Lexical Definition

‎/ה‎ h (h) [?] ^Prefix

• Prefix hé interrogative: at the start of a question

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎הֲ‎, ‎הַ‎, ‎הַּ ‎, ‎הֶ‎ (on the different forms, see Ges^{«GKC:100»§ 100}. 4: on Deut 32:6, see ‎הַל‎), interrogative particle (Biblical Aramaic and ᵑ7 ‎הֲ‎, Arabic ), prefixed, as a rule, to the first word of a sentence (or clause).

1. in direct questions:
a. as a simple interrogative, where the answer expected is uncertain, Exod 2:7 ‎הַאֵלֵךְ‎ shall I go and call thee a nurse ? 1Sam 23:11 ‎הֲיַסְגִּרֻנִי‎ will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand ? ‎הֲיֵרֵד שָׁאוּל‎ will Saul come down ? Job 1:8 and frequently.
b. often in questions, expressed in a tone of surprise, or put rhetorically, to which a negative answer is expected (= Latin num ?): Gen 4:9 ‎הֲשֹׁמֵר אָחִי אָנֹכִי‎ Amos I my brother's keeper ? Gen 18:17 shall I hide from Abraham that which I am about to do ? Gen 30:2; Gen 50:19; Num 11:23 a Deut 4:33 ‎הֲשָׁמַע עַם֗֗֗ ‎ Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, . . . and live ? Deut 20:19 (read with ᵐ5 ᵑ7 ᵑ6 ᵑ9 Ew Ke Di etc. ‎הֶאָדָם‎ for ‎הָאָדָם‎), 2Sam 7:5 ‎ַ˜האַתָּה תִּבְנֶהלִּֿי בַיִת‎ (altered in 1Chr 17:4 to the negative ‎׳‎‎לֹא אַתָּה תִּבְנֶה וג‎), 2Kgs 6:22 ‎הַאֲשֶׁר שָׁבִיתָ ֗֗֗ ‎ those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow, wilt thou smite ? Isa 28:24; Isa 36:12 a Isa 57:6; Isa 58:5; Jer 15:12; Jer 16:20; Amos 5:25; Ps 50:13; Job 8:11; Job 15:7; Job 15:8; Job 15:11; Job 38:12; Job 38:16; Job 38:17; Job 38:22 etc.; before an infinitive absolute (Ew^{§ 328 a}) Jer 7:9; Job 40:2 and probably Mic 2:7 (read ‎הֶאָמוֺר‎: ). After a protasis, ‎הִנֵההֲ֗֗֗‎ Num 22:38; 2Kgs 7:2; 2Kgs 7:19; Jer 32:27; Ezek 17:10 after ‎הֵן‎ Jer 3:1; Hag 2:12: compare after ‎זוּלַי‎ Gen 24:5 after ‎אִם‎ Job 14:14 ‎אִם יָמוּת גֶּבֶר הֲיִחְיֶה‎ a man dieth, shall he live ? Occasionally, one or more words precede ‎הֲ‎ (in the same clause) for special emphasis: 2Sam 7:7; Job 34:31 ‎כִּי אֶלאֵֿל‎ ‎הֶאָמַר‎ for to God did one ever say. . .? Neh 13:27; Jer 22:15 (‎הֲלֹא‎), compare Jer 23:26.
c. it is used in questions which, by seeming to make doubtful what cannot be denied, have the force of an impassioned or indignant affirmation: Gen 27:36 ('dubitantis speciem prae se fert Esavus, ut eo acerbius affirmet,' Maurer, cited by Ges), 1Sam 2:27 ‎הֲנִגְלהֹ נִגְלֵיתִי וגי‎ Did I reveal myself to the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt ? etc. (i.e. of course I did, although thy sons, by their actions, appear to belie it), 1Kgs 16:31 (expressing astonishment), 1Kgs 21:19 ‎הֲרָצַחְתָּ וְגַםיָֿרָ֑שְׁתָּ‎ Hast thou slain, and also taken possession ? Jer 31:20; Job 20:4; Job 41:1* (compare Hi); also Gen 16:13, and the phrases ‎הַרְּאִיתֶם‎ do ye see ? 1Sam 10:24; 2Kgs 6:32 ‎הֲרָאִיתָ‎ dost thou see ? 1Kgs 20:13; Ezek 8:12; Ezek 8:15; Ezek 8:17 and elsewhere
d. in disjunctive questions, the first question being introduced usually by ‎הֲ‎, the second by ‎אִם‎ or (more rarely) ‎וְאִם‎: see examples under ‎אִם‎ 2 (p. 50). The disjunctive question may express a real alternative (as Josh 5:13), or (as especially in poetry) the same thought may be repeated in a different form, in two parallel clauses (e.g. Isa 10:15): in the latter case, the answer No is usually expected. Only very rarely is the second question introduced by ‎הֲ‎ Judg 14:15 (where, however, ‎הֲלֹם‎ ought no doubt to be read, with MSS., ᵑ7 Be and others, for ‎הֲלֹא‎), or ‎אוֺ‎ Judg 18:19; Job 16:3; Job 38:28; Job 38:31.

2. In indirect interrogation, whether (German ob. . . .?) —
a. singly, after verbs of seeing Gen 8:8 ‎לִרְאוֺת הֲ‎ to see whether, Gen 18:21; Exod 4:18; Song 6:11, telling Gen 43:6, trying Deut 13:4*, knowing Judg 3:4; Eccl 3:21 (read ‎הַעֹלָה‎ and ‎הֲיֹרֶדֶת‎: see De or Wr on the passage.)
b. disjunctively, — usually ‎הֲ ֗֗֗ אִם‎, Num 13:18 end, Num 13:19a (and see the land) ‎הֲטוֺבָה הִיא אִם רָעָה ֗֗֗ ‎ whether it be good or bad, vNum 13:19 b; vNum 13:20 vNum 13:20 ‎הֲ ֗֗֗ אִם לֹא‎ Gen 24:21; Gen 27:21; Gen 37:32; Exod 16:4 that I may try it (the people) ‎הֲיֵלֵךְ בְּתוֺרָתִי אִם לֹא‎ whether it will walk in my law or not, Num 11:23; Deut 8:2; Judg 2:22 ‎הֲ ֗֗֗ הֲ‎ Num 13:18 (by side of ‎הֲ ֗֗֗ אִם‎); ‎הֲ ֗֗֗ אוֺ‎ Eccl 2:19; Eccl 11:6. It is prefixed to other particles, as ‎הַאִם‎, ‎הַאַף‎, ‎הֲגַם‎, ‎הֲכִי‎, ‎הֲלֹא‎: see ‎אִם‎, ‎אַף‎,etc. p. 49, etc.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References