5870. ayin

Lexicon

ayin: Eye, spring, fountain

Original Word: עַיִן
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: `ayin
Pronunciation: ah'-yin
Phonetic Spelling: (ah'-yin)
Definition: Eye, spring, fountain
Meaning: an eye

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

eye

(Aramaic) corresponding to ayin; an eye -- eye.

see HEBREW ayin

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Hebrew root עַיִן (H5869), which also means "eye."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G991 (βλέπω, blepō): This Greek term means "to see" or "to look," and it corresponds to the function of the eye in perceiving or observing. It is used in the New Testament to describe physical sight as well as spiritual perception.
• The concept of sight and vision is significant in both the Hebrew and Greek scriptures, often symbolizing understanding, revelation, and divine insight.

This entry provides a comprehensive understanding of the Aramaic term עַיִן (ayin) as used in the biblical texts, highlighting its physical and metaphorical applications and its connection to related Greek terms.

Usage: The term is used in the Aramaic portions of the Old Testament, particularly in the books of Daniel and Ezra, to denote the physical eye or metaphorically to describe sight or appearance.

Context: • The Aramaic word עַיִן (ayin) appears in the context of the exilic and post-exilic periods, reflecting the linguistic shift during the Babylonian captivity when Aramaic became a lingua franca in the Near East.
• In the book of Daniel, עַיִן is used to describe visions and appearances, emphasizing the importance of sight in prophetic revelation. For example, Daniel 7:8 describes a vision involving eyes like the eyes of a man.
• In Ezra, the term is used in the context of decrees and letters, where the "eye" symbolizes oversight or supervision, as seen in Ezra 5:5, "But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius."
• The metaphorical use of "eye" to denote a spring or fountain is less common in the Aramaic sections but is a well-established meaning in the Hebrew language, indicating a source or origin, much like a spring is a source of water.

Forms and Transliterations

וְעֵ֣ין וְעַיְנִ֣ין ועין ועינין כְּעַיְנֵ֤י כעיני עַיְנִ֜ין עַיְנַ֣י ׀ עיני עינין ‘ay·nay ‘ay·nîn ‘aynay ‘aynîn ayNai ayNin kə‘aynê kə·‘ay·nê keayNei veayNin veEin wə‘aynîn wə‘ên wə·‘ay·nîn wə·‘ên

Englishman's Concordance

Ezra 5:5
HEB: וְעֵ֣ין אֱלָהֲהֹ֗ם הֲוָת֙
NAS: But the eye of their God
KJV: But the eye of their God was
INT: the eye of their God was

Daniel 4:34
HEB: אֲנָ֨ה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֜ר עַיְנַ֣י ׀ לִשְׁמַיָּ֣א נִטְלֵ֗ת
NAS: raised my eyes toward heaven
KJV: lifted up mine eyes unto heaven,
INT: I Nebuchadnezzar my eyes heaven raised

Daniel 7:8
HEB: ק) וַאֲל֨וּ עַיְנִ֜ין כְּעַיְנֵ֤י אֲנָשָׁא֙
NAS: horn possessed eyes like the eyes
KJV: horn [were] eyes like the eyes
INT: before and behold eyes the eyes of a man

Daniel 7:8
HEB: וַאֲל֨וּ עַיְנִ֜ין כְּעַיְנֵ֤י אֲנָשָׁא֙ בְּקַרְנָא־
NAS: possessed eyes like the eyes of a man
KJV: [were] eyes like the eyes of man,
INT: and behold eyes the eyes of a man horn

Daniel 7:20
HEB: וְקַרְנָ֨א דִכֵּ֜ן וְעַיְנִ֣ין לַ֗הּ וְפֻם֙
NAS: namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth
KJV: that had eyes, and a mouth
INT: horn that had eyes mouth uttering

5 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5870
5 Occurrences

‘ay·nay — 1 Occ.
‘ay·nîn — 1 Occ.
kə·‘ay·nê — 1 Occ.
wə·‘ay·nîn — 1 Occ.
wə·‘ên — 1 Occ.