Lexical Summary ehi: Ehi Original Word: אֱהִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance where, I will beApparently an orthographical variation for 'ayeh; where -- I will be (Hos. 13:10, Hos. 13:14) (which is often the rendering of the same Hebrew form from hayah). see HEBREW 'ayeh see HEBREW hayah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. adverb Definition where? NASB Translation where (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs אֱהִי Hosea 13:10,14 (twice in verse) adverb where ? = אֵי, אַיֵּה. So ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ9 ᵑ7 AW in Hosea 13:10, & ᵐ5 ᵑ6 (compare 1 Corinthians 15:55) AW in Hosea 13:14. Taken by many of the older interpreters, and even by Ges in Hosea 13:14, as 1singular imperfect with apocope of היה I would be: but this is less suited to the context, and the jussive form is an objection, being unusual with the 1 person I. אהל (settle down (?), Arabic Topical Lexicon Range of Meaning and Rhetorical Force אֱהִי functions as an interrogative cry of location—“where?” or “where is?”. In Hosea it is never a neutral request for information; it is a pointed challenge that exposes the futility of the hearer’s misplaced confidence or fears. The word therefore carries an edge of rebuke or triumph, depending on the object addressed. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Hosea 13:10 – Yahweh confronts apostate Israel: “Where is your king, to save you now?” Israel’s self-chosen political saviors are missing in the hour of crisis. Historical Setting in Hosea Hosea ministers to the Northern Kingdom during its terminal decline (eighth century B.C.). Israel has relied on human monarchs and foreign alliances rather than covenant fidelity. Assyria threatens from without; idolatry corrodes from within. In this context אֱהִי becomes Yahweh’s incisive word that unmasks false hopes—whether a king enthroned in Samaria or the terror of the tomb itself. Theological Themes • Divine Exclusivity: The cry “Where is…?” underscores that no earthly authority (Hosea 13:10) and no cosmic power (Hosea 13:14) can rival the LORD. New Testament Echoes Paul seizes Hosea’s language to celebrate Christ’s resurrection: “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). The apostle reads Hosea’s taunt as fully realized in Jesus Messiah, whose triumph makes אֱהִי the anthem of redeemed humanity rather than a mere prophetic challenge. Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Exposing Idols: Preachers may deploy Hosea 13:10 to ask congregations, “Where is the substitute savior you trusted when calamity struck?” Liturgical and Devotional Use Historically, Christian liturgies for Easter Vigil and Resurrection Sunday incorporate the Hosea-Paul sequence, turning אֱהִי into a triumphant refrain. In personal devotion, believers may employ the word as a faith-filled query against any power that pretends sovereignty over life, destiny, or death. Summary אֱהִי pierces complacency, dethrones counterfeit saviors, and proclaims the Lord’s unrivaled supremacy—from ancient Samaria to the empty tomb. Within three concise Hosean occurrences, the Spirit crafts a word that still reverberates wherever God’s people ask, in hope and holy defiance, “Where now is your power?” Forms and Transliterations אֱהִ֤י אֱהִ֨י אהי ’ĕ·hî ’ĕhî eHiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Hosea 13:10 HEB: אֱהִ֤י מַלְכְּךָ֙ אֵפ֔וֹא NAS: Where now is your king KJV: I will be thy king: where INT: Where is your king now Hosea 13:14 Hosea 13:14 |
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be inhabited, compare Assyrian âlu, settlement, city, ma'âlu, ma'âltu, bed; DlW & Prov 105). **NöZMG xi (1886). 154, 720 doubts אֹהֶל = 
= âlu; but 
= dwelling actually in vulgar Arabic according to SoBuhl.