Genesis 18:24:1Gen.18.24.W1TAB
אוּלַ֥י
ulai
“perhaps”
- Transliteration
- u-LAI
- Extended
- oo-LAI
- IPA
- /ʔu.ˈlaj/
Meaning by language
- English
- perhaps
Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it
Alphabet Analysis
| Aleph | silent — a glottal stop; holds vowel points | |
| Vav | v as in vine; marks long ō / ū | |
| Lamed | l as in law | |
| Patach | short 'ah' as in father | |
| Yod | y as in yes; marks long ī |
Tap any letter to hear its name and sound
Now you try — trace the word:
The word
Word in context
- word
u-LAI
- phraseyour reading level
u-LAI YESH
- clause
u-LAI YESH kha-mi-SHIM tsa-di-KIM be-TOKH ha-IR
- sentence
u-LAI YESH kha-mi-SHIM tsa-di-KIM be-TOKH ha-IR ha-AF tis-PEH ve-LO-ti-SA la-ma-KOM le-MA-an kha-mi-SHIM ha-tsa-di-KIM a-SHER be-kir-BAH
Exegesis
The verse opens with ulai {אוּלַי | ʾû-lay} ‘perhaps’, introducing a hypothetical that frames Abraham’s appeal.
In context — Genesis 18:24
Perhaps there are fifty righteous within the city. Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place because of the fifty righteous who are in its midst?
About this coordinate
Genesis 18:24:1 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 1 of Genesis 18:24, so the Hebrew word אוּלַ֥י (ulai) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written Gen.18.24.W1, which extends further down to each syllable (Gen.18.24.W1.S1) and character.