Lexical Summary hoy: Woe, Alas Original Word: הוֹי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance ah, alas, ho, O, woe A prolonged form of how (akin to 'owy); oh! -- ah, alas, ho, O, woe. see HEBREW how see HEBREW 'owy NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. interj. Definition ah! alas! ha! NASB Translation Ah (2), alas (11), ho (2), ho there (1), woe (34). Brown-Driver-Briggs הוֺי51 interjection (onomatopoetic; compare  = הוֺ הוֺ Amos 5:16 ᵑ6, = הֵידָד Jeremiah 51:14 ᵑ6; also Modern Aramaic ú hú, ú hú (in a lament), SoUrmia-Dial. 102. 4) — expressing usually dissatisfaction and pain, Ah, Alas; Ha (not distinctly Woe! which is אוֺי): used in lamentations, 1 Kings 13:30 and they mourned over him (saying) הוֺי אָחִי Ah, my brother! je 1 Kings 22:18 הוֺי אָחִי וְהוֺי אָחוֺת ֗֗֗ הוֺי אָדוֺן וְהוֺי הֹדֹה, 1Ki 34:5 וְהוֺי אָדוֺן יִסְמְּדוּ לָ֑ךְ (compare הוֺהֿוֺ Amos 5:16): hence Isaiah 1:4 הוֺי גּוֺי חֹטֵא Ah! sinful nation Isaiah 1:24 Ah! I will ease me of my adversaries; especially preparatory to a declaration of judgment, Isaiah 10:5 הוֺי אַשּׁוּר שֵׁבֶט אַמִּי, Isaiah 17:12; Isaiah 28:1, often followed by a participle Ah! those that . . ., Isaiah 5:8,11,18; Isaiah 29:15; Isaiah 31:1; Isaiah 45:9,10; Jeremiah 22:13; Amos 5:18; Amos 6:1; Habakkuk 2:6; Habakkuk 2:9; Habakkuk 2:12; Habakkuk 2:15; Habakkuk 2:19; Zechariah 11:17 + (more sympathetic than אוֺי לְ): followed by כִּי Jeremiah 30:7, אֶל Jeremiah 48:1, עַל Jeremiah 50:27; Ezekiel 13:3, לְ Ezekiel 13:18. Sts. hardly more than an exclamation arousing attention Ha! (though perhaps with a touch of sympathy or pity) Isaiah 18:1; Isaiah 55:1; Zechariah 2:10 (twice in verse); Zechariah 2:11; Jeremiah 47:6. Topical Lexicon Overview The Hebrew interjection הוֹי appears approximately fifty-one times across the Old Testament, nearly always translated “Woe” in the Berean Standard Bible. It is a piercing exclamation that conveys grief, alarm, or impending judgment. The prophets employ it to awaken complacent hearts, announce covenant curses, and call God’s people to repentance. Usage in Prophetic Oracles of Judgment 1. Isaiah employs the cry more than any other writer, clustering it in a series of six woes against Judah’s sins (Isaiah 5:8-23) and again against Assyria (10:5), Egypt (31:1), and the treacherous (33:1). The pattern combines denunciation, reason, and the threatened consequence, underscoring divine justice. Expressions of Lament and Mourning While most occurrences convey threat, a few bear the color of grief: “Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth” (Jeremiah 15:10). Here the prophet mourns his lonely ministry. In 1 Kings 13:30 the bereaved man of God cries, “Alas, my brother!” The term thus holds the full spectrum of sorrow, from personal lament to national catastrophe. Ethical and Social Implications The woes consistently target specific transgressions: God’s concern for social justice is evident; yet each woe also assumes personal accountability. Sin is never merely systemic but rooted in individual rebellion against the Holy One. Theological and Redemptive Significance 1. Revelation of God’s character: The woes flow from divine holiness and covenant faithfulness. They affirm that “the LORD of Hosts will be exalted in His justice” (Isaiah 5:16). Historical Context of Key Occurrences • Eighth-century Judah faced Assyrian pressure; Isaiah’s woes confront both foreign aggression and internal decay. Practical Ministry Application 1. Preaching: Prophetic woes model courageous proclamation that names sin specifically yet aims at repentance. Intertextual Echoes in the New Testament Paul’s “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16) and the angelic “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 8:13) show that the cry remains relevant. It frames both ministerial obligation and cosmic judgment, culminating in the Lamb who alone can remove every curse. Summary הוֹי is not a mere outburst but a prophetic instrument wielded to expose sin, announce judgment, evoke lament, and invite repentance. Its presence across Israel’s history testifies to the constancy of God’s righteous standard and His merciful call to return. For the church today, these ancient cries still ring, directing hearts to the One who delivers from every woe. Forms and Transliterations ה֕וֹי ה֖וֹי ה֗וֹי ה֚וֹי ה֛וֹי ה֣וֹי ה֣וֹי ׀ ה֤וֹי ה֥וֹי ה֧וֹי הוֹי֩ הוי וְה֣וֹי וְה֥וֹי והוי Ho hō·w hōw veHo wə·hō·w wəhōwLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 13:30 HEB: וַיִּסְפְּד֥וּ עָלָ֖יו ה֥וֹי אָחִֽי׃ NAS: over him, [saying], Alas, my brother! KJV: and they mourned over him, [saying], Alas, my brother! INT: mourned over him Alas my brother Isaiah 1:4 Isaiah 1:24 Isaiah 5:8 Isaiah 5:11 Isaiah 5:18 Isaiah 5:20 Isaiah 5:21 Isaiah 5:22 Isaiah 10:1 Isaiah 10:5 Isaiah 17:12 Isaiah 18:1 Isaiah 28:1 Isaiah 29:1 Isaiah 29:15 Isaiah 30:1 Isaiah 31:1 Isaiah 33:1 Isaiah 45:9 Isaiah 45:10 Isaiah 55:1 Jeremiah 22:13 Jeremiah 22:18 Jeremiah 22:18 51 Occurrences |
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