BDB4615 H4310
BDB4614 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB4616
מִי423 pronoun interrogative who? of persons, as מָה (q. v.) of things (Ethiopic but only = What ? and How ? Assyrian mî, me (rare) JägerBAS. ii. 277, the usual Semitic form for Who? has n, namely Assyrian mannu, manu (DlHWB 419), Ethiopic man¥, Aramaic Arabic , Vulgar Arabic min, m£n, from a form resembling which, by rejection of n, probably Hebrew מִי: WSG 123 f.): — who ? (τίς; quis ?) Gen 3:11 הִגִּיד לְךָ מִי who told thee ? Gen 24:65 מִי הָאִישׁ הַלָּזֶה who is this man ? Gen 27:18 מי אתה בני who art thou, my son ? Num 22:9; Judg 1:1; Judg 6:29; Judg 15:6; Judg 18:3; Judg 20:18; 2Sam 1:8 + often; Ruth 3:9 מִי אָ֑תְּ who art thou, (feminine) ? Isa 51:12 of more than one, מִי אֵלָּה who are these ? Gen 33:5; Gen 48:8; Isa 60:8 מי אתם 2Kgs 10:13 once, more explicitly, מִי זָמִי הַהֹלְכִים Exod 10:8 = as who ? (i.e. in what condition, or capacity), Amos 7:2 יעקב מי יקום vAmos 7:5; Isa 51:19 מִי אֲנַחֲמֵךְ (but Vrss Che Lag Brd Du ׳מִי יְ, as || מִי יָנוּד), Ruth 3:16 (Be Ke Köiii. 388). Note in particular:
a. מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied: Gen 33:8 מי לך כלהֿמחנה הזה who (or what) to thee is all this camp ? Deut 4:7; Judg 9:28 שְׁכֶם מִי who is Shechem (i.e. the Shechemites) ? Mic 1:5 מִיפֶֿשַׁע יַעֲקֹב הֲלֹא שֹׁמְרוֺן, vb Song 3:6; Judg 13:17 מִי שְׁמֶ֑ךָ ( but מה Gen 32:28; Exod 3:13: with מי compare מַן in Aramaic Ezra 5:4 Genesis, Exodus ll. cc. ᵑ7; and see NöM. p. 341). On 1Sam 18:18, see II. חַי
b. in the genitive, בַּתמִֿי אַתְּ whose daughter art thou ? Gen 24:23; Gen 24:47; 1Sam 12:3 (3 t. in verse); 1Sam 17:55; Jer 44:28; Job 26:4; Job 33:28 after various prepositions, as אַחֲרֵי מִי 1Sam 24:15 (twice in verse); אֶלמִֿי 1Sam 6:20; 2Kgs 9:5 +; בְּמִי by whom ? 1Kgs 20:14, לְמִי20 to whom ? whose ? Gen 32:18 לְמִי אַתָּה, Gen 38:25; Prov 20:20 (6 t.) +; מִמִּי Ezek 32:19; Ps 27:1 (twice in verse); עַלמִֿי 2Kgs 18:20; 2Kgs 19:22; Isa 57:4 +; אֶתמִֿי (so always in accusative), 1Sam 12:3 (twice in verse); 1Sam 28:11; Isa 6:8 = with whom ? Job 12:3.
c. in an indirect question, as Gen 21:26; Gen 43:22 לא ידענו מי שׂם we do not know who put, etc., Deut 21:1; Ps 39:7; Josh 24:15 בַּחֲרוּ ֗֗֗ אֶתמִֿי תַעֲבֹד֑וּן choose whom ye will serve, after ראה 1Sam 14:17, שׁאל 1Sam 17:56, הגיד 1Kgs 1:20, הודיע v1Kgs 1:27.
d. ׳מי ב who among ... ? 1Sam 22:14; Isa 36:20; Isa 43:9; Isa 48:14 (בהם) Isa 42:23; Isa 50:10; Hag 2:3 ( all בכם); מי מן who of ... ? Judg 21:8; 2Kgs 6:11; Isa 50:1.
e. strengthened and emphatic forms of interrogative:
(a) מי זה (see זה 4 b), מי הוא (see הוא 4 b β), הוא זה מי Ps 24:10; Jer 30:21; Esth 7:5 (see ibid.);
(b) אֶחָד מִי what single one ... ? Judg 21:8, compare 2Sam 7:23 ( = 1Chr 17:21). feminine various rhetorical uses ( often repeated in || clause, as Ps 15:1; Ps 18:32; Isa 28:9; Isa 29:15): — (a) followed by imperfect it expresses a wish ( the question implying a desire that the person asked for were present ), 2Sam 15:4 מִי יְשִׂמֵנִי שֹׁפֵט who will set me judge ? i.e. would that some one would make me judge ! 2Sam 23:15 מִי יַשְׁקֵנִי מַיִם = O that one would give me to drink, etc. ! compare Num 11:4; Num 11:18; Mal 1:10; Ps 4:7; Ps 60:11; Ps 94:16; Isa 42:23, and very often in the phrase מִי יִתֵּן who will give? i.e. would that there were. . . ! as Num 11:29 נביאים ׳ומי יתן כל עם י = and would that all ׳י's people were prophets! Deut 28:67 מי יתן ערב = would it were even! Judg 9:29 + (see נָתַן). (b) it expresses contempt (who ? implying the answer no one at all), Exod 5:2 ׳אשׁר אשׁמע בקולו מי י who is ׳י that I should listen to his voice ? Judg 9:28 מִי אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וּמִי שְׁכֶם כִּי נַעַבְדֶנּוּ, vJudg 9:38; 1Sam 17:26 who is this Philistine that he should have reproached, etc.? 1Sam 25:10 מי דוד ומי בן ישׁי Isa 28:9; Job 26:4; Prov 30:9 ׳מי י; or modesty (real or assumed), Exod 3:11 מִי אָנֹכִי כִּי אֵלֵךְ אֶלפַּֿרְעֹה 1Sam 18:18 ומי חיי מי אנכי who am I, and who is my clan (חַיִּי), that I should be the king's son-in-law ? 2Sam 7:18; 1Chr 29:14; 2Chr 2:5 or surprise, Isa 44:10; Isa 49:21. (c) in impassioned prose, and especially in poetry, implying the answer few or none, it is equivalent to a rhetorical negative, Deut 9:2 מִי יִתְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵי בְנֵי עֲנָק who can stand, etc.? Deut 30:12 מִי יַעֲלֶהלָּֿנוּ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה vDeut 30:13; 1Sam 4:8 ׳מִי יַצִּילֵנוּ וג, 1Sam 6:20; 1Sam 22:14; 1Sam 26:9; 1Sam 26:15; 2Sam 16:10 מי יאמר who shall (or can) say ? Job 9:12; Prov 20:9; Eccl 8:4 with the perfect (of experience), who has ever . . . ? Num 23:10; Deut 5:23; Isa 36:20; Isa 66:8 (twice in verse); Jer 18:13 מִי שָׁמַע כָּאֵלֶּה, Jer 23:18 (ᵑ0), Jer 30:21; Job 4:7; Job 9:4 מִי הִקְשָׁה אֵלָיו וַיִּשְׁלָ֑ם, Job 41:3; Prov 30:4; Lam 3:37 in poetry, very often, as Gen 49:9 מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ וּכְלָבִיא who can rouse him up ? (i.e. no one), Exod 15:11 (twice in verse) מִי כָמוֺךָ (so Ps 35:10 and elsewhere), Num 24:9; Num 24:23; 1Sam 2:25 מי יתפלל לו who shall intercede for him ? (i.e. no one), Isa 1:12; Isa 10:3; Isa 40:13; Isa 40:14; Isa 40:18; Isa 41:26; Isa 42:19; Isa 43:9; Isa 48:14; Isa 50:1; Isa 53:1 מִי הֶאֱמִין לִשְׁמֻעָתֵנוּ (i.e. few or none), etc.; Ps 18:32 ׳מִי אֱלוֺהַּ מִבַּלְעֲדֵי י, Ps 76:8; Ps 89:7; Ps 130:3; Job 21:31; Job 34:29; Jer 17:9; Joel 2:11; Mal 3:2 מִי לֹא ֗֗֗ Amos 3:8; Jer 10:7; Job 12:9 (compare Job 25:3; Nah 3:19); (יְשִׁיבֶנָּה) מִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ who shall (can) turn it back ? Job 9:12; Job 11:10; Job 23:13; Isa 14:27; Isa 43:13; Jer 2:24 implying the answer, no one but God, Isa 40:12; Isa 41:2; Isa 35:6; Isa 35:25, etc.; defiantly, Isa 50:9 מִי הוּא יַרְשִׁיעֵנִי, Jer 21:13; Jer 49:4 מִי יָבוֺא אֵלַי, vJer 49:19; Obad 1:3; Ps 12:5 מִי אָדוֺן לָנוּ, Ps 59:8; Ps 64:6; Job 9:19 מִי יוֺעִידֵנִי וְאִם לְמִשְׁפָּט, Job 13:19 מִי הוּא יָרִיב עִמָּדִי who is he that will contend with me ? Job 17:3; Job 41:2. Notice in examples of this kind the frequent order of words: Prov 20:6 ואישׁ אמוּנים מי ימצא, Prov 24:22 יודע ופיד שׁניהם מי, Prov 31:10; Nah 1:6 לפני זעמו מי יעמד, Ps 147:17 קֹרָתוֺ מי יעמד לפני, Job 4:2 וַעְצֹר בְּמִלִּין מִי יוּכ֑ל, Job 26:14; Job 38:37; Job 39:5; Job 41:5; Job 41:6; Ps 6:6 בִּשְׁאוֺל מִי יוֺדֶהלָּֿ֑ךְ, Ps 19:13 and with the nom. pendens, Jer 2:24 תַּאֲנָתָהּ מִי יְשִׁיבֶנָּה, Prov 18:14; Job 17:15 וְתִקְוָתִי מִי יְשׁוּרֶנָּה, Job 38:29 וּכְפֹר שָׁמַיִם מִי יְלָדוֺ.
(d) מִי יוֺדֵעַ who knoweth ? (Ps 90:11; Prov 24:22), followed by a verbal clause, becomes (compare nescio an) = it may be, perchance, 2Sam 12:22 ׳מִי יוֺדֵעַ יְחָנֵּנִי י (Qr וְחַנַּנִי), Joel 2:14 ( = Jonah 3:9) מי יודע ישׁוב ונחם, Esth 4:14 יודע אם מי.
(e) especially in poetry, a question with מי, to which the answer follows, is an effective mode of affirming a fact, or introducing a description: Ps 15:1 (twice in verse) (see vPs 15:2); Ps 24:3; Ps 24:8; Ps 24:10; Isa 23:8 מי יעץ ׳זאת וג (Isa 23:9 the answ., יְעָצָהּ ׳צ ׳י), Isa 33:14 (see vIsa 33:15f.), Isa 37:23; Isa 41:2; Isa 41:4; Isa 60:8; Isa 63:1; Jer 46:7; Song 3:6, compare Song 6:10; Song 8:3 answered by הֲלֹא Exod 4:11; Isa 42:24; Isa 45:21; Mic 1:5 (twice in verse).
g. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it: Exod 24:14 מי בעל דברים יִגַּשׁ אליהם, literally Who hath a cause ? let him draw nigh unto them, i.e. whoso hath a cause, let him, etc., Isa 50:8b מִי בַעַל מִשְׁפָּטִי יִגַּשׁ אֵלַי, Isa 54:15; Judg 7:3 מִי יָרֵא וְחָרֵד יָשֹׁב ׳וג who is fearful and trembling ? let him return, Prov 9:4; Prov 9:16 מִיפֶֿ֖תִי יָסֻר הֵגָּה, Ezra 1:3 (compare with וְ in apodosis Jer 9:11; Hos 14:10; Ps 107:43; Zech 4:10 is dubious, on account of anomalous tense and construction); so with מי האישׁ אשׁר ֗֗֗ Deut 20:5; Deut 20:6; Deut 20:7; Judg 10:18, compare Ps 25:12. With 1 person in apodosis, Exod 32:33 חָטָא לִי אֶמְחֶגּוּ מִסִּפְרִי מִי אֲשֶׁר, Jer 49:19 ( = Jer 50:44) אֵלָיהָ אֶפְקֹד וּמִי בָחוּר and who is chosen? I will appoint him over her! Isa 50:8a; with an imperative in the apodosis Exod 32:24 (against accents; see Ra) התפרקו למי זהב who hath gold ? break it off you! Gen 19:12; 1Sam 11:12, compare Ps 34:13f.; without a verb, Exod 32:26 אלי ׳מי לי who is on J.'s side ? (let him come) to me! so 2Sam 20:11 (מי אשׁר); Eccl 5:9; Eccl 9:4 (מי אשׁר).
h. once, following a verb (compare מָה 3), any one, 2Sam 18:12 שִׁמְרוּמִֿי בַּנַּעַר באבשׁלום Have a care, whosoever ye be, of, etc. (but ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ9 Bu לִי; compare v2Sam 18:5).
BDB9669 H4479 H4310
BDB9668 | BIBLICAL ARAMAIC | BDB9670
מַן (so Gi, with most MSS., supported by Syriac , Arabic ; see K§ 22, 1), מָן (Baer: see on Dan 3:6), interrogative pronoun who? (Old Aramaic, Nabataean, Palmyrene מן Lzb312 Cooke188), ᵑ7 מן, Syriac , Ethiopic Arabic WCG 123: Biblical Hebrew מִי); — 1. who?
Ezra 5:3;
Ezra 5:9 strengthened by
הוּא,
Dan 3:15 וּמַןהֿוּא אֱלָהּ דִּי who is the God who . . . ? (compare Syriac
contracted from
, and
מַנּוּ in the Syriacizing
ᵑ7 to Proverbs: also Biblical Hebrew
מִי הוּא,
הוּא 4 b β); so in the plural
Ezra 5:4 מִןאִֿנוּן שְׁמָהָת what (literally
who: compare
מִי 1 a, and
Gen 32:28;
Exod 3:13 ᵑ7) are the names of . . .?
2. מַןדּֿי whosoever (literally
who is there that . . .? see Biblical Hebrew
מִי g)
Dan 3:6;
Dan 3:11 מִןדִּֿי לָא יִפֵּל,
Dan 4:14 וּלְמִן דִּי יִצְבֵּא יִתְּנִנַּהּ to
whomsoever he willeth, he giveth it, v.
Dan 4:22 v.
Dan 4:29;
Dan 5:21 (so Nabataean
מן די,
Cooke241, 325 ff.;
ᵑ7 מַן דְּ; Syriac
; compare Egyptian Aramaic
S-CPap. K 7, 12 ולמן זי צבית תנתן).