Numbers 22:32:5Num.22.32.W5TAB
עַל־מָ֗ה
almah
“why”
- Transliteration
- al-MAH
- Extended
- ahl-MAA
- IPA
- /ʕalˈmaː/
Meaning by language
- English
- why
Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it
Alphabet Analysis
| Ayin | deep guttural stop, voiced pharyngeal | |
| Patach | short 'ah' as in father | |
| Lamed | l as in law | |
| Mem | m as in mother | |
| Qamets | long 'ah' | |
| He | h as in house; silent at word end |
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The word
Word in context
- word
al-MAH
- clause
va-yo-MER e-LAV mal-AKH Ye-ho-VAH al-MAH hi-KI-ta et-a-to-NKHA ze sha-LOSH re-ga-LIM
- sentence
va-yo-MER e-LAV mal-AKH Ye-ho-VAH al-MAH hi-KI-ta et-a-to-NKHA ze sha-LOSH re-ga-LIM hi-NEH a-no-KHI ya-TSA-ti le-sa-TAN ki-ya-RAT ha-DE-rekh le-neg-DI
Exegesis
The interrogative ʿal-mah {עַל־מָ֗ה | ʿal-māh} ‘why’ introduces the question, followed by the Hifil perfect hikkîtā {הִכִּ֙יתָ֙ | hikkîtā} ‘have you struck’, conveying causative action.
In context — Numbers 22:32
The angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary because the way has become perverse before me.”
About this coordinate
Numbers 22:32:5 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 5 of Numbers 22:32, so the Hebrew word עַל־מָ֗ה (almah) 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 Num.22.32.W5, which extends further down to each syllable (Num.22.32.W5.S1) and character.