Hebrew word · H199

אוּלָם

'ulam

but

A strong word of contrast: 'but, however, on the other hand, but in fact.' It is less common than the ordinary 'and/but' (wə-).

Appears 19 times in 19 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) but, but indeed (a strong adversative)

2) however, nevertheless

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Genesis 28:19

Range of meaning

A strong word of contrast: 'but, however, on the other hand, but in fact.' It is less common than the ordinary 'and/but' (wə-).

Against the English

KJV, WEB and ESV have 'but'; BSB has 'though previously'; NASB has 'however'; YLT has 'and yet.' Each one keeps the contrast in some form.

Used elsewhere in the period

It appears about 19 times in the Hebrew Bible (for example Gen 48:19; Exod 9:16; Job 1:11; 2:5). The Greek translators of Genesis 28:19 apparently did not recognise it here and read it as part of the town's name, giving 'Oulamlouz.'

From the study of Job 5:8

Range of meaning

A strong contrast word: "but," "however," "nevertheless," "but in fact." It is used for a sharp turn.

Against the English

KJV leaves it out; WEB "But"; BSB "However"; YLT "Yet." BSB's "if I were you" is not in the Hebrew. It is how BSB brings out the advisory sense of the verb.

Used elsewhere in the period

It is frequent in Job: the Accuser's challenge "But stretch out your hand" (1:11; 2:5), and above all Job 13:3, "But I [ʾulām ʾănî] would speak to Shaddai, and I desire to argue my case with God."

From the study of Numbers 14:21

Range of meaning

A strong adversative: 'but, however, nevertheless, but indeed'. It often turns sharply against what was just said or expected (Gen 28:19; Job 1:11; 2:5).

Against the English

KJV 'But', BSB 'Yet', ESV 'But truly', WEB 'but in very deed'. All are fine. Weaker renderings can blur how sharp the turn from 'I have pardoned' is.

Used elsewhere in the period

Found about 19 times in the Hebrew Bible. Used in rhetorical turns where a speaker sets up a contrast or a restriction.

Where it appears

Genesis · 2

  1. Genesis 28:19 וְאוּלָ֛ם and but

    and he called that place Bethel, though previously the city had been named Luz.

    Here: A strong 'but in fact,' stronger than the ordinary 'and/but.' It sets the new holy name against the town's older, everyday name.

  2. Genesis 48:19 וְאוּלָ֗ם and but

    But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”

    Here: "But in fact": a strong turn in the sentence (KJV "but truly"). What Manasseh is promised is real, but it is not the whole picture.

Exodus · 1

  1. Exodus 9:16 וְאוּלָ֗ם and but

    But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power to you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

    Here: A strong 'but' that turns against verse 15. God has just said he could already have wiped Pharaoh out, and this word introduces the reason he has not: 'But nevertheless…'

Numbers · 1

  1. Numbers 14:21 וְאוּלָ֖ם and but

    “Yet as surely as I live and as surely as the whole earth is filled with the glory of the LORD,

    Here: A strong 'but' that pushes back against what came just before. God has just said 'I have pardoned' (v. 20). The word signals that the pardon has a limit: the nation will not be wiped out, but something still stands.

Judges · 1

  1. Judges 18:29 וְאוּלָ֛ם and but

    They named it Dan, after their forefather Dan, who was born to Israel—though the city was formerly named Laish.

1 Samuel · 2

  1. 1 Samuel 20:3 וְאוּלָ֗ם and but

    But David again vowed, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Jonathan must not know of this, or he will be grieved.’ As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.”

    Here: A strong 'but indeed' that turns from Saul's secrecy to the hard facts. It marks the start of the oath proper.

  2. 1 Samuel 25:34 וְאוּלָ֗ם and but

    Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, then surely no male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by morning light.”

1 Kings · 1

  1. 1 Kings 20:23 וְאוּלָ֗ם and but

    Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they prevailed over us. Instead, we should fight them on the plains; surely then we will prevail.

Job · 10

  1. Job 1:11 וְאוּלָם֙ and but

    But stretch out Your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”

    Here: A strong 'but on the other hand' that turns sharply against what came before. Verse 10 described God's protection and blessing. Now the speaker says: take all that away and see what happens.

  2. Job 2:5 אוּלָם֙ but

    But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”

    Here: A strong 'but on the other hand'. It pushes back against what God has just said in 2:3, that Job 'still holds fast his integrity.' The accuser is saying: so far, yes, but try this.

  3. Job 5:8 אוּלָ֗ם but

    However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and lay my cause before Him—

    Here: A strong "but" that turns away from what came before. Eliphaz has just said trouble is built into human life (v. 7) and warned Job against appealing to angels or raging like a fool (vv. 1–2); now he turns: "But as for me…".

  4. Job 11:5 וְֽאוּלָ֗ם and but

    But if only God would speak and open His lips against you,

  5. Job 12:7 וְֽאוּלָ֗ם and but

    But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.

  6. Job 13:3 אוּלָ֗ם but

    Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.

  7. Job 13:4 וְֽאוּלָ֗ם and but

    You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians.

    Here: A strong 'but' that sets up a sharp contrast. Verse 3 also opens with ulam ('But I, to the Almighty I will speak'), so the two verses line up: 'But I... but you...' Job turns away from God for a moment to face his friends.

  8. Job 14:18 וְ֭אוּלָם and but

    But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place,

  9. Job 17:10 וְֽאוּלָ֗ם and but

    But come back and try again, all of you. For I will not find a wise man among you.

  10. Job 33:1 וְֽאוּלָ֗ם and but

    “But now, O Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words.

Micah · 1

  1. Micah 3:8 וְאוּלָ֗ם and but

    As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the LORD, with justice and courage, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.

    Here: A strong word of contrast, much stronger than a plain 'and' or 'but'. It sets Micah sharply against the hired seers and diviners of verses 5–7, who will be left with 'no answer from God'.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.