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# הֵמָּה

Biblical Hebrew · Strong's H1992

**they** — used 562 times in the Hebrew Bible. Below: its meanings with their sources, MACULA's glosses, and 2 verses word for word and in JPS 1917.

## Meaning

### OpenScriptures lexical index

they [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1492/1992/#m1)

### Brown–Driver–Briggs 1906

הֵ֫מָּה: pron. pl. masc. fem. pr. pl. they [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1492/1992/#m2)

**The whole BDB entry:** and הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences: on the whole הֵמָּה (alone) is somewhat more freq. than הֵם, הָהֵם on the contrary is said regularly, הָהֵמָּה occurring only 12 times, viz. Nu 9:7 (P), Je 14:15 Zc 14:15, and in the phr. בַּ(הַ)יָּמִים הָהֵמָּה 2 K 18:4 Je 3:16, 18; 5:18; 50:4; Jo 3:2; 4:1; Zc 8:23; Ne 13:15, though בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם is much more common) pron. 3 pl. masc. (הֵמָּה used incorrectly for the fem. Zc 5:10; Ru 1:22; Ct 6:8), fem. הֵ֫נָּה \[NH also הֵן, which occurs however in Bibl. Heb. only after a prefix: v. infr. 8\], pr. 3 pl. they (Biblical Aramaic הִמּוֹ, q.v.; هُنَّ, هُمْ; Ethiopic (one form) እሙንቱ: እማንቱ: ʾemūn-tū, ʾemān-tū; cf. also for the dissyl. form, the sf. –ōmū \[fem. –ōn\]; perhaps also Assyrian suff. šunu, šina\[ni\], cf. reff. sub הוּא). In usage not different in genl. from הוּא, הִיא (which see, under the corresponding headings, for fuller explanations), thus:— Gn 6:4; Ex 5:7 הֵם יֵֽלְכוּ let them (emph.) go and gather straw, Nu 31:16; Is 24:14; Ho 4:14; 7:3 etc.; after כִּי Je 5:5; 34:7. (For the use in circumst. clauses v. Dr§ 160, 169.) Ju 1:22 ויעלו … גַם הֵם, Dt 2:11 (אַף הֵם), 3:20; Jos 9:4; Ez 30:17. Ex 18:22 every small matter יִשְׁפְּטוּ־הֵם let them judge themselves, v 26 Je 15:19; 17:18 ψ 109:28; Est 9:1. Gn 33:6; 44:3 Jud 6:5 etc. cf. Ne 10:38. (Resuming the subj. with emph.) Gn 14:24 (note accents), Dt 1:39 ψ 23:4; 27:2 (accents), 37:9; 107:24; Ez 36:7; 44:15. Is 30:7; Ez 27:13, 17, 21; cf. Is 44:11. Nu 14:27a Je 27:9; Ez 43:19 אֲשֶׁר הֵם מִזֶּרַע צָדוֹק, Ec 4:2; Ne 2:13.—הֵמָּה כִּדְוֵי לַחֻמִי Jb 6:7 read perhaps וַהֲמָה וגו׳ (or זָֽהֲמָה) it is loathesome (√ זהם). Gn 3:7; Ex 5:8 כִּי נִרְפִּים הֵם for they are idle, 14:3; 15:23; 29:33 etc. (the opp. order rare: Nu 11:16 Is 61:9, cf. De ψ 94:11). Gn 34:21, 23; 41:26; 48:5 שׁני בניך … לִי הֵם thy two sons …, they are mine, Ex 32:16 + often: Is. 41:22 הָרִאשֹׁנוֹת מָה הֵנָּה, 49:21 אֵלֶּה אֵיפֹה הֵם these—where were they? Zp 2:12 after אַתֶּם, peculiarly (cf. Dr§ 198 Obs. 2). Dt 20:15 אֲשֶׁר לֹא־מֵעָרֵי הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה הֵנָּה, Ju 19:12 1 K 9:20. 2 K 7:10 כַּאֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה. (Pr 19:7 Kt לֹא־הֵמָּה is prob. corrupt: v. Comm.) Pr 30:24 אַרְבָּעָה הֵם קְטַנֵּי־אָ֑רֶץ four things are they, the little ones of the earth, v 29 (cf. before a rel. clause v 15, 18; 6:16) Ct 6:8; Is 51:19 שְׁתַּיִם הֵנָּה קֹרְאֹתַיִךְ, 1 Ch 9:26 (v. הוא 4 a). (β) Gn 21:29 מָה הֵנָּה שֶׁבַע … lit. What are they—these seven sheep? Zc 1:9; 4:5. (γ) אֵלֶּה … הֵם †Gn 25:16 (= 1 Ch 1:36) Lv 23:2; Nu 3:20, 21, 27, 33 1 S 4:8 1 Ch 8:6; 12:15 (v. Dr§ 201, 3). In a neuter sense (rare), Jb 6:7 הֵמָּה כִּדְוֵי לַחְמִי they (i.e. such sufferings as mine) are as loathsomeness in my meat, Je 7:4 הֵיכַל י׳ הֵמָּה they (i.e. these buildings) are the temple of י׳; and in the fem., Lv 5:22 of all that a man doeth to sin בָּהֵנָּה therein, 1 Ch 21:10 מֵהֵנָּה (‖ 2 S 24:12 מֵהֶם); 2 S 12:8 Jb 23:14 כָּהֵנָּה things such as these. With art. הָהֵם, Gn 6:4; Ex 2:11; Nu 14:38 + often; הָהֵמָּה 12 times (v. supr.); הָהֵנָּה †1 S 17:28. N.B.—Ez 8:6 Kt מָהֵם stands for מָה הֵם (so Qr), cf. מַזֶּה for מַה־זֶּה Ex 4:2; 2 K 9:18 עַד־הֵם is irreg. for עֲדֵיהֶם; 2 S 4:6 וְהֵנָּה וג׳ is textual error for וְהִנֵּה שֹׁעֶרֶת הַבַּיִת סֹקְלָה חִטִּים וג׳ v. We Dr (𝔊 & RVm). With preps. (in lieu of the normal, and more usual, forms with suffixes בָּהֶם, לָהֶם, מֵהֶם etc. \[כָּהֶם & כָּהֶן, however, each once only, כְּמוֹהֶם thrice: v. כְּ\])— בָּהֵמָּה †Ex 30:4; 36:1 (both P), Hb 1:16; כָּהֵמָּה †Je 36:32; לָהֵמָּה †Je 14:16; מֵהֵמָּה †Je 10:2 Ec 12:12. כָּהֵם †2 S 24:3 Yahweh add to the people כָּהֵם וְכָהֵם מֵאָה פְעָמִים the like of themselves and the like of themselves 100 times, = 1 Ch 21:3 (but כָּהֵם here only once, cf. Dt 1:11 כָּכֶם), 2 Ch 9:11; Ec 9:12. בָּהֵנָּה †Lv 5:22 (P) Nu 13:19 (JE) Je 5:17: כָּהֵנָּה †Gn 41:19 2 S 12:8 וְאֹסִפָה לְךָ כָּהֵנָּה וְכָהֵנָּה, Jb 23:14: לָהֵנָּה †Ez 1:5, 23(×2); 42:9; Zc 5:9: מֵהֵנָּה †Lv 4:2 (P) Is 34:16; Je 5:6; Ez 16:51; 42:5 ψ 34:21 1 Ch 21:10 (‖ 2 S 24:12 מֵהֶם). בָּהֵן †Gn 19:29 (P) 30:26, 37 Ex 25:29; 37:16 (both P) Lv 10:1; 11:21; 14:40 Nu 10:3; 16:7 (all P) Dt 28:52; Jr 4:29; 48:9; 51:43(×2) (בָּהֶן thrice only, v. p. 88); כָּהֵן †Ez 18:14 (edd.; Baer כָּהֶן); לָהֵן (= therefore) †Ru 1:13(×2) (also Biblical Aramaic); מֵהֵן †Ez 16:47, 52 (edd.; Baer מֵהֶן). (With the exception of כָּהֵנָּה, these forms are found mostly in P and writers not earlier than Je.; b and d, however, depend solely on the punctuation.)

Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech not compared, 96 of its verses cited, 2 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (3 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech not compared, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 1 with the glosses (3 candidates)

## Glosses

MACULA's English glosses of the word in the text, with how often each is used: they (446); those (58); \[are\] they (41).

## In the verses

[Psalms 48:6](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PSA.48.6/) · [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PSA.48.6/#tree)

הֵ֣מָּה רָ֭אוּ כֵּ֣ן תָּמָ֑הוּ נִבְהֲל֥וּ נֶחְפָּֽזוּ׃

*Word for word:* they they.saw thus they.were.astonished they.were.terrified they.hurried.away

*JPS 1917:* They saw, straightway they were amazed; they were affrighted, they hasted away.

[Psalms 94:11](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PSA.94.11/) · [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PSA.94.11/#tree)

יְֽהוָ֗ה יֹ֭דֵעַ מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת אָדָ֑ם כִּי־הֵ֥מָּה הָֽבֶל׃

*Word for word:* Yahweh \[is\].knowing \[the\].thoughts of.a.person (dm).that they \[are\].a.breath

*JPS 1917:* The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

## On Mova

- [This word in the Tanakh dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/w/1992.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of its meanings](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1492/1992/): every English meaning parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.

Sources. The words, their counts, glosses and the word-for-word renderings: MACULA Hebrew (the Westminster Leningrad Codex; Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0). Meanings: the OpenScriptures lexical index (CC BY 4.0), Brown–Driver–Briggs 1906 and Jastrow 1903 (public domain, via Sefaria); Targum Onkelos from Sefaria (public domain). Translation: JPS 1917 (public domain, from eBible.org).