BDB2036 [H9008]

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.