrences in 19 groups
- ךְyou 15
- נִיme 11
- ךָּyou 11
- כֶםyou 5
- Other words · 15 groups that occur once or twice (18) 18
What is said to be itIt is the predicate
200 occurrences in 84 groups
- זֶהthis 33
- זֹאתthis 11
- הוּאhe, she, it 9
- אֵלֶּהthese 9
- דָּבָרword, thing, matter 8
- שֵׁםname 6
- Other words · 66 groups that occur once or twice (86) 86
After prepositionsPrepositional phrases
247 occurrences in 6 groups
- לto/for 328
- בin/on/with 53
- עַלon, upon, over, against 35
- כlike/as 18
- עַדto, as far as, until 8
- תַּחַתunder, below, instead of 2
In phrases “… of it”It is the genitive
1 occurrences in 1 groups
- חׇכְמָהwisdom 1
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
In the other Testament 4 words
- τίς tís · G5101 · who? what?, why? for what reason?
- Hebrew מָה and Greek τίς both function as primary interrogative pronouns meaning 'what' or 'who,' serving as direct translation equivalents across direct and indirect questions with no meaningful semantic distinction beyond expected grammatical differences between the two languages.
- מָן mân · H4479 · what, who
- Hebrew מָה (mâh, H4100) and Aramaic מָן (mân, H4479) are cognate interrogative pronouns from the same Semitic root, both meaning 'what' in their respective languages; this is a direct cross-linguistic equivalent reflecting the Hebrew-Aramaic sister-language relationship within the biblical corpus.
- πόσος pósos · G4214 · how many, how much, how extensive
- מָה (mâh, H4100) is the general Hebrew interrogative pronoun covering 'what' and 'how' across broad semantic domains, while πόσος (pósos, G4214) specifically denotes interrogative quantification ('how much/many/long'), representing a specialized subset of מָה (mâh, H4100)'s interrogative range that Greek lexicalizes separately.
- πότε póte · G4219 · when
- πότε (póte, G4219) specifically denotes temporal interrogation ('when/at what time'), functioning as the Greek equivalent for the temporal-interrogative subset of מָה (mâh, H4100)'s broader interrogative range (which encompasses 'what,' 'how,' 'why,' and temporal 'how long').
Semantic domains 2 entries
- Perceptive Referents003002004
- מָה is the interrogative "what," used to ask about the reason, nature, or purpose of something, as reflected in its broad gloss covering 'why' and 'whereto,' referring to an unstated cause or purpose the speaker seeks to know.
- Object Referents003001
- מָה marks an unspecified thing or entity as the object of an interrogative, illustrated at Genesis 3:13 ("What is this you have done?") — the interrogative pronoun asking after the identity of a thing.
Word family 10 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
מָהmâh · H4100מִי mîy · H4310 · who? · 423×מַדּוּעַ maddûwaʻ · H4069 · why?, for what purpose? · 72×מָה mâh · H4101 · how great, that which, what · 14×מָן mân · H4478 · manna, what? · 14×מָן mân · H4479 · what, who · 10×מָא mâʼ · H3964 · what · 0×מַדַּי madday · H4078 · sufficiently · 0×מַתְּלָאָה mattᵉlâʼâh · H4972 · upsetting, burden, bother · 0×
Also from the root מָה
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon H4100. mah or ma- or meh מָה, rarely מָהֿ (e.g. Gen 31:43; Jos 22:16; Jdg 8:1), מַּ מֶה,…
H4100. mah
or ma- or meh מָה, rarely מָהֿ (e.g. Gen 31:43; Jos 22:16; Jdg 8:1), מַּ מֶה, מַהּ , מַהֿ, ( Exo 4:2; Isa 3:15; Mal 1:13; 1Ch 15:13; 2Ch 30:3), מָ (only in מָהֵם Eze 8:6 Kt., Qr. הֵם מָה) — on the distinction in the use of these forms, see Ges§ 37 —
pronoun interrogative and
indefinite what? how? aught; used of things, as מִי of persons (Aramaic , מָא, Arabic ; probably apocope from a longer form with n or nt, Assyrian minû (DlHWB 417 f.), Ethiopic ment; compare WCG 123 ff. K?:ii. 368): —
1 interrogative what ?
a. in a direct question, before either verbs or nouns Gen 4:10 עשׂית מֶה what hast thou done ? Gen 15:2 מהתֿתןלֿי what wilt thou give me ? Exo 3:13 מַהשְּֿׁמוֺ, Exo 12:26; Exo 13:14 and so very often: מַההִֿיא Zec 5:6; אלה מה Zec 1:9; רֹאֶה אַתָּה מָה Jer 1:11; Amo 7:8 +; Jl Amos 4:14 לי אתם מה; Jdg 18:8 אתם מה see Commentaries, Jdg 18:24 עוד לי מה what have I still ? Isa 21:11 מהמֿלילה what (= how much) of the night (is past) ? = as what ? (qualem ?) Hag 2:3 (compare מִי Amo 7:2); to express surprise, Job 9:12 who shall say to him, תעשׂה מה what doest thou ? Job 22:13; Ecc 8:4; Isa 45:9-10, followed by כִּי, Gen 20:10 עשׂית כי ראית מה what hadst thou in view, that thou hast done, etc.? Gen 31:36; Exo 16:7 כִּי מָה וְנַחְנוּ and what are we, that . . .? Exo 32:21; Num 22:28; Hab 2:18, etc. Note in particular — (a) מָה is followed sometimes by a substantive in apposition (against Arabic usage, which does not permit this: WAG. ii. § 170), so that it becomes virtually an adjective: מַהבֶּֿצַע what profit . . .? Gen 37:26; Psa 30:10; Mal 3:14; Isa 40:8 מַהדְּֿמוּת, Mal 1:13; Psa 89:48 חָ֑לֶד מֶה זְכָראֲֿנִי (inverted for מַה אָ֑נִי חֶלֶד) remember (of) what (short) duration I am, Ecc 1:3; Ecc 5:10; Ecc 5:15; Ecc 6:8, Ecc 6:11 (Da§ 8, R. 2 K?:iii. 23 f.); as exclamation, Psa 89:48b Job 26:14. And with the substantive idiomatically at the end (in Arabic preceded then by : WAG. ii. § 49. 7), 1Sa 26:18 רעה ומַהבֿידי and what is there in my hand, evil ? 1Sa 20:10 (see
3), 2Sa 19:29; 2Sa 24:13; 1Ki 12:16; Jer 2:5 עָוֶל בי אבותיכם מהמֿצאו, Ecc 11:2; Est 6:3. (b) מַהזֶּֿה what now ? 1Sa 10:11, contracted מַזֶּה Exo 4:2 (זֶה 4c); Gen 3:13 עָשִׂיתָ מַהזּֿאֹת; Gen 12:18; Gen 29:25 לִּי עָשִׂיתָה מַהזּֿאֹת; similarly Gen 26:10; Gen 42:28 +, either what, now, hast thou done ? or what is this that thou hast done ? (see זֶה
4d). (c) מַהֿ לְּךָ what to thee ? i.e. what aileth thee ? or what dost thou want ? Gen 21:17 הָגָר מַהלָּֿךְ; Jos 15:18; 2Sa 14:5; 1Ki 1:16; 2Ki 6:28; Eze 18:2 (accents); followed by כִּי, Jdg 18:23 נזעקת כי מהלֿך, Gen 20:9 (compare 1Sa 11:5 מה יבכו כי לעם), Isa 22:1 עָלִיתְ כִּי מַהלָּֿךְ (compare τί παθὼν, τοῦτο ποιεῖς;), Psa 114:5; without כִּי Isa 3:15 (compare Qor 57:8; 57:10); with a participle, Jon 1:6 what is it to thee as a sleeper ? (accusative: Da§ 70 a cites Qor 74:50), Eze 18:2 (if אתם be treated as strengthening לכם). (d) פֹה (לִי) מַהלְּֿךָ = what hast thou (have I) here ? Jdg 18:3; 1Ki 19:9; Isa 22:16; Isa 52:5. (e) in the Genitive, Jer 8:9 לָהֶם וְחָכְמַתמֶֿה, and wisdom of what (= what kind of wisdom) is theirs ? Num 23:3 (see below 3).
b. often in an indirect question, as after ראה, Gen 2:19 to see מהיֿקראלֿו what he would call it, Gen 37:20 חלֹמֹתיו מהיֿהיו וְנִרְאֶה to what his dreams will come, Num 13:19f.; Hab 2:1; הִכִּיר Gen 31:32; ידע Gen 39:8; Exo 2:4 לו מהיֵּֿעָשֶׂה לדעת, Exo 16:15; Exo 32:1; Job 34:4; שׁמע Num 9:8 י מהיֿצוה ׳וְאשׁמעה (compare Psa 85:9), 2Sa 17:5; מֹּרַשׁ Num 15:34; שׁאל 1Ki 3:5; 2Ki 2:9; הֵבִין Job 6:24; Job 23:5: Num 13:18 הארץ את וראיתם היא מה, Psa 39:5; Isa 41:22 הַגִּידוּ הֵנָּה מָה הראשׁנות. — In some such cases it approximates in meaning to the simple rel., as Jer 7:17; Jer 33:24; Mic 6:5, Mic 6:8; Job 34:33.
c. = of what kind ? (German was für ein ... ?), with an insinuation of blame, or reproach, or contempt: Gen 37:10 הזה החלום מה what is this dream which thou hast dreamt? Gen 44:15; Jos 22:16; Jdg 8:1; Jdg 15:11; Jdg 20:12; 1Sa 29:3 האלה הָעִבְרִים מָה, 1Ki 9:13 לי נתתה אשׁר האלה העדים מה, 2Ki 9:22; 2Ki 18:19.
d. מה is often used in questions to which the answer little, or nothing, is expected, and it thus becomes equivalent to a rhetorical negative (compare הֲ b, מִי
f c): (a) Gen 23:15 land worth 400 shekels..., היא מה what is it ? (i.e. it is something quite insignificant), Gen 27:37; Jdg 8:3 ומהיֿכלתי ככם עשׂות, Jdg 14:18; Hos 9:5; Hos 10:3; Psa 30:10; Psa 56:5; Job 15:9; Job 16:6; Job 21:21; Job 22:13, Job 22:17; Lam 2:13; Son 5:9 מִדּוֺד מַהאדּוֺדֵךְ what is thy beloved (more) than a(nother) beloved ? || לא, 1Ki 12:16 יִשַׁי בְּבֶן וְלֹאנַֿחֲלָה בְּדָוֺד חֵלֶק מַהלָּֿנוּ (2Sa 20:1 וג חֵלֶק ׳אֵיןלָֿנוּ), Job 16:6. (b) followed by כִּי (כִּי 1f), Gen 20:9; Gen 37:26 נַהֲרֹג כִּי מַהבֶּֿצַע what profit (is it) that we should slay him ? Exo 16:7; Num 16:11; Hab 2:18; 2Ki 8:13 what is thy servant, the dog, that he should do, etc.? and often in poetry, as Psa 8:5 תזכרנו כי אנושׁ מָה what is man that thou rememberest him ? Job 6:11 אֲיַחֵל כִּי מַהכֹּֿחִי, Job 6:11; b Job 7:17; Job 15:12f; Job 15:14; Job 16:3; Job 21:15 + (compare ׳מִ
f b). Hence, (c) in the formula of repudiation, or emphatic denial, (וְלָכֶם) וָלָךְ מַהלִּֿי what is there (common) to me and to thee ? i.e. what have I to do with thee ? Jdg 11:12; 2Sa 16:10 ולכם לי מה, 2Sa 19:23; 1Ki 17:18; 2Ki 3:13; 2Ch 35:21; compare Jos 22:24; 2Ki 9:18-19, rather differently, without וְ, Jer 2:18 מ לדרך לך ׳מה what is there to thee with reference to the way to Egypt ? Hos 14:9 לַעֲצַבִּים מַהאלּוֺ, compare Psa 50:16 (לְסַמֵּר); with את, Jer 23:28 אֶתהַֿבָּר מַהלַֿתֶּבֶן beside (or in comparison with) the wheat ? compare τί ἐμοὶ(ἡμῖν)καὶ σοί; Mat 8:29; Mar 5:7; Joh 2:4; and Arabic
e. = whatsoever (compare מִי
g): (a) Jdg 9:48 אתם מה כמוני עשׂו מהרו עשׂיתי ראיתם, literally what do you see (that) I have done ? hasten, and do like me (= whatever ye see, etc.), 2Sa 21:4 אמרים אתם מה לכם אעשׂה, Job 6:24; with the apodosis introduced by וְ, 1Sa 20:4 לך ואעשׂה נפשׁך תאמר מה; Est 5:3 מַהֿ לָךְ וְיִנָּתֵן ֗֗֗ בַּקָּשָׁתֵךְ, Est 5:6; Est 7:2; Est 9:12; hence in the late and strange idiom of Chronicles, it sinks twice almost to the rel. what, 1Ch 15:13 אתם לא לְמַבָּרִאשׁוֺנָה כי because ye were not (employed) for what was at first (on the former occasion), J. etc., 2Ch 30:3 לְמַדַּי according to what was sufficient (= in sufficient numbers), compare Est 9:26. (b) -מַהשֶּֿׁ (late: frequently in Mishna, etc.), whatever, what (compare מִי אֲשֶׁר, מִי
g. end): Ecc 1:9 שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הוּא מַהשֶּֿׁהָיָה, literally what is that which hath been ? it is that which shall be (= whatever hath been, it is that which shall be), Ecc 1:9; Ecc 3:15, Ecc 3:22; Ecc 6:10; Ecc 7:24; Ecc 8:7; Ecc 10:14.
2 Used adverbially:
a. as an interrogative: (a) how ? especially in expressing what is regarded as an impossibility, Gen 44:16 מַהנִּֿצְטַדָּ֑ק how shall we justify ourselves ? Num 23:8 (twice in verse); 1Sa 10:27 זֶה מַהיּֿשִׁעֵנוּ, 2Ki 4:43; Job 9:2; Job 25:4 (twice in verse); Job 31:1 I made a covenant with my eyes, ב עַל אֶתְבּוֺנֵן ׳וּמָה and how should I look upon a maid ? (ᵐ5 οὐ, ᵑ9 non), Pro 20:24 מַהיָּֿבִין וְאָדָם דַּרְכּוֺ; in an indirect question, Exo 10:26; Psa 39:5 אָ֑נִי מֶהחָֿדֵל ֵאדְעָה; מַהזֶּֿה, how, now ? (in surprise), Gen 27:20 בְּנִי לִמְצאֹ מִהַרְתָּ מַהזֶּֿה, Jdg 18:24; 1Ki 21:5; 2Ki 1:5. (b) why ? Exo 14:15 תִּצְעַק מַה אֵלַי, Exo 17:2 (twice in verse); 2Ki 6:33; 2Ki 7:3; Psa 42:6 עלי מַהתִּֿשְׁתּוֺחֲחִי, Job 15:12 +; Son 8:4 I adjure you וּמַהתְּֿעוֺרֲרוּ מַהתָּֿעִירוּ, why will ye stir up, etc.? (i.e. do not: || אִם Son 2:7; Son 3:5). — The transition from the interrogative to the negative, to which in Hebrew there is an approximate (see above: especially 1Ki 12:16; Job 31:1; Son 8:4), is in Arabic complete, being there used constantly in the sense of not (compare WalkerHebraica. xii. 244 ff.; Köiii, 478).
b. as an exclamation, how ...! with adjectives and verbs, Gen 28:17 הַזֶּה הַמָּקוֺם מַהנּֿוֺרָא how dreadful is this place! Gen 38:29; Num 24:5 אֹהָלֶיךָ מַהטֹּֿבוּ, Isa 52:7; Psa 3:2 רבו מה, Psa 8:2 אדיר מה, Psa 21:2; Psa 36:8, etc., Son 4:10 (twice in verse); Son 7:2; ironically, 2Sa 6:20; Jer 2:33, Jer 2:36; Job 26:2-3,.
3 indefinite pronoun anything, aught, Num 23:3 לָ֑ךְ וְהִגַּדְתִּי וּדְבַרמַֿהיַּֿרְאֵנִי and he will shew me the matter of aught, and I will tell thee (= if he shew me... I will, etc., Dr§ 149), 1Sa 19:3 לָ֑ךְ וִהִגַּדְתִּי מָה וְרָאִיתִי = and if I see aught, I will, etc., 1Sa 20:10 קָשָׁה אָבִיךָ מַהיַּֿעַנִךָ אוֺ if perchance thy father shall answer thee aught that is harsh (order,
1a a), 2Sa 18:22 אָרוּצָהנָּֿא וִיהִימָֿה but let there happen what may (literally aught), I will run, 2Sa 18:23 (compare Job 13:13 מָה עָלַי וְיַעֲבֹר), Job 13:29 מָה יָדַעְתִּי וְלֹא (compare Pro 9:13), Pro 25:8. compare Köiii. § 65. 4 With prepositions:
a. בַּמָּה9, בַּמֶּה19 wherein ? Exo 22:26; Jdg 16:5; 1Sa 14:38 (indirect question; We בְּמִי); and so according to the various senses of בְּ: whereby ? Gen 15:8; Exo 33:16; Mal 1:2, Mal 1:6, Mal 1:7; Mal 2:17; Mal 3:7-8; wherewith ? 1Sa 6:2; 2Sa 21:3; Mic 6:6; by what means ? Jdg 16:5 לוֺ נוּכַל וּבַמֶּה; at what (worth) ? Isa 2:22; for what ?2Ch 7:21 (|| 1Ki 9:8 עלמֿה).
b. מֶה יַעַן Hag 1:9 because of what ?
c. כַּמֶּה כַּמָּה,, properly the like of what ? (Arabic , Syriac ); hence (a) how much ? how many ? וגו יְמֵי ׳כַּמָּה Gen 47:8; 2Sa 19:35; Psa 119:84; Job 13:23; פְעָמִים כַּמֶּה עַד 1Ki 22:16 (= 2Ch 18:15); כַּמָּה how often ? Job 21:17 (i.e. how seldom !); in an indirect question, how much ? Zec 2:6 (twice in verse). As an exclamation, Zec 7:3 as I have done שָׁנִים כַמֶּה זֶה now (זֶה
4i), how many years ! Psa 78:40 כַּמָּה how often ! (b) for how long ? Psa 35:17 תראה כמה, Job 7:19.
d. לָמָ֫ה לָ֫מָּה, (לָמָ֫ה mostly before the gutturals ע ה, א, and ׳י [i.e. אֲדֹנָי], but twice besides, Psa 42:10; Psa 43:2; לָ֫מָּה also occurs before guttural, in five places noted by Masoretes on Psa 43:2, namely 1Sa 28:15; 2Sa 2:22; 2Sa 14:31; Psa 49:6; Jer 15:18, and before ךְ Gen 4:6; 2Sa 14:13; 2Sa 24:3; Ecc 2:15), לָ֫מָה Job 7:20, לָ֫מֶה 1Sa 1:8 (3 t. in verse), for what reason ? why? Gen 4:6 לך חרה למה why art thou angry ? Gen 24:31, etc.; often strengthened by זֶה (זֶה 4e), <r
or ma- or meh מָה, rarely מָהֿ (e.g. Gen 31:43; Jos 22:16; Jdg 8:1), מַּ מֶה, מַהּ , מַהֿ, ( Exo 4:2; Isa 3:15; Mal 1:13; 1Ch 15:13; 2Ch 30:3), מָ (only in מָהֵם Eze 8:6 Kt., Qr. הֵם מָה) — on the distinction in the use of these forms, see Ges§ 37 —
pronoun interrogative and
indefinite what? how? aught; used of things, as מִי of persons (Aramaic , מָא, Arabic ; probably apocope from a longer form with n or nt, Assyrian minû (DlHWB 417 f.), Ethiopic ment; compare WCG 123 ff. K?:ii. 368): —
1 interrogative what ?
a. in a direct question, before either verbs or nouns Gen 4:10 עשׂית מֶה what hast thou done ? Gen 15:2 מהתֿתןלֿי what wilt thou give me ? Exo 3:13 מַהשְּֿׁמוֺ, Exo 12:26; Exo 13:14 and so very often: מַההִֿיא Zec 5:6; אלה מה Zec 1:9; רֹאֶה אַתָּה מָה Jer 1:11; Amo 7:8 +; Jl Amos 4:14 לי אתם מה; Jdg 18:8 אתם מה see Commentaries, Jdg 18:24 עוד לי מה what have I still ? Isa 21:11 מהמֿלילה what (= how much) of the night (is past) ? = as what ? (qualem ?) Hag 2:3 (compare מִי Amo 7:2); to express surprise, Job 9:12 who shall say to him, תעשׂה מה what doest thou ? Job 22:13; Ecc 8:4; Isa 45:9-10, followed by כִּי, Gen 20:10 עשׂית כי ראית מה what hadst thou in view, that thou hast done, etc.? Gen 31:36; Exo 16:7 כִּי מָה וְנַחְנוּ and what are we, that . . .? Exo 32:21; Num 22:28; Hab 2:18, etc. Note in particular — (a) מָה is followed sometimes by a substantive in apposition (against Arabic usage, which does not permit this: WAG. ii. § 170), so that it becomes virtually an adjective: מַהבֶּֿצַע what profit . . .? Gen 37:26; Psa 30:10; Mal 3:14; Isa 40:8 מַהדְּֿמוּת, Mal 1:13; Psa 89:48 חָ֑לֶד מֶה זְכָראֲֿנִי (inverted for מַה אָ֑נִי חֶלֶד) remember (of) what (short) duration I am, Ecc 1:3; Ecc 5:10; Ecc 5:15; Ecc 6:8, Ecc 6:11 (Da§ 8, R. 2 K?:iii. 23 f.); as exclamation, Psa 89:48b Job 26:14. And with the substantive idiomatically at the end (in Arabic preceded then by : WAG. ii. § 49. 7), 1Sa 26:18 רעה ומַהבֿידי and what is there in my hand, evil ? 1Sa 20:10 (see
3), 2Sa 19:29; 2Sa 24:13; 1Ki 12:16; Jer 2:5 עָוֶל בי אבותיכם מהמֿצאו, Ecc 11:2; Est 6:3. (b) מַהזֶּֿה what now ? 1Sa 10:11, contracted מַזֶּה Exo 4:2 (זֶה 4c); Gen 3:13 עָשִׂיתָ מַהזּֿאֹת; Gen 12:18; Gen 29:25 לִּי עָשִׂיתָה מַהזּֿאֹת; similarly Gen 26:10; Gen 42:28 +, either what, now, hast thou done ? or what is this that thou hast done ? (see זֶה
4d). (c) מַהֿ לְּךָ what to thee ? i.e. what aileth thee ? or what dost thou want ? Gen 21:17 הָגָר מַהלָּֿךְ; Jos 15:18; 2Sa 14:5; 1Ki 1:16; 2Ki 6:28; Eze 18:2 (accents); followed by כִּי, Jdg 18:23 נזעקת כי מהלֿך, Gen 20:9 (compare 1Sa 11:5 מה יבכו כי לעם), Isa 22:1 עָלִיתְ כִּי מַהלָּֿךְ (compare τί παθὼν, τοῦτο ποιεῖς;), Psa 114:5; without כִּי Isa 3:15 (compare Qor 57:8; 57:10); with a participle, Jon 1:6 what is it to thee as a sleeper ? (accusative: Da§ 70 a cites Qor 74:50), Eze 18:2 (if אתם be treated as strengthening לכם). (d) פֹה (לִי) מַהלְּֿךָ = what hast thou (have I) here ? Jdg 18:3; 1Ki 19:9; Isa 22:16; Isa 52:5. (e) in the Genitive, Jer 8:9 לָהֶם וְחָכְמַתמֶֿה, and wisdom of what (= what kind of wisdom) is theirs ? Num 23:3 (see below 3).
b. often in an indirect question, as after ראה, Gen 2:19 to see מהיֿקראלֿו what he would call it, Gen 37:20 חלֹמֹתיו מהיֿהיו וְנִרְאֶה to what his dreams will come, Num 13:19f.; Hab 2:1; הִכִּיר Gen 31:32; ידע Gen 39:8; Exo 2:4 לו מהיֵּֿעָשֶׂה לדעת, Exo 16:15; Exo 32:1; Job 34:4; שׁמע Num 9:8 י מהיֿצוה ׳וְאשׁמעה (compare Psa 85:9), 2Sa 17:5; מֹּרַשׁ Num 15:34; שׁאל 1Ki 3:5; 2Ki 2:9; הֵבִין Job 6:24; Job 23:5: Num 13:18 הארץ את וראיתם היא מה, Psa 39:5; Isa 41:22 הַגִּידוּ הֵנָּה מָה הראשׁנות. — In some such cases it approximates in meaning to the simple rel., as Jer 7:17; Jer 33:24; Mic 6:5, Mic 6:8; Job 34:33.
c. = of what kind ? (German was für ein ... ?), with an insinuation of blame, or reproach, or contempt: Gen 37:10 הזה החלום מה what is this dream which thou hast dreamt? Gen 44:15; Jos 22:16; Jdg 8:1; Jdg 15:11; Jdg 20:12; 1Sa 29:3 האלה הָעִבְרִים מָה, 1Ki 9:13 לי נתתה אשׁר האלה העדים מה, 2Ki 9:22; 2Ki 18:19.
d. מה is often used in questions to which the answer little, or nothing, is expected, and it thus becomes equivalent to a rhetorical negative (compare הֲ b, מִי
f c): (a) Gen 23:15 land worth 400 shekels..., היא מה what is it ? (i.e. it is something quite insignificant), Gen 27:37; Jdg 8:3 ומהיֿכלתי ככם עשׂות, Jdg 14:18; Hos 9:5; Hos 10:3; Psa 30:10; Psa 56:5; Job 15:9; Job 16:6; Job 21:21; Job 22:13, Job 22:17; Lam 2:13; Son 5:9 מִדּוֺד מַהאדּוֺדֵךְ what is thy beloved (more) than a(nother) beloved ? || לא, 1Ki 12:16 יִשַׁי בְּבֶן וְלֹאנַֿחֲלָה בְּדָוֺד חֵלֶק מַהלָּֿנוּ (2Sa 20:1 וג חֵלֶק ׳אֵיןלָֿנוּ), Job 16:6. (b) followed by כִּי (כִּי 1f), Gen 20:9; Gen 37:26 נַהֲרֹג כִּי מַהבֶּֿצַע what profit (is it) that we should slay him ? Exo 16:7; Num 16:11; Hab 2:18; 2Ki 8:13 what is thy servant, the dog, that he should do, etc.? and often in poetry, as Psa 8:5 תזכרנו כי אנושׁ מָה what is man that thou rememberest him ? Job 6:11 אֲיַחֵל כִּי מַהכֹּֿחִי, Job 6:11; b Job 7:17; Job 15:12f; Job 15:14; Job 16:3; Job 21:15 + (compare ׳מִ
f b). Hence, (c) in the formula of repudiation, or emphatic denial, (וְלָכֶם) וָלָךְ מַהלִּֿי what is there (common) to me and to thee ? i.e. what have I to do with thee ? Jdg 11:12; 2Sa 16:10 ולכם לי מה, 2Sa 19:23; 1Ki 17:18; 2Ki 3:13; 2Ch 35:21; compare Jos 22:24; 2Ki 9:18-19, rather differently, without וְ, Jer 2:18 מ לדרך לך ׳מה what is there to thee with reference to the way to Egypt ? Hos 14:9 לַעֲצַבִּים מַהאלּוֺ, compare Psa 50:16 (לְסַמֵּר); with את, Jer 23:28 אֶתהַֿבָּר מַהלַֿתֶּבֶן beside (or in comparison with) the wheat ? compare τί ἐμοὶ(ἡμῖν)καὶ σοί; Mat 8:29; Mar 5:7; Joh 2:4; and Arabic
e. = whatsoever (compare מִי
g): (a) Jdg 9:48 אתם מה כמוני עשׂו מהרו עשׂיתי ראיתם, literally what do you see (that) I have done ? hasten, and do like me (= whatever ye see, etc.), 2Sa 21:4 אמרים אתם מה לכם אעשׂה, Job 6:24; with the apodosis introduced by וְ, 1Sa 20:4 לך ואעשׂה נפשׁך תאמר מה; Est 5:3 מַהֿ לָךְ וְיִנָּתֵן ֗֗֗ בַּקָּשָׁתֵךְ, Est 5:6; Est 7:2; Est 9:12; hence in the late and strange idiom of Chronicles, it sinks twice almost to the rel. what, 1Ch 15:13 אתם לא לְמַבָּרִאשׁוֺנָה כי because ye were not (employed) for what was at first (on the former occasion), J. etc., 2Ch 30:3 לְמַדַּי according to what was sufficient (= in sufficient numbers), compare Est 9:26. (b) -מַהשֶּֿׁ (late: frequently in Mishna, etc.), whatever, what (compare מִי אֲשֶׁר, מִי
g. end): Ecc 1:9 שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הוּא מַהשֶּֿׁהָיָה, literally what is that which hath been ? it is that which shall be (= whatever hath been, it is that which shall be), Ecc 1:9; Ecc 3:15, Ecc 3:22; Ecc 6:10; Ecc 7:24; Ecc 8:7; Ecc 10:14.
2 Used adverbially:
a. as an interrogative: (a) how ? especially in expressing what is regarded as an impossibility, Gen 44:16 מַהנִּֿצְטַדָּ֑ק how shall we justify ourselves ? Num 23:8 (twice in verse); 1Sa 10:27 זֶה מַהיּֿשִׁעֵנוּ, 2Ki 4:43; Job 9:2; Job 25:4 (twice in verse); Job 31:1 I made a covenant with my eyes, ב עַל אֶתְבּוֺנֵן ׳וּמָה and how should I look upon a maid ? (ᵐ5 οὐ, ᵑ9 non), Pro 20:24 מַהיָּֿבִין וְאָדָם דַּרְכּוֺ; in an indirect question, Exo 10:26; Psa 39:5 אָ֑נִי מֶהחָֿדֵל ֵאדְעָה; מַהזֶּֿה, how, now ? (in surprise), Gen 27:20 בְּנִי לִמְצאֹ מִהַרְתָּ מַהזֶּֿה, Jdg 18:24; 1Ki 21:5; 2Ki 1:5. (b) why ? Exo 14:15 תִּצְעַק מַה אֵלַי, Exo 17:2 (twice in verse); 2Ki 6:33; 2Ki 7:3; Psa 42:6 עלי מַהתִּֿשְׁתּוֺחֲחִי, Job 15:12 +; Son 8:4 I adjure you וּמַהתְּֿעוֺרֲרוּ מַהתָּֿעִירוּ, why will ye stir up, etc.? (i.e. do not: || אִם Son 2:7; Son 3:5). — The transition from the interrogative to the negative, to which in Hebrew there is an approximate (see above: especially 1Ki 12:16; Job 31:1; Son 8:4), is in Arabic complete, being there used constantly in the sense of not (compare WalkerHebraica. xii. 244 ff.; Köiii, 478).
b. as an exclamation, how ...! with adjectives and verbs, Gen 28:17 הַזֶּה הַמָּקוֺם מַהנּֿוֺרָא how dreadful is this place! Gen 38:29; Num 24:5 אֹהָלֶיךָ מַהטֹּֿבוּ, Isa 52:7; Psa 3:2 רבו מה, Psa 8:2 אדיר מה, Psa 21:2; Psa 36:8, etc., Son 4:10 (twice in verse); Son 7:2; ironically, 2Sa 6:20; Jer 2:33, Jer 2:36; Job 26:2-3,.
3 indefinite pronoun anything, aught, Num 23:3 לָ֑ךְ וְהִגַּדְתִּי וּדְבַרמַֿהיַּֿרְאֵנִי and he will shew me the matter of aught, and I will tell thee (= if he shew me... I will, etc., Dr§ 149), 1Sa 19:3 לָ֑ךְ וִהִגַּדְתִּי מָה וְרָאִיתִי = and if I see aught, I will, etc., 1Sa 20:10 קָשָׁה אָבִיךָ מַהיַּֿעַנִךָ אוֺ if perchance thy father shall answer thee aught that is harsh (order,
1a a), 2Sa 18:22 אָרוּצָהנָּֿא וִיהִימָֿה but let there happen what may (literally aught), I will run, 2Sa 18:23 (compare Job 13:13 מָה עָלַי וְיַעֲבֹר), Job 13:29 מָה יָדַעְתִּי וְלֹא (compare Pro 9:13), Pro 25:8. compare Köiii. § 65. 4 With prepositions:
a. בַּמָּה9, בַּמֶּה19 wherein ? Exo 22:26; Jdg 16:5; 1Sa 14:38 (indirect question; We בְּמִי); and so according to the various senses of בְּ: whereby ? Gen 15:8; Exo 33:16; Mal 1:2, Mal 1:6, Mal 1:7; Mal 2:17; Mal 3:7-8; wherewith ? 1Sa 6:2; 2Sa 21:3; Mic 6:6; by what means ? Jdg 16:5 לוֺ נוּכַל וּבַמֶּה; at what (worth) ? Isa 2:22; for what ?2Ch 7:21 (|| 1Ki 9:8 עלמֿה).
b. מֶה יַעַן Hag 1:9 because of what ?
c. כַּמֶּה כַּמָּה,, properly the like of what ? (Arabic , Syriac ); hence (a) how much ? how many ? וגו יְמֵי ׳כַּמָּה Gen 47:8; 2Sa 19:35; Psa 119:84; Job 13:23; פְעָמִים כַּמֶּה עַד 1Ki 22:16 (= 2Ch 18:15); כַּמָּה how often ? Job 21:17 (i.e. how seldom !); in an indirect question, how much ? Zec 2:6 (twice in verse). As an exclamation, Zec 7:3 as I have done שָׁנִים כַמֶּה זֶה now (זֶה
4i), how many years ! Psa 78:40 כַּמָּה how often ! (b) for how long ? Psa 35:17 תראה כמה, Job 7:19.
d. לָמָ֫ה לָ֫מָּה, (לָמָ֫ה mostly before the gutturals ע ה, א, and ׳י [i.e. אֲדֹנָי], but twice besides, Psa 42:10; Psa 43:2; לָ֫מָּה also occurs before guttural, in five places noted by Masoretes on Psa 43:2, namely 1Sa 28:15; 2Sa 2:22; 2Sa 14:31; Psa 49:6; Jer 15:18, and before ךְ Gen 4:6; 2Sa 14:13; 2Sa 24:3; Ecc 2:15), לָ֫מָה Job 7:20, לָ֫מֶה 1Sa 1:8 (3 t. in verse), for what reason ? why? Gen 4:6 לך חרה למה why art thou angry ? Gen 24:31, etc.; often strengthened by זֶה (זֶה 4e), <r
Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), public domain
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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