194. ulay

Lexicon

ulay: Perhaps, maybe, possibly, if only

Original Word: אוּלַי
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: uwlay
Pronunciation: oo-lah'ee
Phonetic Spelling: (oo-lah'ee)
Definition: Perhaps, maybe, possibly, if only
Meaning: if not

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

if so be, may be, peradventure, unless

Or (shortened) rulay {oo-lah'ee}; from 'ow; if not; hence perhaps -- if so be, may be, peradventure, unless.

see HEBREW 'ow

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
perhaps
NASB Translation
if (1), perhaps (35), should (1), suppose (8).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

II. אוּלַי₄₄ and (Genesis 24:39) אֻלַי

adverb (perhaps from אוֺ & לַי = לֵי, לֵא, as in לוּלֵא, = or not ?).

1 peradventure, perhaps; usually expressing a hope, as Genesis 16:2; Numbers 22:6,11; Numbers 23:3; 1 Samuel 6:5; Jeremiah 20:10; but also a fear or doubt, as Genesis 27:12; Job 1:5, followed by לֹא Genesis 24:5,39; in mockery Isaiah 47:12; Jeremiah 51:8.

2 followed by another clause ἀσυνδέτως, it, it expresses vir-tually the protasis = if peradventure Genesis 18:24,28 (compare Genesis 18:29-32) Hosea 8:7 the blade shall yield no meal; אוּלַי יַעֲשֶׂה זָרִים יִבְלָעֻהוּ if perchance it yield, strangers shall swallow it up.

3 in Numbers 22:33 לוּלֵי (q.v) must be read; unless she had turned aside from me, surely, etc.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from a root that is not used in the Hebrew Bible.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • The Greek equivalent of אוּלַי in the Septuagint and New Testament contexts is often expressed by words like ἴσως (isos) or ἐάν (ean), which convey similar meanings of possibility or conditionality.
• Particularly, Strong's Greek Number G2481, ἴσως (isos), is used to express "perhaps" or "possibly," aligning with the Hebrew אוּלַי in terms of expressing uncertainty or potentiality.

This lexical entry provides a comprehensive understanding of the Hebrew word אוּלַי, its origins, meanings, and usage within the biblical text, as well as its Greek equivalents, offering insight into its role in conveying uncertainty and hope in biblical narratives.

Usage: This term is used in the Hebrew Bible to express uncertainty or possibility, often in contexts where an outcome is hoped for or considered possible but not certain.

Context: • The Hebrew word אוּלַי appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often introducing a statement of hope or possibility. It is used to express a wish or a tentative expectation, reflecting the speaker's uncertainty about the outcome.
• For example, in Genesis 18:24, Abraham uses אוּלַי when negotiating with God over the fate of Sodom, saying, "Perhaps there are fifty righteous within the city." This usage highlights the uncertainty and hope in Abraham's plea.
• In 1 Kings 18:27, Elijah uses אוּלַי in a mocking context, suggesting that Baal might be preoccupied, "Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling."
• The word is also used in Jeremiah 36:3, where God expresses hope for repentance: "Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the disaster I intend to bring upon them, so that each one will turn from his wicked way."
• The term is versatile, appearing in narratives, prophetic texts, and dialogues, always carrying the nuance of uncertainty and possibility.

Forms and Transliterations

א֠וּלַי אֻלַ֛י אוּלַ֖י אוּלַ֗י אוּלַ֛י אוּלַ֞י אוּלַ֡י אוּלַ֣י אוּלַ֣י ׀ אוּלַ֤י אוּלַ֥י אוּלַ֨י אוּלַי֙ אוּלַי֩ אולי אלי ’u·lay ’ū·lay ’ulay ’ūlay uLai

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 16:2
HEB: אֶל־ שִׁפְחָתִ֔י אוּלַ֥י אִבָּנֶ֖ה מִמֶּ֑נָּה
NAS: in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children
KJV: unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children
INT: to my maid perhaps will obtain through

Genesis 18:24
HEB: אוּלַ֥י יֵ֛שׁ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים
NAS: Suppose there are fifty
INT: Suppose there are fifty

Genesis 18:28
HEB: א֠וּלַי יַחְסְר֞וּן חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים
NAS: Suppose the fifty righteous
INT: Suppose are lacking the fifty

Genesis 18:29
HEB: אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם
NAS: and said, Suppose forty
INT: and to said Suppose are found in it

Genesis 18:30
HEB: לַֽאדֹנָי֙ וַאֲדַבֵּ֔רָה אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם
NAS: and I shall speak; suppose thirty
INT: the Lord shall speak suppose are found there

Genesis 18:31
HEB: אֶל־ אֲדֹנָ֔י אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם
NAS: to the Lord; suppose twenty
INT: to the Lord suppose are found in it

Genesis 18:32
HEB: אַךְ־ הַפַּ֔עַם אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם
NAS: only this once; suppose ten are found
INT: only this suppose are found in it

Genesis 24:5
HEB: אֵלָיו֙ הָעֶ֔בֶד אוּלַי֙ לֹא־ תֹאבֶ֣ה
NAS: said to him, Suppose the woman
INT: about the servant Suppose is not willing

Genesis 24:39
HEB: אֶל־ אֲדֹנִ֑י אֻלַ֛י לֹא־ תֵלֵ֥ךְ
NAS: to my master, 'Suppose the woman
INT: to my master Suppose not along

Genesis 27:12
HEB: אוּלַ֤י יְמֻשֵּׁ֙נִי֙ אָבִ֔י
NAS: Perhaps my father will feel
INT: Perhaps will feel my father

Genesis 32:20
HEB: אֶרְאֶ֣ה פָנָ֔יו אוּלַ֖י יִשָּׂ֥א פָנָֽי׃
NAS: his face; perhaps he will accept
INT: will see his face perhaps will accept his face

Genesis 43:12
HEB: תָּשִׁ֣יבוּ בְיֶדְכֶ֔ם אוּלַ֥י מִשְׁגֶּ֖ה הֽוּא׃
NAS: of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake.
INT: back your hand perhaps A mistake he

Exodus 32:30
HEB: אֶל־ יְהוָ֔ה אוּלַ֥י אֲכַפְּרָ֖ה בְּעַ֥ד
NAS: up to the LORD, perhaps I can make atonement
KJV: unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement
INT: to the LORD perhaps make for

Numbers 22:6
HEB: הוּא֙ מִמֶּ֔נִּי אוּלַ֤י אוּכַל֙ נַכֶּה־
NAS: mighty for me; perhaps I may be able
INT: they are too perhaps may be able to defeat

Numbers 22:11
HEB: לִּי֙ אֹת֔וֹ אוּלַ֥י אוּכַ֛ל לְהִלָּ֥חֶם
NAS: curse them for me; perhaps I may be able
INT: come curse perhaps may be able to fight

Numbers 22:33
HEB: שָׁלֹ֣שׁ רְגָלִ֑ים אוּלַי֙ נָטְתָ֣ה מִפָּנַ֔י
NAS: times. If she had not turned aside
KJV: times: unless she had turned
INT: three times If aside me

Numbers 23:3
HEB: עֹלָתֶךָ֒ וְאֵֽלְכָ֗ה אוּלַ֞י יִקָּרֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙
NAS: and I will go; perhaps the LORD
INT: your burnt will go perhaps will come the LORD

Numbers 23:27
HEB: מָק֖וֹם אַחֵ֑ר אוּלַ֤י יִישַׁר֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י
NAS: place; perhaps it will be agreeable
INT: place to another perhaps convenient affliction

Joshua 9:7
HEB: אֶל־ הַחִוִּ֑י אוּלַ֗י בְּקִרְבִּי֙ אַתָּ֣ה
NAS: to the Hivites, Perhaps you are living
KJV: unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell
INT: to the Hivites Perhaps within you

Joshua 14:12
HEB: גְּדֹל֣וֹת בְּצֻר֔וֹת אוּלַ֨י יְהוָ֤ה אוֹתִי֙
NAS: cities; perhaps the LORD
KJV: [and] fenced: if so be the LORD
INT: great fortified perhaps the LORD with

1 Samuel 6:5
HEB: יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כָּב֑וֹד אוּלַ֗י יָקֵ֤ל אֶת־
NAS: of Israel; perhaps He will ease
INT: of Israel glory perhaps will ease his hand

1 Samuel 9:6
HEB: נֵ֣לֲכָה שָּׁ֔ם אוּלַי֙ יַגִּ֣יד לָ֔נוּ
NAS: there, perhaps he can tell
INT: go there perhaps tell our journey

1 Samuel 14:6
HEB: הָעֲרֵלִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אוּלַ֛י יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה
NAS: uncircumcised; perhaps the LORD
INT: uncircumcised of these perhaps will work the LORD

2 Samuel 14:15
HEB: אֶל־ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אוּלַ֛י יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ
NAS: to the king, perhaps the king
INT: to the king perhaps will perform the king

2 Samuel 16:12
HEB: אוּלַ֛י יִרְאֶ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה
NAS: Perhaps the LORD will look
INT: Perhaps will look the LORD

45 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 194
45 Occurrences

’ū·lay — 45 Occ.