Lexical Summary i: Island, coast, region Original Word: אי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance island Probably identical with 'ay (through the idea of a query); not -- island (Job 22:30). see HEBREW 'ay NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. adverb Definition not. Brown-Driver-Briggs IV. אִי adverb not (frequently in Rabb, as אִי אֶפְשַׁר impossible; and in Ethiopic the ordinary negative; compare Phoenician אי CISi, 3, 5, and in איבל165; 18; 167; 11; Assyrian ai) Job 22:30 אִינָֿקִי the non-innocent. **Job 22:30: read perhaps אֵל (Me), or אֱלֹהַּ (Ley), with וְתִמָּלֵט in verse b. Topical Lexicon Usage in Scripture Strong’s Hebrew 336 (אי) appears a single time, in Job 22:30. In that verse it functions as a poetic negation—“not” or “no”—modifying “innocent” (נָקִי). The Berean Standard Bible renders the clause: “He will deliver even one who is not innocent.” Thus, the term’s sole biblical role is to underscore a person’s lack of innocence in a context that magnifies God’s saving mercy. Context within Job 22:30 Eliphaz is urging Job to repent and seek God, promising that humble intercession will have far-reaching effects. The verse outlines two concentric circles of deliverance: 1. The intercessor himself (“you will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands”). The presence of אי strengthens the contrast: the person saved is explicitly *not* innocent, highlighting divine grace rather than human merit. Theological Significance 1. Grace to the Guilty: The verse anticipates the gospel pattern—God rescues those who cannot claim innocence (Romans 5:6-8). The negation in אי removes any ambiguity about moral worthiness. Historical and Literary Observations • Hebrew poetry often employs rare or specialized particles to achieve compression and emphasis. The isolated use of אי fits Job’s stylistic distinctiveness, where uncommon vocabulary intensifies theological debate. Practical Ministry Applications • Encouragement for Intercessors: Pastors and prayer leaders can draw from Job 22:30 to inspire persistent prayer for wayward individuals, trusting God to act beyond strict justice. Summary Though only a two-letter particle, אי in Job 22:30 plays an outsized role: it rules out human innocence and thereby magnifies divine mercy obtained through a righteous mediator. Its solitary appearance becomes a vivid witness to the Scriptural theme that “mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13), encouraging believers to trust in God’s saving power for themselves and for those who seem farthest from hope. Forms and Transliterations אִֽי־ אי־ ’î- iLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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