עַ֫יִשׁ
a.yish
Bear
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe word "a.yish" (H5906) is a noun that refers to a bear. It's defined as a single type of animal, indicating that the speaker is likely communicating a specific entity or encounter with this bear. In terms of its usage, the word appears twice in the Bible, suggesting that it's not a commonly used term, but rather one that's employed to convey a particular point or image. The fact that "a.yish" is classified as a proper name (or "person") highlights its distinctive significance. In biblical contexts, proper names often represent actual individuals or concrete objects, underscoring their real-world association. Given this classification, it's possible that "a.yish" is used in a literary or symbolic sense, where the bear represents a particular concept, idea, or character. However, without more context, this remains speculative. The scarcity of occurrences (only two instances in the entire Bible) further reduces the likelihood of broader thematic or conceptual development. The usage of "a.yish" appears to be limited to a few specific instances, possibly implying a distinctive or evocative function within the narrative. Further exploration into the surrounding context would be necessary to grasp the full significance of this word.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences across the text