Hebrew · H1961, G1096 · unreviewed

נִהְיָה

To exist , i.e. be or become , come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary) · to be

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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

הָיָה H1961 to exist , i.e. be or become , come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

Pronunciation hāyāh

Emphatic existential verb emphasizing actual occurrence or becoming; never mere grammatical copula in Hebrew thought.

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γίνομαι G1096 to be

Pronunciation gínomai

Denotes coming into being or becoming, not static existence; emphasizes transition and change rather than mere state.

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What does נִהְיָה (nihyah) mean in the Bible?

הָיָה · γίνομαι is a Hebrew word meaning "to happen, come to pass, be realized".

Full entry for נִהְיָה (H1961, G1096) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to happen, come to pass, be realized

Grammatical Forms

How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.

Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 1631×

Imperfect 1Chr 11:6 · 1Chr 12:18 · 1Chr 17:11 · 1Chr 17:13 · 1Chr 17:14 · 1Chr 21:3 · 1Chr 22:9 · 1Chr 22:10 · 1Kgs 1:37 · 1Kgs 1:52 · 1Kgs 2:33 · 1Kgs 2:37 · 1Kgs 2:45 · 1Kgs 3:26 · 1Kgs 4:7 · 1Kgs 5:8 803×

Perfect 1Chr 2:34 · 1Chr 6:39 · 1Chr 9:20 · 1Chr 11:13 · 1Chr 11:20 · 1Chr 17:13 · 1Chr 18:10 · 1Chr 22:7 · 1Chr 22:14 · 1Chr 23:17 · 1Chr 24:28 · 1Chr 26:10 · 1Chr 28:12 · 1Chr 29:25 · 1Kgs 1:37 · 1Kgs 3:12 721×

Jussive 1Chr 22:11 · 1Kgs 1:37 · 1Kgs 8:57 · 1Kgs 10:9 · 1Kgs 22:13 · 2Chr 9:8 · 2Chr 19:7 · 2Kgs 2:10 · 2Sam 14:17 · Deut 32:38 · Exod 7:9 · Exod 10:10 · Ezek 16:15 · Ezek 45:10 · Ezra 1:3 · Gen 1:3 73×

Infinitive construct 1Kgs 11:36 · 1Sam 22:4 · 2Kgs 6:25 · 2Sam 24:13 · Esth 2:12 · Exod 8:18 · Ezek 22:19 · Ezek 34:8 · Ezek 35:5 · Gen 2:18 · Jer 33:20 · Jer 51:62 · Josh 11:20 · Judg 18:31 · Ps 50:21 · Ruth 1:13 16×

Sequential imperfect 1Sam 18:17 · Eccl 7:14 · Exod 18:19 · Ezek 21:15 · Isa 33:2 · Ps 30:11 · Ps 31:3 · Ps 71:3 · Exod 19:15 · Num 16:16 · Gen 24:60 11×

Infinitive absolute 1Kgs 13:32 · Ezek 1:3 · Ezek 20:32 · Gen 18:18 · Jer 15:18 · Num 30:7 6×

Participle active Exod 9:3 1×

Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 17×

Perfect Dan 2:1 · Dan 12:1 · Exod 11:6 · Jer 5:30 · Jer 48:19 · Judg 19:30 · Judg 20:3 · Judg 20:12 · 1Kgs 1:27 · 1Kgs 12:24 · 2Chr 11:4 · Joel 2:2 · Neh 6:8 · Zech 8:10 · Dan 8:27 · Deut 27:9 16×

Participle active Prov 13:19 1×

Hebrew Verb Forms

How this verb appears across 1648 occurrences in the Hebrew OT (OSHB Leningrad Codex).

Aspect / Form

Imperfect 876 Perfect 737 Infinitive construct 16 Imperative 11 Infinitive absolute 6 Participle 2

Stem

Qal 1631 Niphal 17

Mood

Indicative/jussive 755 Indicative 737 Jussive 73 Indicative/cohortative 48 Imperative 11

OT Occurrences

Aspect in Hebrew reflects grammatical form, not tense. "Perfect" (Perfective) typically denotes completed action; "Imperfect" (Imperfective) denotes incomplete or ongoing action. Stem modifies the action type (Qal=simple, Niphal=passive, Piel=intensive, etc.).

Morphology: OSHB WLC (Open Scriptures, CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible TEHMC (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0)

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

Acts 19 — The Word of the Lord Grows Mightily in Ephesus Ephesians 2 — Made Alive by Grace and Made One in Christ John 16 — The Spirit’s Convicting Witness, the Disciples’ Sorrow Turned to Joy, and Christ’s Victory over the World John 20 — The Risen Lord: Empty Tomb, Eyewitness Faith, Peace, Mission, Spirit, Thomas, and the Purpose of the Gospel Mark 13 — Watch and Endure: Temple Judgment, Gospel Witness, Tribulation, the Son of Man, and Readiness Matthew 11 — The Messiah Question, the Rejected Generation, and Rest for the Weary Matthew 18 — Kingdom Humility, Care for the Little Ones, Discipline, and Forgiveness in Christ’s Community Romans 7 — Released from the Law, Exposed by the Law, and Crying Out for Deliverance

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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