Or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including how? Why? When?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses -- how (long, oft, (- soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.
H4100. mah
or ma- or meh מָה, rarely מָהֿ (e.g. Genesis 31:43; Joshua 22:16; Judges 8:1), מַּ מֶה, מַהּ , מַהֿ, ( Exodus 4:2; Isaiah 3:15; Malachi 1:13; 1 Chronicles 15:13; 2 Chronicles 30:3), מָ (only in מָהֵם Ezekiel 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 Genesis 4:10 עשׂית מֶה what hast thou done ? 15:2 מהתֿתןלֿי what wilt thou give me ? Exodus 3:13 מַהשְּֿׁמוֺ, 12:26; 13:14 and so very often: מַההִֿיא Zechariah 5:6; אלה מה 1:9; רֹאֶה אַתָּה מָה Jeremiah 1:11; Amos 7:8 +; Jl Amos 4:14 לי אתם מה; Judges 18:8 אתם מה see Commentaries, 18:24 עוד לי מה what have I still ? Isaiah 21:11 מהמֿלילה what (= how much) of the night (is past) ? = as what ? (qualem ?) Haggai 2:3 (compare מִי Amos 7:2); to express surprise, Job 9:12 who shall say to him, תעשׂה מה what doest thou ? 22:13; Ecclesiastes 8:4; Isaiah 45:9-10, followed by כִּי, Genesis 20:10 עשׂית כי ראית מה what hadst thou in view, that thou hast done, etc.? 31:36; Exodus 16:7 כִּי מָה וְנַחְנוּ and what are we, that . . .. 32:21; Numbers 22:28; Habakkuk 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 . . .. Genesis 37:26; Psalm 30:10; Malachi 3:14; Isaiah 40:8 מַהדְּֿמוּת, Malachi 1:13; Psalm 89:48 חָ֑לֶד מֶה זְכָראֲֿנִי (inverted for מַה אָ֑נִי חֶלֶד) remember (of) what (short) duration I am, Ecclesiastes 1:3; 5:10; 5:15; 6:8, 11 (Da§ 8, R. 2 K?:iii. 23 f.); as exclamation, Psalm 89:48b Job 26:14. And with the substantive idiomatically at the end (in Arabic preceded then by : WAG. ii. § 49. 7), 1 Samuel 26:18 רעה ומַהבֿידי and what is there in my hand, evil ? 20:10 (see
3), 2 Samuel 19:29; 24:13; 1 Kings 12:16; Jeremiah 2:5 עָוֶל בי אבותיכם מהמֿצאו, Ecclesiastes 11:2; Esther 6:3. (b) מַהזֶּֿה what now ? 1 Samuel 10:11, contracted מַזֶּה Exodus 4:2 (זֶה 4c); Genesis 3:13 עָשִׂיתָ מַהזּֿאֹת; 12:18; 29:25 לִּי עָשִׂיתָה מַהזּֿאֹת; similarly 26:10; 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 ? Genesis 21:17 הָגָר מַהלָּֿךְ; Joshua 15:18; 2 Samuel 14:5; 1 Kings 1:16; 2 Kings 6:28; Ezekiel 18:2 (accents); followed by כִּי, Judges 18:23 נזעקת כי מהלֿך, Genesis 20:9 (compare 1 Samuel 11:5 מה יבכו כי לעם), Isaiah 22:1 עָלִיתְ כִּי מַהלָּֿךְ (compare τί παθὼν, τοῦτο ποιεῖς;), Psalm 114:5; without כִּי Isaiah 3:15 (compare Qor 57:8; 57:10); with a participle, Jonah 1:6 what is it to thee as a sleeper ? (accusative: Da§ 70 a cites Qor 74:50), Ezekiel 18:2 (if אתם be treated as strengthening לכם). (d) פֹה (לִי) מַהלְּֿךָ = what hast thou (have I) here ? Judges 18:3; 1 Kings 19:9; Isaiah 22:16; 52:5. (e) in the Genitive, Jeremiah 8:9 לָהֶם וְחָכְמַתמֶֿה, and wisdom of what (= what kind of wisdom) is theirs ? Numbers 23:3 (see below 3).
b. often in an indirect question, as after ראה, Genesis 2:19 to see מהיֿקראלֿו what he would call it, 37:20 חלֹמֹתיו מהיֿהיו וְנִרְאֶה to what his dreams will come, Numbers 13:19f.; Habakkuk 2:1; הִכִּיר Genesis 31:32; ידע 39:8; Exodus 2:4 לו מהיֵּֿעָשֶׂה לדעת, 16:15; 32:1; Job 34:4; שׁמע Numbers 9:8 י מהיֿצוה ׳וְאשׁמעה (compare Psalm 85:9), 2 Samuel 17:5; מֹּרַשׁ Numbers 15:34; שׁאל 1 Kings 3:5; 2 Kings 2:9; הֵבִין Job 6:24; 23:5: Numbers 13:18 הארץ את וראיתם היא מה, Psalm 39:5; Isaiah 41:22 הַגִּידוּ הֵנָּה מָה הראשׁנות. — In some such cases it approximates in meaning to the simple rel., as Jeremiah 7:17; 33:24; Micah 6:5, 8; Job 34:33.
c. = of what kind ? (German was für ein ... ?), with an insinuation of blame, or reproach, or contempt: Genesis 37:10 הזה החלום מה what is this dream which thou hast dreamt? 44:15; Joshua 22:16; Judges 8:1; 15:11; 20:12; 1 Samuel 29:3 האלה הָעִבְרִים מָה, 1 Kings 9:13 לי נתתה אשׁר האלה העדים מה, 2 Kings 9:22; 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) Genesis 23:15 land worth 400 shekels..., היא מה what is it ? (i.e. it is something quite insignificant), 27:37; Judges 8:3 ומהיֿכלתי ככם עשׂות, 14:18; Hosea 9:5; 10:3; Psalm 30:10; 56:5; Job 15:9; 16:6; 21:21; 22:13, 17; Lamentations 2:13; Song of Solomon 5:9 מִדּוֺד מַהאדּוֺדֵךְ what is thy beloved (more) than a(nother) beloved ? "" לא, 1 Kings 12:16 יִשַׁי בְּבֶן וְלֹאנַֿחֲלָה בְּדָוֺד חֵלֶק מַהלָּֿנוּ (2 Samuel 20:1 וג חֵלֶק ׳אֵיןלָֿנוּ), Job 16:6. (b) followed by כִּי (כִּי 1f), Genesis 20:9; 37:26 נַהֲרֹג כִּי מַהבֶּֿצַע what profit (is it) that we should slay him ? Exodus 16:7; Numbers 16:11; Habakkuk 2:18; 2 Kings 8:13 what is thy servant, the dog, that he should do, etc.? and often in poetry, as Psalm 8:5 תזכרנו כי אנושׁ מָה what is man that thou rememberest him ? Job 6:11 אֲיַחֵל כִּי מַהכֹּֿחִי, 6:11; b 7:17; 15:12f; 15:14; 16:3; 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 ? Judges 11:12; 2 Samuel 16:10 ולכם לי מה, 19:23; 1 Kings 17:18; 2 Kings 3:13; 2 Chronicles 35:21; compare Joshua 22:24; 2 Kings 9:18-19, rather differently, without וְ, Jeremiah 2:18 מ לדרך לך ׳מה what is there to thee with reference to the way to Egypt ? Hosea 14:9 לַעֲצַבִּים מַהאלּוֺ, compare Psalm 50:16 (לְסַמֵּר); with את, Jeremiah 23:28 אֶתהַֿבָּר מַהלַֿתֶּבֶן beside (or in comparison with) the wheat ? compare τί ἐμοὶ(ἡμῖν)καὶ σοί; Matthew 8:29; Mark 5:7; John 2:4; and Arabic
e. = whatsoever (compare מִי
g): (a) Judges 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.), 2 Samuel 21:4 אמרים אתם מה לכם אעשׂה, Job 6:24; with the apodosis introduced by וְ, 1 Samuel 20:4 לך ואעשׂה נפשׁך תאמר מה; Esther 5:3 מַהֿ לָךְ וְיִנָּתֵן ֗֗֗ בַּקָּשָׁתֵךְ, 5:6; 7:2; 9:12; hence in the late and strange idiom of Chronicles, it sinks twice almost to the rel. what, 1 Chronicles 15:13 אתם לא לְמַבָּרִאשׁוֺנָה כי because ye were not (employed) for what was at first (on the former occasion), J. etc., 2 Chronicles 30:3 לְמַדַּי according to what was sufficient (= in sufficient numbers), compare Esther 9:26. (b) -מַהשֶּֿׁ (late: frequently in Mishna, etc.), whatever, what (compare מִי אֲשֶׁר, מִי
g. end): Ecclesiastes 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), 1:9; 3:15, 22; 6:10; 7:24; 8:7; 10:14.
2 Used adverbially:
a. as an interrogative: (a) how ? especially in expressing what is regarded as an impossibility, Genesis 44:16 מַהנִּֿצְטַדָּ֑ק how shall we justify ourselves ? Numbers 23:8 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 10:27 זֶה מַהיּֿשִׁעֵנוּ, 2 Kings 4:43; Job 9:2; 25:4 (twice in verse); 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), Proverbs 20:24 מַהיָּֿבִין וְאָדָם דַּרְכּוֺ; in an indirect question, Exodus 10:26; Psalm 39:5 אָ֑נִי מֶהחָֿדֵל ֵאדְעָה; מַהזֶּֿה, how, now ? (in surprise), Genesis 27:20 בְּנִי לִמְצאֹ מִהַרְתָּ מַהזֶּֿה, Judges 18:24; 1 Kings 21:5; 2 Kings 1:5. (b) why ? Exodus 14:15 תִּצְעַק מַה אֵלַי, 17:2 (twice in verse); 2 Kings 6:33; 7:3; Psalm 42:6 עלי מַהתִּֿשְׁתּוֺחֲחִי, Job 15:12 +; Song of Solomon 8:4 I adjure you וּמַהתְּֿעוֺרֲרוּ מַהתָּֿעִירוּ, why will ye stir up, etc.? (i.e. do not: "" אִם 2:7; 3:5). — The transition from the interrogative to the negative, to which in Hebrew there is an approximate (see above: especially 1 Kings 12:16; Job 31:1; Song of Solomon 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, Genesis 28:17 הַזֶּה הַמָּקוֺם מַהנּֿוֺרָא how dreadful is this place! 38:29; Numbers 24:5 אֹהָלֶיךָ מַהטֹּֿבוּ, Isaiah 52:7; Psalm 3:2 רבו מה, 8:2 אדיר מה, 21:2; 36:8, etc., Song of Solomon 4:10 (twice in verse); 7:2; ironically, 2 Samuel 6:20; Jeremiah 2:33, 36; Job 26:2-3,.
3 indefinite pronoun anything, aught, Numbers 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), 1 Samuel 19:3 לָ֑ךְ וִהִגַּדְתִּי מָה וְרָאִיתִי = and if I see aught, I will, etc., 20:10 קָשָׁה אָבִיךָ מַהיַּֿעַנִךָ אוֺ if perchance thy father shall answer thee aught that is harsh (order,
1a a), 2 Samuel 18:22 אָרוּצָהנָּֿא וִיהִימָֿה but let there happen what may (literally aught), I will run, 18:23 (compare Job 13:13 מָה עָלַי וְיַעֲבֹר), Job 13:29 מָה יָדַעְתִּי וְלֹא (compare Proverbs 9:13), 25:8. compare Köiii. § 65. 4 With prepositions:
a. בַּמָּה9, בַּמֶּה19 wherein ? Exodus 22:26; Judges 16:5; 1 Samuel 14:38 (indirect question; We בְּמִי); and so according to the various senses of בְּ: whereby ? Genesis 15:8; Exodus 33:16; Malachi 1:2, 6, 7; 2:17; 3:7-8; wherewith ? 1 Samuel 6:2; 2 Samuel 21:3; Micah 6:6; by what means ? Judges 16:5 לוֺ נוּכַל וּבַמֶּה; at what (worth) ? Isaiah 2:22; for what ?2 Chronicles 7:21 ("" 1 Kings 9:8 עלמֿה).
b. מֶה יַעַן Haggai 1:9 because of what ?
c. כַּמֶּה כַּמָּה,, properly the like of what ? (Arabic , Syriac ); hence (a) how much ? how many ? וגו יְמֵי ׳כַּמָּה Genesis 47:8; 2 Samuel 19:35; Psalm 119:84; Job 13:23; פְעָמִים כַּמֶּה עַד 1 Kings 22:16 (= 2 Chronicles 18:15); כַּמָּה how often ? Job 21:17 (i.e. how seldom !); in an indirect question, how much ? Zechariah 2:6 (twice in verse). As an exclamation, 7:3 as I have done שָׁנִים כַמֶּה זֶה now (זֶה
4i), how many years ! Psalm 78:40 כַּמָּה how often ! (b) for how long ? 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, Psalm 42:10; 43:2; לָ֫מָּה also occurs before guttural, in five places noted by Masoretes on 43:2, namely 1 Samuel 28:15; 2 Samuel 2:22; 14:31; Psalm 49:6; Jeremiah 15:18, and before ךְ Genesis 4:6; 2 Samuel 14:13; 24:3; Ecclesiastes 2:15), לָ֫מָה Job 7:20, לָ֫מֶה 1 Samuel 1:8 (3 t. in verse), for what reason ? why? Genesis 4:6 לך חרה למה why art thou angry ? 24:31, etc.; often strengthened by זֶה (זֶה 4e), 18:13; 32:30 (= Judges 13:18) לשׁמי תשׁאל זה למה, Judg 33:15; Exodus 2:20; 5:22; 17:3, etc., Jeremiah 6:20; 20:18 +; Genesis 25:22 למהֿ כן אם אנכי זה if so, why, then, am I ? (why do I continue to live ?); = to what purpose (followed by לִ person), 27:46 חיים לי למה, Isaiah 1:11; Jeremiah 6:20; Amos 5:18 י יום ׳לכם זה למה, Job 30:2; in an indirect question, 1 Samuel 6:3; Daniel 10:20. Note especially (a) in expostulations, Genesis 12:18 לי הגדת לא למה why didst thou not tell me, etc. ? 12:19; 29:25; 31:27; 42:1; 43:6; 1 Samuel 21:15; 22:13; 24:10; Psalm 22:2; 44:24; 44:25; 74:1; 74:11 + often; (b) with an imperfect, often deprecating, or introducing rhetorically, the reason why something should, or should not, be done, why should . . .? 1 Samuel 19:5, 17; 20:8 but to thy father (emphatic) תביאני זה למה, why shouldst thou bring me ? 20:32 יומת למה עשׂה מה why should he be put to death ? 2 Samuel 13:26; 16:9; 20:19; 2 Kings 14:10, etc.: in such cases, it approximates in meaning to lest (compare Phoenician CISi. 2, 21 לָםָ אלנם יסגרינם ne tradant eos dii), and is in ᵐ5 often rendered by μήποτε, as Genesis 27:45 אשׁכל למה why should I be bereaved, etc. ? Exodus 32:12 למה מצרים יאמרו Nehemiah 6:3; Psalm 79:10; 115:2; Ecclesiastes 7:16, μή, Jeremiah 40:15, ἵνα μή, Genesis 47:19; 2 Samuel 2:22; 2 Chronicles 25:16; Ecclesiastes 5:5; 7:17, or ὅπως μή, Joel 2:17 (in 1 Samuel 19:17; 2 Samuel 13:26, paraph. by εἰ μή); and, connected with the foregoing sentence by אשׁר, or שֶׁ, in late, or dialect., Hebrew it actually has that meaning, Daniel 1:10 יִרְאֶה לָמָּה אֲשֶׁר lest he see, Song of Solomon 1:7 אֶהְיֶה שַׁלָּמָ֫ה lest I become (so in Aramaic דִּי לְמָה Ezra 7:23, ᵑ7 דִּילְמָא, Syriac , both regularly = lest).
e. עַדמָֿה (Psalm 4:3 עַדמֶֿה) until when ? how long ? Numbers 24:22 (aposiop.), Psalm 4:3; 79:5; 89:47; in indirect question, 74:9 (compare מתי עד אנה, עד).
f. עַלמָֿה, and עַלמֶֿה, upon what ? Job 38:6; 2 Chronicles 32:10; upon what ground ? wherefore ? Numbers 22:32 אֶתאֲֿתֹנְךָ הִכִּיתָ עַלמָֿה, Deuteronomy 29:23 (compare 1 Kings 9:8; Jeremiah 22:8), Isaiah 1:5; Jeremiah 8:14; 9:11; 16:10; Ezekiel 21:12; Psalm 10:13; Job 13:14 (probably dittograph from 13:13); עלמֿהזֿה Nehemiah 2:4. In an indirect question, Job 10:2 מַהתְּֿרִיבֻנִי עַל הוֺדִיעֻנִי, Esther 4:5 וְעַלמַֿהוֶּֿה מַהזֶּֿה לָדַעַת.