Hebrew · H4100

מָה

Properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when? ); but also exclamation, what! (including how! ), or indefinitely what (including whatever , and even relatively, that which ); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses

This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through theConnect page. Screenshots are helpful.

מָהH4100

Pronunciationmāh

What does מָה (māh) mean in the Bible?

מָה (māh): Interrogative pronoun functioning as existential probe; shifts from question to exclamation to indefinite reference depending on context.

Full entry for מָה (H4100) · Open the biblical lexicon

Questions this entry answers

What does מָה (māh) mean in the Bible?

מָה (māh): Interrogative pronoun functioning as existential probe; shifts from question to exclamation to indefinite reference depending on context.

How does the BSB render H4100?

The BSB source-word alignment has 751 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include what (293), Why (183), how (78), . . . (37), and what (13).

Where does מָה (māh) appear in Scripture?

The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 2:19. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Samuel (67), Psalms (66), Genesis (63), Job (63).

Source Word Evidence

BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.

How English Renders It

what293×Genesis 2:19, Genesis 3:13, Genesis 4:10, Genesis 12:18

Why183×Genesis 4:6, Genesis 12:18, Genesis 12:19, Genesis 18:13

how78×Genesis 15:8, Genesis 20:9, Genesis 27:20, Genesis 28:17

. . .37×Genesis 31:37, Genesis 38:29, Numbers 13:19, Numbers 22:32

and what13×2 Kings 20:14, Esther 2:11, Esther 9:12, Job 21:15

What [is]9×1 Samuel 20:1, 2 Samuel 12:21, Esther 5:3, Esther 5:6

-7×Numbers 13:19, Numbers 13:20, 1 Kings 3:5, 1 Kings 14:14

and how6×Judges 16:5, Judges 16:6, Proverbs 15:23, Ecclesiastes 6:11

So why5×1 Samuel 9:21, 1 Samuel 15:19, 1 Samuel 19:5, 2 Samuel 19:12

Why then5×Judges 12:3, 1 Samuel 2:29, 1 Samuel 26:15, Job 10:18

How many4×Genesis 47:8, 2 Samuel 19:34, Job 13:23, Psalms 119:84

Whatever4×1 Samuel 20:4, 2 Samuel 21:4, Ecclesiastes 6:10, Nahum 1:9

and why3×Genesis 4:6, Job 15:12, Malachi 2:15

but what3×Genesis 23:15, Job 6:25, Jeremiah 5:31

But why3×Genesis 31:30, Numbers 9:7, 2 Samuel 24:3

For what3×Genesis 31:36, Psalms 39:7, Jeremiah 23:28

Then what3×Joshua 7:9, 1 Samuel 15:14, 2 Kings 4:14

to what3×Judges 7:11, Psalms 85:8, Isaiah 40:18

Who3×Exodus 16:8, Numbers 16:11, Job 21:15

and2×Psalms 133:1, Song Of Solomon 7:6

By what means2×1 Kings 22:21, 2 Chronicles 18:20

For why2×1 Samuel 27:5, Ezekiel 33:11

How often2×Job 21:17, Psalms 78:40

No matter what2×2 Samuel 18:22, 2 Samuel 18:23

the source2×Judges 16:6, Judges 16:15

what is left2×Isaiah 21:11

What is the matter2×Judges 18:23, Judges 18:24

What right2×Psalms 50:16, Jeremiah 11:15

What use2×Job 30:2, Jeremiah 6:20

what will you gain2×Jeremiah 2:18

[and]1×Job 3:12

[Let us]1×Job 19:28

and ‘What1×Jeremiah 23:37

and because of all1×Esther 9:26

and experienced1×Esther 9:26

And what [is]1×Judges 14:18

And whatever1×Numbers 23:3

and whose speech1×Jeremiah 5:15

anything1×1 Samuel 19:3

but how1×Job 9:2

do I have1×Judges 18:24

enough1×2 Chronicles 30:3

For how then1×Exodus 33:16

For what [is]1×Job 31:2

For who1×Exodus 16:7

he asked, “what1×Esther 1:15

how {could}1×2 Kings 8:13

How long1×Psalms 35:17

How much1×Proverbs 16:16

How then1×Job 31:1

if anything1×Genesis 31:32

is much1×Song Of Solomon 4:10

many1×Zechariah 7:3

Now what [is]1×Esther 9:12

Of what1×Isaiah 2:22

Oh, how1×Psalms 119:97

On what1×Job 38:6

one1×Jeremiah 4:30

or1×1 Samuel 19:17

or ‘What1×Jeremiah 23:35

or what1×Nehemiah 2:16

so how1×Proverbs 20:24

so what good1×Genesis 25:32

the first time1×1 Chronicles 15:13

the source of1×Judges 16:5

this will last1×Psalms 74:9

vvv1×Psalms 89:47

What [about]1×1 Samuel 29:3

What [gain comes]1×Ecclesiastes 6:8

What [good]1×Isaiah 1:11

what [may]1×Job 13:13

what [more]1×Ecclesiastes 2:12

What [shall I say]1×Proverbs 31:2

What [troubles]1×1 Samuel 11:5

what [will be]1×Deuteronomy 32:20

what a nuisance1×Malachi 1:13

What better way1×1 Samuel 29:4

What else1×Exodus 22:27

What exists1×Ecclesiastes 3:15

what good1×Genesis 27:46

What have we to do1×2 Kings 3:13

What is1×1 Samuel 4:6

What is that1×Exodus 4:2

What is the issue between you and me1×2 Chronicles 35:21

What is wrong1×Genesis 21:17

what it was1×2 Samuel 18:29

what then1×Ecclesiastes 5:11

what was troubling him1×Esther 4:5

Why was it1×Psalms 114:5

Will You never1×Job 7:19

with anything1×Genesis 39:8

With what1×Micah 6:6

Yet what1×Genesis 31:43

you what1×Zechariah 1:9

Show sample aligned rows

Genesis 2:19מַה־towhatInterrogative Genesis 3:13מַה־toWhatInterrogative Genesis 4:6לָ֚מָּהtoWhyPreposition-l | Interrogative Genesis 4:6וְלָ֖מָּהtoand whyConjunctive waw | Interrogative Genesis 4:10מֶ֣הtoWhatInterrogative Genesis 12:18מַה־toWhatInterrogative Genesis 12:18לָ֚מָּהtoWhyInterrogative Genesis 12:19לָמָ֤הtoWhyInterrogative Genesis 15:2מַה־towhatInterrogative Genesis 15:8בַּמָּ֥הtohowPreposition-b | Interrogative

Usage map

A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.

First aligned rowGenesis 2:19

Aligned rows751

Books represented37

Genesis63Exodus33Leviticus1Numbers30Deuteronomy6Joshua13Judges41Ruth21 Samuel672 Samuel451 Kings192 Kings241 Chronicles82 Chronicles18Ezra1Nehemiah7Esther18Job63Psalms66Proverbs16Ecclesiastes28Song Of Solomon13Isaiah28Jeremiah50Lamentations6Ezekiel16Daniel3Hosea6Joel3Amos4Jonah6Micah8Nahum1Habakkuk5Haggai2Zechariah20Malachi11

Source forms

מַה־218xmah-Genesis 2:19, Genesis 3:13, Genesis 12:18, Genesis 15:2

וּמַה־38xū·mah-Genesis 44:16, Judges 8:3, Judges 15:11, Judges 18:3

מָֽה־32xmāh-Genesis 31:43, Genesis 44:15, Exodus 18:14, Joshua 22:16

לָ֥מָּה28xlām·māhGenesis 25:22, Genesis 27:46, Genesis 31:30, Genesis 32:29

מָ֣ה26xmāhGenesis 20:10, Genesis 21:29, Genesis 30:31, Genesis 38:18

לָ֤מָּה24xlām·māhGenesis 24:31, Genesis 31:27, Exodus 2:20, Exodus 17:3

לָ֣מָּה22xlām·māhGenesis 18:13, Genesis 33:15, Numbers 9:7, Numbers 27:4

מָ֥ה22xmāhGenesis 27:37, Genesis 31:32, Exodus 3:13, Exodus 17:4

Parsing patterns

Interrogative588xGenesis 2:19, Genesis 3:13, Genesis 4:10, Genesis 12:18

Conjunctive waw | Interrogative111xGenesis 4:6, Genesis 20:9, Genesis 29:25, Genesis 44:16

Preposition-b | Interrogative24xGenesis 15:8, Exodus 22:27, Judges 6:15, Judges 16:5

Preposition-l | Interrogative10xGenesis 4:6, Genesis 27:46, Exodus 2:20, 1 Samuel 4:3

Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Interrogative5xExodus 33:16, Judges 16:5, Judges 16:6, 1 Samuel 29:4

Preposition-k | Interrogative5xGenesis 47:8, 2 Samuel 19:34, 1 Kings 22:16, Job 7:19

Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Interrogative3xGenesis 25:32, 1 Samuel 19:5, 1 Samuel 27:5

Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - feminine singular1x1 Chronicles 15:13

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

Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain

Full license details

מָה

What does מָה (māh) mean in the Bible?

What does מָה (māh) mean in the Bible?

How does the BSB render H4100?

Where does מָה (māh) appear in Scripture?

Evidence Summary

Source Gloss