Hebrew word · H233

אֲזַי

'azai

then

'Then, in that case.' A lengthened or archaic-sounding form of ʾāz ('then'), found only in Ps 124:3–5. It introduces what would have followed from the 'if' clause.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

then, in that case

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 Psalm 124:3

Range of meaning

'Then, in that case.' A lengthened or archaic-sounding form of ʾāz ('then'), found only in Ps 124:3–5. It introduces what would have followed from the 'if' clause.

Against the English

Most versions translate it "then." BSB moves the time clause first and so softens the repeated "then… then… then" that the Hebrew lines begin with.

Used elsewhere in the period

Unique to this psalm. Its exact origin is unclear: it may be an older poetic form, or show Aramaic influence, which would fit the psalm's use of the short relative particle she- in vv. 1–2, 6.

Where it appears

Psalms · 3

  1. Psalm 124:3 אֲ֭זַי then

    when their anger flared against us, then they would have swallowed us alive,

    Here: A rare poetic form of the ordinary word for "then" (ʾāz). It is found only in this psalm (vv. 3, 4, 5). It opens the 'then' half of the sentence that began in v. 2 with "if the LORD had not been on our side…": the 'then' of what would have happened. Said three times, it works like a drumbeat counting up the disasters that did not happen.

  2. Psalm 124:4 אֲ֭זַי then

    then the floods would have engulfed us, then the torrent would have overwhelmed us,

  3. Psalm 124:5 אֲ֭זַי then

    then the raging waters would have swept us away.

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