אַי

(أَىٌّ, አይ in Syr. in cpds. as ܐܰܝܟܰܢ how? WSG 120–2; cf. As. aiu, who? what?). interrog.adv. where? so with sf. אַיֶּ֫כָּה [a verbal form, v. Sta§ 355 b. 3] Gn 3:9; אַיּוֹ Ex 2:20, poet. where is he? = he is nowhere Jb 14:10; 20:7 (Je 37:19 rd. Qr אַיֵּה); אַיָּם Na 3:17 (in indirect qu.) and the place thereof is not known, אַיָּם where they are. Idiomatically, with the sf. anticipating the noun to which it refers (Ew§ 309 c, cf. DrSm i. 21, 14) 2 K 19:13 אַיּוֹ מֶלֶךְ־חֲמָת where is he, the king of Hamath? (‖ Is 37:13 אַיֵּה) Is 19:12 Mi 7:10. When used alone, or with other adverbs (v. infr.), it is contracted to אֵי Gn 4:9 Dt 32:37 1 S 26:16 Pr 31:4 Qr. (The more usual form is אַיֵּה.) strengthened by the enclitic זֶה (v. זֶה, 4) אֵי־זֶה15 where, then? (never of a person, exc. Est 7:5 (late), & only once 1 K 22:24 [but v. 2 Ch 18:23] with a verb) Is 50:1; 66:1(×2) Je 6:16, in indirect qu. 1 S 9:18; in the phrase אֵי־זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ … where is the way (that) …? †1 K 13:12 2 K 3:8 2 Ch 18:23 Jb 38:19a, 24. prefixed to other adverbs or prons., אֵי imparts to them an interrog. force: thus אֵי־זֶה which (of two or more)? only Ec 2:3; 11:6 (late), in indirect qu. †אֵי־מִזֶּה whence? (מִזֶּה = hence; v. sub זֶה) Gn 16:8 אֵי־מִזֶּה בָאתְ 1 S 30:13 2 S 1:3, 13 Jb 2:2; in indirect qu. Ju 13:6 1 S 25:11; fem. subst. annexed 2 S 15:2 אֵי־מִזֶּה עִיר אַתָּה lit. whence, as regards city, art thou? Jon 1:8. †אֵי־לָזֹאת Je 5:7 upon what ground? (𝔙 super quo?) how? With other adverbs, אֵי coalesces into one word, v. אֵיכָה, אֵיכָכָה, אֵיפֹה.