Keraia
Lexicon

מָה

mahwhat?How to read Hebrew
hebrewOld TestamentQuestion word751 occurrences37 books657 verses

Definition

or מַה; or מָ; or מַ; also מֶה; a primitive particle; 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
Traditional renderings: how (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.

In the Greek Old Testament

How the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament renders מָה:

Usage patterns

Old TestamentNew Testament

Occurrences

751 total
  1. Job 35:3מַה־ · What; מָֽה־ · and what
    For you ask, ‘What does it profit me, and what benefit do I gain apart from sin?’
  2. Job 35:6מַה־ · what; מַה־ · what
    If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him? If you multiply your transgressions, what do you do to Him?
  3. Job 35:7מַה־ · what; מַה־ · what
    If you are righteous, what do you give Him, or what does He receive from your hand?
  4. Job 37:19מַה־ · what
    Teach us what we should say to Him; we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness.
  5. Job 38:6מָ֭ה · On what
    On what were its foundations set, or who laid its cornerstone,
  6. Job 40:4מָ֣ה · How
    “Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth.
  7. Psalm 2:1לָ֭מָּה · Why
    Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
  8. Psalm 3:1מָֽה־ · how
    A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom. O LORD, how my foes have increased! How many rise up against me!
  9. Psalm 4:2מֶ֬ה
    How long, O men, will my honor be maligned? How long will you love vanity and seek after lies? Selah
  10. Psalm 8:1מָֽה־ · how
    For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. A Psalm of David. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens.
  11. Psalm 8:4מָֽה־ · what
    …what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him?
  12. Psalm 8:9מָֽה־ · how
    O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!
  13. Psalm 10:1לָמָ֣ה · Why
    Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
  14. Psalm 10:13מֶ֤ה׀
    Why has the wicked man renounced God? He says to himself, “You will never call me to account.”
  15. Psalm 11:3מַה־ · what
    If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
  16. Psalm 21:1מַה־ · How
    For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, the king rejoices in Your strength. How greatly he exults in Your salvation!
  17. Psalm 22:1לָמָ֣ה · why
    For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Doe of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning?
  18. Psalm 30:9מַה־ · What
    “What gain is there in my bloodshed, in my descent to the Pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it proclaim Your faithfulness?
  19. Psalm 31:19מָ֤ה · How
    How great is Your goodness which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have bestowed before the sons of men on those who take refuge in You!
  20. Psalm 35:17כַּמָּ֪ה · How long
    How long, O Lord, will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.
  21. Psalm 36:7מַה־ · How
    How precious is Your loving devotion, O God, that the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings!
  22. Psalm 39:4מַה־ · how; מֶה־
    “Show me, O LORD, my end and the measure of my days. Let me know how fleeting my life is.
  23. Psalm 39:7מַה־ · for what
    And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.
  24. Psalm 42:5מַה־ · Why
    Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him for the salvation of His presence.
  25. Psalm 42:9לָמָ֪ה · Why; לָֽמָּה־ · Why
    I say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why must I walk in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?”
  26. Psalm 42:11מַה־ · Why; וּֽמַה־ · Why
    Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
  27. Psalm 43:2לָמָ֪ה · Why; לָֽמָּה־ · Why
    For You are the God of my refuge. Why have You rejected me? Why must I walk in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?
  28. Psalm 43:5מַה־ · Why; וּֽמַה־ · Why
    Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
  29. Psalm 44:23לָ֖מָּה · Why
    Wake up, O Lord! Why are You sleeping? Arise! Do not reject us forever.
  30. Psalm 44:24לָֽמָּה־ · Why
    Why do You hide Your face and forget our affliction and oppression?
  31. Psalm 49:5לָ֣מָּה · Why
    Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?
  32. Psalm 50:16מַה־ · What right
    To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips?
  33. Psalm 52:1מַה־ · Why
    For the choirmaster. A Maskil of David. After Doeg the Edomite went to Saul and told him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.” Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The loving devotion of God endures all day long.
  34. Psalm 56:4מַה־ · What
    In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
  35. Psalm 56:11מַה־ · What
    …in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
  36. Psalm 66:3מַה־ · How
    Say to God, “How awesome are Your deeds! So great is Your power that Your enemies cower before You.
  37. Psalm 68:16לָ֤מָּה׀ · Why
    Why do you gaze in envy, O mountains of many peaks? This is the mountain God chose for His dwelling, where the LORD will surely dwell forever.
  38. Psalm 74:1לָמָ֣ה · Why
    A Maskil of Asaph. Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?
  39. Psalm 74:9מָֽה׃ · this will last
    There are no signs for us to see. There is no longer any prophet. And none of us knows how long this will last.
  40. Psalm 74:11לָ֤מָּה · Why
    Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand? Stretch it out to destroy them!
  41. Psalm 78:40כַּ֭מָּה · How often
    How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert!
  42. Psalm 79:5מָ֣ה
    How long, O LORD? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire?