הוֹי
hoy (H1945)
woe!
AI Word Study
# Analysis of הוֹי (hoy) — "Woe" The Hebrew word הוֹי (hoy) functions as an interjection expressing lamentation or distress, appearing 51 times throughout the biblical text. As an exclamation rather than a standard word with grammatical inflection, it serves to capture and convey intense emotional states—specifically grief, dismay, or denunciation. Its classification as "woe!" indicates it operates as a cry of anguish or a pronouncement of doom, typically directed either at circumstances or at persons deserving judgment. The frequency of occurrence (51 times) suggests this was a meaningful and commonly used expression in biblical Hebrew discourse, particularly in contexts where speakers or prophets needed to communicate distress or condemnation with emotional force. The interjection form allows it to stand alone or introduce statements, making it a rhetorical device that immediately signals the gravity of what follows. Without additional contextual data provided here, the word's consistent translation as "woe" points to a stable semantic range centered on expressions of calamity and sorrow rather than varying significantly across different biblical passages.
AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.
He laid his body in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!”
Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken Yahweh. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward.
Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: “Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies.
Woe to those who join house to house, who lay field to field, until there is no room, and you are made to dwell alone in the middle of the land!
Woe to those who rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, who stay late into the night, until wine inflames them!
Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, and wickedness as with cart rope,
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Woe to those who are mighty to drink wine, and champions at mixing strong drink;
Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers who write oppressive decrees;
Alas Assyrian, the rod of my anger, the staff in whose hand is my indignation!
Ah, the uproar of many peoples, who roar like the roaring of the seas; and the rushing of nations, that rush like the rushing of mighty waters!
Ah, the land of the rustling of wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia;
Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley of those who are overcome with wine!
Woe to Ariel! Ariel, the city where David encamped! Add year to year; let the feasts come around;
Woe to those who deeply hide their counsel from Yahweh, and whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, “Who sees us?” and “Who knows us?”
“Woe to the rebellious children”, says Yahweh, “who take counsel, but not from me; and who make an alliance, but not with my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin,
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel, and they don’t seek Yahweh!
Woe to you who destroy, but you weren’t destroyed, and who betray, but nobody betrayed you! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed; and when you have finished betrayal, you will be betrayed.
Woe to him who strives with his Maker— a clay pot among the clay pots of the earth! Shall the clay ask him who fashions it, ‘What are you making?’ or your work, ‘He has no hands?’
Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What have you become the father of?’ or to a mother, ‘What have you given birth to?’ ”
“Hey! Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters! Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat! Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
“Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his rooms by injustice; who uses his neighbor’s service without wages, and doesn’t give him his hire;
Therefore Yahweh says concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: “They won’t lament for him, saying, ‘Ah my brother!’ or, ‘Ah sister!’ They won’t lament for him, saying ‘Ah lord!’ or, ‘Ah his glory!’
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” says Yahweh.
Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it. It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he will be saved out of it.
You will die in peace; and with the burnings of your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so they will make a burning for you. They will lament you, saying, “Ah Lord!” for I have spoken the word,’ says Yahweh.”
“ ‘You sword of Yahweh, how long will it be before you are quiet? Put yourself back into your scabbard; rest, and be still.’
Of Moab. Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Woe to Nebo! For it is laid waste. Kiriathaim is disappointed. It is taken. Misgab is put to shame and broken down.
Kill all her bulls. Let them go down to the slaughter. Woe to them! For their day has come, the time of their visitation.
The Lord Yahweh says, “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
and say, “The Lord Yahweh says: ‘Woe to the women who sew pillows on all elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive for yourselves?
“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and tell them, even the shepherds, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed the sheep?
“Woe to you who desire the day of Yahweh! Why do you long for the day of Yahweh? It is darkness, and not light.
Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who are secure on the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come!
Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil on their beds! When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.
Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery. The prey doesn’t depart.
Won’t all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion! How long?’
Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!
Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity!
“Woe to him who gives his neighbor drink, pouring your inflaming wine until they are drunk, so that you may gaze at their naked bodies!
Woe to him who says to the wood, ‘Awake!’ or to the mute stone, ‘Arise!’ Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all within it.
Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! Yahweh’s word is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy you, that there will be no inhabitant.
Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city!
Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,’ says Yahweh; ‘for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the sky,’ says Yahweh.
‘Come, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.’
Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! The sword will be on his arm, and on his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded!”