Lexical Definition

‎מָא‎ mâʼ (maw) what ^A:Part
(Aramaic) corresponding to ‎מָה‎

[phrase] what.

• (as indefinitely) that

1) what, whatever
1a) what?
1b) whatever, what, whatsoever
1c) how?, why?, wherefore? (with prefixes)

Extended Information

Aramaic of: מָה

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Hebrew form: מָה
‎מָה‎ (‎מָא‎ Ezra 6:8) pronoun interrogative and indefinite what? (Biblical Hebrew ‎מָה‎; Nabataean ‎מה‎; Zinjirli ‎מ‎; ᵑ7 ‎מא‎; Syriac ; Arabic : compare W^{CG 124 f.}); —

1. what ? Dan 4:32* ‎מה עבדת‎.

2. whatever, what (compare Biblical Hebrew 1 b end) Dan 2:22 ‎ידע מח בחשׁוכא‎ knoweth what is in darkness, Ezra 6:9: so ‎מָה דִּי‎ (compare ‎דִּי‎ 1 b: so Nabataean; Palmyrene ‎מא די‎, ‎מדי‎, Lzb³⁰⁶ Cooke^{320, 332}) Dan 2:28; Dan 2:29 (twice in verse); Dan 2:45; Ezra 6:8 ‎למא די תעבדון‎ with regard to what ye shall do, Ezra 7:18 (= whatsoever).

3. with prefixes:
a. ‎כְּמָה‎ how! Dan 3:33* (twice in verse).
b. ‎לְמָה‎ why? (compare Biblical Hebrew ‎לָמָּה‎) Ezra 4:22 be not slack herein: why should damage grow, etc., virtually = lest damage grow (ᵐ5 μή ποτε), Ezra 7:23 ‎די למה להוא קצף‎ for why should there be wrath ? = lest [ᵐ5 μή ποτε] there be wrath (compare ᵑ7 ‎דִּילְמָא‎, Syriac lest: and see ‎מָה‎ 4 d b, p. 554:a).
c. ‎עלמֿה‎ wherefore? Dan 2:15.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References