H9008

/ה

hPrefix

[?]

Prefix hé interrogative: at the start of a question

Full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon entry

הֲ, הַ, הַּ , הֶ (on the different forms, see Ges«GKC:100»§ 100. 4: on Deut 32:6, see הַל), interrogative particle (Biblical Aramaic and ᵑ7 הֲ, Arabic ), prefixed, as a rule, to the first word of a sentence (or clause).

1. in direct questions:
  a. as a simple interrogative, where the answer expected is uncertain, Exod 2:7 הַאֵלֵךְ shall I go and call thee a nurse ? 1Sam 23:11 הֲיַסְגִּרֻנִי will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand ? הֲיֵרֵד שָׁאוּל will Saul come down ? Job 1:8 and frequently.
  b. often in questions, expressed in a tone of surprise, or put rhetorically, to which a negative answer is expected (= Latin num ?): Gen 4:9 הֲשֹׁמֵר אָחִי אָנֹכִי Amos I my brother's keeper ? Gen 18:17 shall I hide from Abraham that which I am about to do ? Gen 30:2; Gen 50:19; Num 11:23 a Deut 4:33 הֲשָׁמַע עַם֗֗֗ Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, . . . and live ? Deut 20:19 (read with ᵐ5 ᵑ7 ᵑ6 ᵑ9 Ew Ke Di etc. הֶאָדָם for הָאָדָם), 2Sam 7:5 ַ˜האַתָּה תִּבְנֶהלִּֿי בַיִת (altered in 1Chr 17:4 to the negative ׳לֹא אַתָּה תִּבְנֶה וג), 2Kgs 6:22 הַאֲשֶׁר שָׁבִיתָ ֗֗֗ those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow, wilt thou smite ? Isa 28:24; Isa 36:12 a Isa 57:6; Isa 58:5; Jer 15:12; Jer 16:20; Amos 5:25; Ps 50:13; Job 8:11; Job 15:7; Job 15:8; Job 15:11; Job 38:12; Job 38:16; Job 38:17; Job 38:22 etc.; before an infinitive absolute (Ew§ 328 a) Jer 7:9; Job 40:2 and probably Mic 2:7 (read הֶאָמוֺר: ). After a protasis, הִנֵההֲ֗֗֗ Num 22:38; 2Kgs 7:2; 2Kgs 7:19; Jer 32:27; Ezek 17:10 after הֵן Jer 3:1; Hag 2:12: compare after זוּלַי Gen 24:5 after אִם Job 14:14 אִם יָמוּת גֶּבֶר הֲיִחְיֶה a man dieth, shall he live ? Occasionally, one or more words precede הֲ (in the same clause) for special emphasis: 2Sam 7:7; Job 34:31 כִּי אֶלאֵֿל הֶאָמַר for to God did one ever say. . .? Neh 13:27; Jer 22:15 (הֲלֹא), compare Jer 23:26.
  c. it is used in questions which, by seeming to make doubtful what cannot be denied, have the force of an impassioned or indignant affirmation: Gen 27:36 ('dubitantis speciem prae se fert Esavus, ut eo acerbius affirmet,' Maurer, cited by Ges), 1Sam 2:27 הֲנִגְלהֹ נִגְלֵיתִי וגי Did I reveal myself to the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt ? etc. (i.e. of course I did, although thy sons, by their actions, appear to belie it), 1Kgs 16:31 (expressing astonishment), 1Kgs 21:19 הֲרָצַחְתָּ וְגַםיָֿרָ֑שְׁתָּ Hast thou slain, and also taken possession ? Jer 31:20; Job 20:4; Job 41:1 (compare Hi); also Gen 16:13, and the phrases הַרְּאִיתֶם do ye see ? 1Sam 10:24; 2Kgs 6:32 הֲרָאִיתָ dost thou see ? 1Kgs 20:13; Ezek 8:12; Ezek 8:15; Ezek 8:17 and elsewhere
  d. in disjunctive questions, the first question being introduced usually by הֲ, the second by אִם or (more rarely) וְאִם: see examples under אִם 2 (p. 50). The disjunctive question may express a real alternative (as Josh 5:13), or (as especially in poetry) the same thought may be repeated in a different form, in two parallel clauses (e.g. Isa 10:15): in the latter case, the answer No is usually expected. Only very rarely is the second question introduced by הֲ Judg 14:15 (where, however, הֲלֹם ought no doubt to be read, with MSS., ᵑ7 Be and others, for הֲלֹא), or אוֺ Judg 18:19; Job 16:3; Job 38:28; Job 38:31.

2. In indirect interrogation, whether (German ob. . . .?) —
  a. singly, after verbs of seeing Gen 8:8 לִרְאוֺת הֲ to see whether, Gen 18:21; Exod 4:18; Song 6:11, telling Gen 43:6, trying Deut 13:4, knowing Judg 3:4; Eccl 3:21 (read הַעֹלָה and הֲיֹרֶדֶת: see De or Wr on the passage.)
  b. disjunctively, — usually הֲ ֗֗֗ אִם, Num 13:18 end, Num 13:19a (and see the land) הֲטוֺבָה הִיא אִם רָעָה ֗֗֗ whether it be good or bad, vNum 13:19 b; vNum 13:20 vNum 13:20 הֲ ֗֗֗ אִם לֹא Gen 24:21; Gen 27:21; Gen 37:32; Exod 16:4 that I may try it (the people) הֲיֵלֵךְ בְּתוֺרָתִי אִם לֹא whether it will walk in my law or not, Num 11:23; Deut 8:2; Judg 2:22 הֲ ֗֗֗ הֲ Num 13:18 (by side of הֲ ֗֗֗ אִם); הֲ ֗֗֗ אוֺ Eccl 2:19; Eccl 11:6. It is prefixed to other particles, as הַאִם, הַאַף, הֲגַם, הֲכִי, הֲלֹא: see אִם, אַף,etc. p. 49, etc.


639 occurrences— page 2/2: Jeremiah 5:22 – Malachi 3:8

Genesis (52), Exodus (11), Leviticus (1), Numbers (24), Deuteronomy (10), Joshua (5), Judges (33), Ruth (7), I Samuel (38), II Samuel (34), I Kings (33), II Kings (55), I Chronicles (7), II Chronicles (21), Ezra (1), Nehemiah (6), Esther (3), Job (87), Psalms (9), Proverbs (8), Ecclesiastes (3), Song of Solomon (1), Isaiah (40), Jeremiah (51), Lamentations (1), Ezekiel (39), Daniel (4), Joel (2), Amos (12), Obadiah (2), Jonah (3), Micah (9), Nahum (1), Habakkuk (6), Haggai (5), Zechariah (9), Malachi (6)