H0369 Negates xc795
אַיִן ayin (H0369) Negates
אַיִן ayin (H0369) is in the Bible approximately 795 times. It is rendered except, fails, fatherless, incurable, infinite, innumerable, neither, never, no, none, not, nothing, nought or without. It refers to being nothing or not existing; a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle.
This word is basically a negative substantive used most frequently in the construct form. The word therefore has no single meaning and the exact translation must be determined in each context. The negative concept is always present wherever the word is used. It is characteristically used to negate a noun or noun clause. It is used in numerous negative expressions.
אַיִן ayin (H0369) may be used absolutely, with no suffixes and not in a construct chain. When used in this way it signifies nonexistence or the idea of absence. This is its use and significance in Bereishis 2:5, its first occurrence. There was a lack of men to till the ground.
5 And every plant of the field before it was in the land, and every herb of the field before it grew. For Yehovah Redeemer had not caused it to rain upon the land, and not (ayin) a man to till the earth (adamah).
Related to this concept is the expression of non-existence, 1 Shemuel 10:14.
14 And Shaul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, Whither went you? And he said, To seek the asses. And when we saw that no where (ayin), we came to Shemuel.
Or of that which is gone, has disappeared, 1 Melakhim 20:40.
40 And as you servant was busy here and there, he was gone (vhu ayin). And the king of Yisrael said to him, So your judgment; yourself has decided.
This same idea is in Qohelet 3:14 where it expresses nothingness.
14 I know that, whatsoever Redeemer does, it shall be for ever. Nothing (ayin) can be put to it, nor any thing (ayin) taken from it. And Redeemer does, that should fear before Him.
אַיִן ayin (H0369) also is the usage in Yeshayahu 44:12, where the concept is that of fading out or failing, in reference to a man’s strength.
12 The smith with the tongs both works in the coals, and fashions it with hammers, and works it with the strength of his arms. Yes, he is hungry, and his strength fails (ayin). He drinks no (lo) water, and is faint.
Finally, absence is seen as primary in the negative time concept of Yechezqel 28:19, “no more,” “never more.”
19 All they that know you among the people shall be astonished at you. You shall be a terror, and never (ayin olam) you any more.
In several contexts the word might be translated “without”, Mishlei 15:22.
22 Without (b ayin) intimate counsel (sod) purposes are disappointed. But in the multitude of counselors they are established.
A second basic usage of this negative root is in the idea of alternatives. In Bereishis 30:1, the concept is that of either / or (or else).
1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Yaaqov no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said to Yaaqov, Give me children, or else (im ayin) I die.
Again Shemos 17:7 אַיִן ayin (H0369) preceded by the particle אִם im (H0518), it may mean “not”.
7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Merivah, because of the chiding of the Children of Yisrael, and because they tempted Yehovah, saying, Is Yehovah among us, or (im) not (ayin)?
In Bereishis 44:26, it is expressed as a condition (unless / except).
26 And we said, We cannot go down. If youngest brother be with us, then will we go down. For we may not see the man’s face, except our youngest brother with us.
Except our brother is the Hebrew word וְאָחִינוּ. This has the prefix ו, followed by אָח ach (H0251) for brother and אַיִן ayin (H0369).
Still in Bereishis 45:6, the negative alternative is expressed (neither / nor).
6 For these two years the famine in the land. And yet five years, in the which neither (ayin) earing nor harvest.
The third usage is that of impossibility. This is expressed in a variety of ways. The grain of Yosef, impossible to number, is so rendered, Bereishis 41:49.
49 And Yosef gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for without (ayin) number.
Limits which cannot be exceeded are similarly expressed, 2 Divre Hayyamim 20:25.
25 And when Yehoshafat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could (ayin) carry away. And they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.
“More than could” is from the Hebrew word אַיִן ayin (H0369).
Perhaps the most frequent use of the root is to express impossibility is in negative compound concepts such as incurable, 2 Divre Hayyamim 21:18.
18 And after all this Yehovah smote him in his bowels with an incurable (ayin marpe) disease.
Unsearchable in Iyyov 5:9.
9 Which does great things and unsearchable (ayin cheqer); marvelous things without number.
And infinite in Nachum 3:9.
9 Kush and Mitzrayim her strength, and infinite (ayin qetseh); Put and Luvim were your helpers.
At times, the root expresses the simple negative “not” as in Shofetim 14:3.
3 Then his father and his mother said to him, never (ayin) a woman among the daughters of your brethren or among all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Pelishtim? And Shimshon said to his father, Get her for me; for she pleases me well.
It can also convey the concept of “almost” as it does in Tehilla 73:2.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone (k meat); My steps had well nigh (ayin) slipped.
Almost is כִּמְעַט is prefix with מְעַט meat (H4592).
In this latter usage, it is close in function to the parallel word meaning “almost,” “nearly.”
Frequently the negative root is joined to inseparable pronouns forming in one word both the subject and the negative as in Tehilla 59:13.
13 Consume in wrath, consume, that they not (ayin). And let them know that Redeemer rules in Yaaqov to the ends of the land. Selah.
They not is the Hebrew וְאֵינֵמוֹ. This is the prefix ו followed by אַיִן ayin (H0369) and הֵם hem (H1992). The same is in Tehilla 73:5.
5 They not in trouble men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Again they not is the Hebrew אֵינֵמוֹ.
Bereishis 5:24.
24 And Chanokh walked with Redeemer. And he not (ayin); for Redeemer took him.
He not is the Hebrew וְאֵינֶנּוּ. This has the prefix ו followed by אַיִן ayin (H0369) and הוּא hu (H1931) means he in this case.
Shemos 5:10
10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
I will not is the Hebrew אֵינֶנִּי. This is אַיִן ayin (H0369) and אֲנִי aniy (H0589) for I.
Sometimes the simple negative root accompanies the independent pronoun as in Nechemya 4:17.
17 They which built on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held a weapon.
This word should be distinguished from another word אַיִן ayin (H0370) meaning “whence,” or “from where.”
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