346. ayyeh

Lexical Summary

ayyeh: Where?

Original Word: אַיֵּה
Part of Speech: interrogative adverb
Transliteration: ayeh
Pronunciation: ah-YEH
Phonetic Spelling: (ah-yay')
KJV: where
NASB: where
Word Origin: [prolonged from H335 (אַי - where)]

1. where?

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

where

Prolonged from 'ay; where? -- where.

see HEBREW 'ay

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from ay
Definition
where?
NASB Translation
where (44).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

אַיֵּה₄₅ (lengthened from אַי, compare הֵן & הִנֵּה)

interr.adverb Where? Genesis 18:9; Genesis 19:5; Genesis 22:7; the most General term expressing this idea, used of both person & things (but never with a verb [contrast אֵיפֹה]); often in poetry or elevated style, where the answer nowhere is expected, Isaiah 33:18; Isaiah 36:19; Isaiah 51:13; Jeremiah 2:28 (compare Deuteronomy 32:37 אֵי) Jeremiah 17:15; Jeremiah 37:19, Job 15:23 he wandereth abroad for bread אַיֵּה (saying) Where is it ? Job 21:28; Zechariah 1:5 (אַיֵּההֵֿם); in the (iron.) phrase where is thy (their) God? Psalm 42:4; Psalm 42:11; Psalm 79:10; Psalm 115:2 (אַיֵּהנָֿא) Joel 2:17; rhetorically, of an earnest inquiry Jeremiah 2:6,8; Job 35:10, or longing Isaiah 63:11,15; Judges 6:13.

Topical Lexicon

Overview

אַיֵּה (ayyeh) functions throughout the Hebrew Scriptures as an interrogative cry of location or presence—“Where?” In narrative, poetry, and prophecy it draws attention to perceived absence, forgotten covenant realities, or anticipated deliverance. Forty-six appearances span Torah, Former Prophets, Writings, and Latter Prophets, creating a thematic thread that moves from human lament to divine challenge and finally to eschatological triumph.

Distribution in Scripture

Pentateuch: Judges and Genesis traditions echoed in Gideon’s plea (Judges 6:13).

Historical Books: Seen from the wilderness wanderings remembered in Joshua through the ministries of Samuel, David, and Elisha (e.g., 1 Samuel 26:16; 2 Kings 2:14).

Wisdom & Psalms: Frequent in prayers and taunts (Psalms 42:3; 79:10; 89:49; 115:2).

Major Prophets: Isaiah and Jeremiah repeatedly employ אַיֵּה to expose apostasy (Isaiah 63:11; Jeremiah 2:6).

Minor Prophets: Hosea and Zechariah turn the word toward hope and warning (Hosea 13:10-14; Zechariah 1:5).

Categories of Usage

1. Divine Inquiry and Confrontation

God or His prophets employ אַיֵּה to press covenant partners toward repentance:
• “Then they did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up out of the land of Egypt?’” (Jeremiah 2:6).
• Isaiah recalls the Exodus: “Where is He who brought them through the sea…?” (Isaiah 63:11).

The question is not ignorance but summons—exposing spiritual amnesia.

2. Human Lament and Petition

Saints and sufferers express bewilderment over God’s perceived silence:
• Gideon: “Please, my lord…where are all His wonders our fathers told us about?” (Judges 6:13).
• Psalmist: “Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’” (Psalm 79:10).

Such laments invite renewed trust, for the very prayer assumes God hears.

3. Prophetic Challenge to Idolatry

Apostate Israel and pagan nations are confronted:
• “Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?” (2 Kings 18:34).
• “Where are your wise men now?” (Isaiah 19:12).

אַיֵּה exposes the impotence of false deities and worldly counselors.

4. Taunt of Unbelief

Enemies deride God’s people with the same word:
• “While they say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’” (Psalm 42:3).

The mockery anticipates vindication when the LORD acts.

5. Eschatological Victory over Death

Hosea turns אַיֵּה against the last enemy: “O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting?” (Hosea 13:14). Paul cites the Greek equivalent in 1 Corinthians 15:55, declaring Christ’s resurrection as the answer.

Historical-Theological Significance

From the Exodus to the Exile, אַיֵּה punctuates moments when Israel questioned God’s nearness or when prophets exposed her forgetfulness. During Assyrian and Babylonian threats, the word underscored the contrast between impotent idols and the living God. Post-exilic usage (Zechariah 1:5) reminds a restored community that human leaders fade, but the LORD’s word endures.

Ministry Implications

• Preaching and Teaching – אַיֵּה offers a homiletical tool to confront modern complacency: “Where is your confidence placed today?”
• Pastoral Care – Laments that ask “Where is God?” are biblically legitimate, guiding believers from despair to hope.
• Apologetics – The prophetic use against idols supplies a framework for exposing contemporary substitutes for God.
• Worship – Psalms employing אַיֵּה legitimize corporate questioning while anchoring faith in God’s historic acts.

Christological and Eschatological Fulfillment

Jesus Christ embodies God’s definitive answer to אַיֵּה. Incarnation locates God among His people (John 1:14), crucifixion voices abandonment (“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”), and resurrection silences every taunt of absence. Hosea’s אַיֵּה finds ultimate resolution on the first Easter morning—death’s “where?” is forever answered by an empty tomb.

Representative Scripture Index

Judges 6:13

1 Samuel 26:16

2 Kings 2:14; 18:34

Psalm 42:3; 79:10; 89:49; 115:2

Isaiah 19:12; 63:11, 15

Jeremiah 2:6, 8

Hosea 13:10-14

Zechariah 1:5

Forms and Transliterations

אַיֵּ֕ה אַיֵּ֖ה אַיֵּ֗ה אַיֵּ֛ה אַיֵּ֞ה אַיֵּ֣ה אַיֵּ֣ה ׀ אַיֵּ֤ה אַיֵּ֤ה ׀ אַיֵּ֥ה אַיֵּ֧ה אַיֵּ֨ה אַיֵּ֪ה אַיֵּה֙ אַיֵּה֩ אַיֵּה־ אַיּ֖וֹ איה איה־ איו וְ֝אַיֵּ֗ה וְ֭אַיֵּה וְאַיֵּ֖ה וְאַיֵּ֣ה וְאַיֵּ֤ה וְאַיֵּ֥ה וְאַיּ֑וֹ וְאַיֵּה֙ וְאַיּֽוֹ׃ ואיה ואיו ואיו׃ ’ay·yêh ’ay·yêh- ’ay·yōw ’ayyêh ’ayyêh- ’ayyōw aiYeh aiYo veaiYeh veaiYo wə’ayyêh wə’ayyōw wə·’ay·yêh wə·’ay·yōw

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 18:9
HEB: וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵׅלָׅ֔יׅוׅ אַיֵּ֖ה שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ
KJV: And they said unto him, Where [is] Sarah
INT: said unto Where is Sarah ess

Genesis 19:5
HEB: וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ ל֔וֹ אַיֵּ֧ה הָאֲנָשִׁ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־
NAS: and said to him, Where are the men
INT: Lot and said Where are the men who

Genesis 22:7
HEB: הָאֵשׁ֙ וְהָ֣עֵצִ֔ים וְאַיֵּ֥ה הַשֶּׂ֖ה לְעֹלָֽה׃
NAS: and the wood, but where is the lamb
INT: the fire and the wood where is the lamb the burnt

Genesis 38:21
HEB: מְקֹמָהּ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַיֵּ֧ה הַקְּדֵשָׁ֛ה הִ֥וא
NAS: saying, Where is the temple prostitute
INT: of her place saying Where Where the harlot who

Exodus 2:20
HEB: אֶל־ בְּנֹתָ֖יו וְאַיּ֑וֹ לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙
INT: to his daughters where Why he

Judges 6:13
HEB: כָּל־ זֹ֑את וְאַיֵּ֣ה כָֽל־ נִפְלְאֹתָ֡יו
NAS: happened to us? And where are all
INT: has all to us and where are all his miracles

Judges 9:38
HEB: אֵלָ֜יו זְבֻ֗ל אַיֵּ֨ה אֵפ֥וֹא פִ֙יךָ֙
NAS: said to him, Where is your boasting
INT: then Zebul Where now is your boasting

2 Samuel 16:3
HEB: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאַיֵּ֖ה בֶּן־ אֲדֹנֶ֑יךָ
NAS: said, And where is your master's
INT: said the king and where afflicted is your master's

2 Samuel 17:20
HEB: הַבַּ֗יְתָה וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אַיֵּ֗ה אֲחִימַ֙עַץ֙ וִיה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן
NAS: and said, Where are Ahimaaz
INT: the house and said Where are Ahimaaz Jonathan

2 Kings 2:14
HEB: הַמַּ֔יִם וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אַיֵּ֕ה יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י
NAS: and said, Where is the LORD,
INT: the waters and said Where is the LORD the God

2 Kings 18:34
HEB: אַיֵּה֩ אֱלֹהֵ֨י חֲמָ֜ת
NAS: Where are the gods of Hamath
INT: Where are the gods of Hamath

2 Kings 18:34
HEB: חֲמָ֜ת וְאַרְפָּ֗ד אַיֵּ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י סְפַרְוַ֖יִם
NAS: and Arpad? Where are the gods
INT: of Hamath Arpad Where are the gods of Sepharvaim

Job 14:10
HEB: וַיִּגְוַ֖ע אָדָ֣ם וְאַיּֽוֹ׃
INT: expires Man where

Job 17:15
HEB: וְ֭אַיֵּה אֵפ֣וֹ תִקְוָתִ֑י
NAS: Where now is my hope?
INT: Where now expectation

Job 21:28
HEB: כִּ֤י תֹֽאמְר֗וּ אַיֵּ֥ה בֵית־ נָדִ֑יב
NAS: For you say, 'Where is the house
INT: for say Where is the house of the nobleman

Job 21:28
HEB: בֵית־ נָדִ֑יב וְ֝אַיֵּ֗ה אֹ֤הֶל ׀ מִשְׁכְּנ֬וֹת
NAS: of the nobleman, And where is the tent,
INT: is the house of the nobleman and where is the tent the dwelling

Psalm 42:3
HEB: כָּל־ הַ֝יּ֗וֹם אַיֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
NAS: day long, Where is your God?
INT: all day Where angels

Psalm 42:10
HEB: כָּל־ הַ֝יּ֗וֹם אַיֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
NAS: day long, Where is your God?
INT: all day Where angels

Psalm 79:10
HEB: יֹאמְר֣וּ הַגּוֹיִם֮ אַיֵּ֪ה אֱ‍ֽלֹהֵ֫יהֶ֥ם יִוָּדַ֣ע
NAS: say, Where is their God?
INT: say the nations Where angels acknowledge

Psalm 89:49
HEB: אַיֵּ֤ה ׀ חֲסָדֶ֖יךָ הָרִאשֹׁנִ֥ים ׀
NAS: Where are Your former
INT: Where lovingkindnesses are your former

Psalm 115:2
HEB: יֹאמְר֣וּ הַגּוֹיִ֑ם אַיֵּה־ נָ֝֗א אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃
NAS: say, Where, now,
INT: say the nations Where now angels

Isaiah 33:18
HEB: יֶהְגֶּ֣ה אֵימָ֑ה אַיֵּ֤ה סֹפֵר֙ אַיֵּ֣ה
NAS: on terror: Where is he who counts?
INT: will meditate terror Where counts Where

Isaiah 33:18
HEB: אַיֵּ֤ה סֹפֵר֙ אַיֵּ֣ה שֹׁקֵ֔ל אַיֵּ֖ה
NAS: is he who counts? Where is he who weighs?
INT: Where counts Where where the receiver Where

Isaiah 33:18
HEB: אַיֵּ֣ה שֹׁקֵ֔ל אַיֵּ֖ה סֹפֵ֥ר אֶת־
NAS: is he who weighs? Where is he who counts
INT: Where where the receiver Where counts castle

Isaiah 36:19
HEB: אַיֵּ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י חֲמָת֙
NAS: Where are the gods of Hamath
INT: Where are the gods of Hamath

46 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 346
46 Occurrences

’ay·yêh — 35 Occ.
’ay·yōw — 1 Occ.
wə·’ay·yêh — 8 Occ.
wə·’ay·yōw — 2 Occ.