מָא
ma (H4100)
what
AI Word Study
# The Hebrew Word "Ma" (מָא): Biblical Hebrew's Essential Question Word The Hebrew word "ma" is one of the most frequently used words in the Bible, appearing 753 times. Its fundamental meaning is "what," functioning as the primary interrogative particle for asking questions about things, actions, and circumstances. This simple form serves as the linguistic foundation for inquiry throughout biblical texts, enabling speakers to seek clarification, understanding, or information about objects, events, and abstract concepts. The high frequency of this word—over 750 occurrences—reflects its central role in biblical communication. Nearly every major narrative, dialogue, and poetic section relies on "ma" to express human curiosity, divine inquiry, and rhetorical questioning. Whether used in direct questions ("What is this?"), rhetorical devices, or expressions of confusion and wonder, "ma" functioned as Hebrew's primary mechanism for moving discourse forward through the interrogative mode. Its ubiquity demonstrates that questioning itself was a fundamental feature of biblical expression, from everyday dialogue to profound theological moments. While the provided data offers only the basic definition and occurrence count, these two pieces of information establish that "ma" was indispensable to biblical Hebrew communication. Its prevalence suggests that asking questions—seeking understanding about the world, about God's will, and about human experience—was woven throughout the entire biblical tradition rather than marginal to it.
AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.
Out of the ground Yahweh God formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called every living creature became its name.
Yahweh God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen?
Yahweh said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground.
Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife?
Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.”
Abram said, “Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, since I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”
Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’
Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!”
Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?”
God heard the voice of the boy. The angel of God called to Hagar out of the sky, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Don’t be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.
Abimelech said to Abraham, “What do these seven ewe lambs, which you have set by themselves, mean?”
“My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead.”
He said, “Come in, you blessed of Yahweh. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.”
The children struggled together within her. She said, “If it is like this, why do I live?” She went to inquire of Yahweh.
Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?”
Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!”
Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He said, “Because Yahweh your God gave me success.”
Isaac answered Esau, “Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants. I have sustained him with grain and new wine. What then will I do for you, my son?”
until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send, and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?”
Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what good will my life do me?”
He was afraid, and said, “How awesome this place is! This is none other than God’s house, and this is the gate of heaven.”
Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?”
In the morning, behold, it was Leah! He said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Didn’t I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”
Laban said, “What shall I give you?” Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed your flock and keep it.
Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword?
Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp;
Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?”
Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them.
Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?
Now that you have felt around in all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between us two.
Laban answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine! What can I do today to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne?
He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob”.
Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” He said, “Why is it that you ask what my name is?” He blessed him there.
Esau said, “Let me now leave with you some of the people who are with me.” He said, “Why? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”
He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to you to the earth?”
A certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?”
Come now therefore, and let’s kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, ‘An evil animal has devoured him.’ We will see what will become of his dreams.”
Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
He turned to her by the way, and said, “Please come, let me come in to you,” for he didn’t know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?”
He said, “What pledge will I give you?” She said, “Your signet and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” He gave them to her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him.
As he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out, and she said, “Why have you made a breach for yourself?” Therefore his name was called Perez.
But he refused, and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, my master doesn’t know what is with me in the house, and he has put all that he has into my hand.
Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”
He said to his brothers, “My money is restored! Behold, it is in my sack!” Their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”
Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”
When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good?
They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing!
Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Don’t you know that such a man as I can indeed do divination?”
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