אוּלַי

Genesis 16:2 אוּלַ֥י perhaps

So Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

Here: A hope with no guarantee. Sarai is not sure the plan will work.

Genesis 18:24 אוּלַ֥י perhaps

What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there?

Genesis 18:28 א֠וּלַי perhaps

suppose the fifty righteous ones lack five. Will You destroy the whole city for the lack of five?” He replied, “If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.”

Here: Opens a cautious, hypothetical proposal: 'What if…'. Abraham asks politely and tentatively, keeping up the humble tone of 'I am but dust and ashes' (v. 27).

Genesis 18:29 אוּלַ֛י perhaps

Once again Abraham spoke to the LORD, “Suppose forty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the forty, I will not do it.”

Here: 'Perhaps.' Abraham puts forward a hopeful possibility; he is not making a demand. In this verse he doesn't even ask 'will you destroy?' as he did in v.28. The one word 'perhaps' now carries the whole request.

Genesis 18:30 אוּלַ֛י perhaps

Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?” He replied, “If I find thirty there, I will not do it.”

Here: An open, hopeful 'perhaps'. Abraham does not claim that thirty righteous people exist in Sodom. He raises it as a possibility to test the principle.

Genesis 18:31 אוּלַ֛י perhaps

And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”

Here: 'Perhaps' or 'what if': a tentative hope, not a firm claim. Abraham does not know how many righteous people live in Sodom and phrases each number as a possibility.

Genesis 18:32 אוּלַ֛י perhaps

Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”

Here: Brings in a possibility Abraham is putting forward: “perhaps / what if.” He has used the same word in each round of the dialogue (vv. 24, 28–31).

Genesis 24:5 אוּלַי֙ perhaps

The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”

Here: 'Perhaps', 'it may be'. It marks a real possibility. Here it carries worry: the servant is foreseeing a problem before he binds himself by oath.

Genesis 24:39 אֻלַ֛י perhaps

Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’

Genesis 27:12 אוּלַ֤י perhaps

What if my father touches me? Then I would be revealed to him as a deceiver, and I would bring upon myself a curse rather than a blessing.”

Genesis 32:20 אוּלַ֖י perhaps

You are also to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’” For he thought, “I will appease Esau with the gift that is going before me. After that I can face him, and perhaps he will accept me.”

Genesis 43:12 אוּלַ֥י perhaps

Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.

Here: A word of uncertainty that is often tinged with hope or fear. Jacob is offering a possible explanation, not stating a fact.

Exodus 32:30 אוּלַ֥י perhaps

The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. Now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”

Numbers 22:6 אוּלַ֤י perhaps

So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”

Numbers 22:11 אוּלַ֥י perhaps

‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”

Numbers 22:33 אוּלַי֙ perhaps

The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”

Numbers 23:3 אוּלַ֞י perhaps

“Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me. And whatever He reveals to me, I will tell you.” So Balaam went off to a barren height,

Numbers 23:27 אוּלַ֤י perhaps

“Please come,” said Balak, “I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you curse them for me from there.”

Joshua 9:7 אוּלַ֗י perhaps

But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell near us. How can we make a treaty with you?”

Here: Raises a real possibility, here with suspicion and worry: 'What if…?' Israel senses the danger but does not settle it.

Joshua 14:12 אוּלַ֨י perhaps

Now therefore give me this hill country that the LORD promised me on that day, for you yourself heard then that the Anakim were there, with great and fortified cities. Perhaps with the LORD’s help I will drive them out, as the LORD has spoken.”

Here: 'Perhaps' or 'it may be'. It expresses hope while refusing to presume on God, the same word Jonathan uses before attacking a garrison (1 Sam 14:6). It is not a wavering of resolve.

1 Samuel 6:5 אוּלַ֗י perhaps

Make images of your tumors and of the rats that are ravaging the land. Give glory to the God of Israel, and perhaps He will lift His hand from you and your gods and your land.

Here: A real hedge. The diviners cannot guarantee the result, which is why they set up a test with the cows in vv. 7–9.

1 Samuel 9:6 אוּלַי֙ perhaps

“Look,” said the servant, “in this city there is a man of God who is highly respected; everything he says surely comes to pass. Let us go there now. Perhaps he will tell us which way to go.”

1 Samuel 14:6 אוּלַ֛י perhaps

Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.”

Here: Real uncertainty, but about what YHWH will choose to do, not about whether he is able to. Jonathan does not presume on God, and he goes on to ask for a sign (vv. 8–10).

2 Samuel 14:15 אוּלַ֛י perhaps

Now therefore, I have come to present this matter to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king. Perhaps he will grant the request of his maidservant.

2 Samuel 16:12 אוּלַ֛י perhaps

Perhaps the LORD will see my affliction and repay me with good for the cursing I receive today.”

Here: This is a hope, not a claim. David does not presume on God. He leaves open what Yahweh will do, the same way Joel 2:14 and Jonah 3:9 say "who knows?"

1 Kings 18:5 אוּלַ֣י׀ perhaps

Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring and every valley. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive so that we will not have to destroy any livestock.”

1 Kings 18:27 אוּלַ֛י perhaps

At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!”

Here: 'Maybe'. It moves to the last and most cutting suggestion, set off from the list before it.

1 Kings 20:31 אוּלַ֖י perhaps

Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”

2 Kings 19:4 אוּלַ֡י perhaps

Perhaps the LORD your God will hear all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to defy the living God, and He will rebuke him for the words that the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up a prayer for the remnant that still survives.”

Here: An honest 'maybe'. It hopes for something that is not guaranteed. It doesn't doubt that God is able to act. It admits that whether he will act is up to him.

Job 1:5 אוּלַי֙ perhaps

And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.

Here: 'Perhaps'. Job does not know of any sin. He acts on a possibility, which shows how careful he is.

Isaiah 37:4 אוּלַ֡י perhaps

Perhaps the LORD your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to defy the living God, and He will rebuke him for the words that the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up a prayer for the remnant that still survives.”

Here: A word of humble hope, not doubt. It recognises that God is free to act or not, as in Amos 5:15 and Jonah 3:9. It opens Hezekiah's message with a petitioner's modesty.

Isaiah 47:12 אוּלַ֛י אוּלַ֥י perhaps

So take your stand with your spells and with your many sorceries, with which you have wearied yourself from your youth. Perhaps you will succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror!

Here: 'Perhaps'. It usually voices a real hope. Here it is sarcastic: 'maybe, just maybe…'

Jeremiah 20:10 אוּלַ֤י perhaps

For I have heard the whispering of many: “Terror is on every side! Report him; let us report him!” All my trusted friends watch for my fall: “Perhaps he will be deceived so that we may prevail against him and take our vengeance upon him.”

Here: 'Perhaps.' It voices the plotters' hope. They have nothing on him yet but are waiting for an opening.

Jeremiah 21:2 אוּלַי֩ perhaps

“Please inquire of the LORD on our behalf, since Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is waging war against us. Perhaps the LORD will perform for us something like all His past wonders, so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw from us.”

Here: A hedged hope, not a confident claim. The same word appears in Hezekiah's message to Isaiah during the Assyrian siege: 'perhaps Yahweh your God will hear' (2 Kgs 19:4).

Jeremiah 26:3 אוּלַ֣י perhaps

Perhaps they will listen and turn—each from his evil way of life—so that I may relent of the disaster I am planning to bring upon them because of the evil of their deeds.

Jeremiah 36:3 אוּלַ֤י perhaps

Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about all the calamity I plan to bring upon them, each of them will turn from his wicked way. Then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

Here: Opens the verse with real uncertainty: the outcome depends on how Judah responds. God speaks as one who hopes, not as one announcing a foregone result.

Jeremiah 36:7 אוּלַ֞י perhaps

Perhaps they will bring their petition before the LORD, and each one will turn from his wicked way; for great are the anger and fury that the LORD has pronounced against this people.”

Here: Opens the verse with real hope, not certainty. The outcome is left open, so the whole reading of the scroll is an attempt that might work.

Jeremiah 51:8 אוּלַ֖י perhaps

Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered. Wail for her; get her balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed.

Here: "Perhaps": a word of real but uncertain hope. Verse 9 answers it straight away with 'she could not be healed', so here the 'perhaps' sounds hollow and probably ironic.

Lamentations 3:29 אוּלַ֖י perhaps

Let him bury his face in the dust—perhaps there is still hope.

Ezekiel 12:3 אוּלַ֣י perhaps

Therefore, son of man, pack your bags for exile. In broad daylight, set out from your place and go to another as they watch. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house.

Here: A real 'maybe': the outcome is open. God holds out a chance that the watchers will grasp the message.

Hosea 8:7 אוּלַ֣י perhaps

For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. There is no standing grain; what sprouts fails to yield flour. Even if it should produce, the foreigners would swallow it up.

Here: "Suppose by chance it does." The prophet grants a possibility for the sake of argument and then shuts it down.

Amos 5:15 אוּלַ֗י perhaps

Hate evil and love good; establish justice in the gate. Perhaps the LORD, the God of Hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”

Here: A real "maybe". It holds out hope without promising anything. Turning around does not force God's hand. His mercy stays his own free choice.

Jonah 1:6 אוּלַ֞י perhaps

The captain approached him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call upon your God. Perhaps this God will consider us, so that we may not perish.”

Here: A real "perhaps". The captain hopes but does not presume. The gods are free, and help cannot be forced out of them.

Zephaniah 2:3 אוּלַי֙ perhaps

Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth who carry out His justice. Seek righteousness; seek humility. Perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger.

Here: 'Perhaps.' This is real hope with no guarantee. The outcome rests on God's free decision, not on a formula.