אֵיךְ

From the study of Isaiah 14:4

Range of meaning

An interrogative 'how?' that very often works as an exclamation, 'how…!'. With its longer form ʾeikhah it is the stock opening of the qinah, the Israelite funeral lament (2 Sam 1:19, 25, 27; Lam 1:1; 2:1; 4:1; Jer 9:19).

Against the English

Every English version keeps 'How'. Without punctuation or a note, though, a modern reader may hear a question or a casual exclamation, not the recognisable first word of a funeral song.

Used elsewhere in the period

David's lament for Saul and Jonathan: 'How (ʾeikh) the mighty have fallen!' (2 Sam 1:19). The scroll of Lamentations is named in Hebrew after its first word, ʾEikhah. The cry comes back in this same poem at v. 12: 'How (ʾeikh) you have fallen from heaven…'.

From the study of Deuteronomy 32:30

Range of meaning

A longer form of 'how?'. It is used (1) in real questions ('how can I bear you?', Deut 1:12; 'how shall we know?', Deut 18:21) and (2) above all as the cry of lament or shock: 'How has this happened?!' It is the title word and opening cry of Lamentations (1:1; 2:1; 4:1).

Against the English

Every English version has 'How…?'. That is correct but flat. YLT ends the first half with an exclamation mark ('How doth one pursue a thousand… !'), which catches the tone of disbelief better than a plain question does.

Used elsewhere in the period

Lamentations 1:1, 2:1, 4:1. Isaiah 1:21 ('How the faithful city has become a harlot!'). Jeremiah 48:17. In each case it marks shock at a disaster or reversal.

From the study of Isaiah 1:21

Range of meaning

An exclamation or question meaning 'how?' or 'how!'. The longer form ʾêkāh is typical of laments over the dead or over ruined cities. It is used alongside the shorter ʾêk ('how are the mighty fallen', 2 Sam 1:19).

Against the English

KJV, WEB, ESV and NASB keep 'How…!'. BSB and NIV have 'See how…', which loses the tone of a funeral cry and sounds more like a teacher pointing something out.

Used elsewhere in the period

It opens Lamentations 1:1, 2:1 and 4:1, which is why the book of Lamentations is called 'Eikhah' in Jewish tradition. Jeremiah 48:17 uses it in a lament over Moab. Jewish synagogue practice later chanted Isaiah 1 on the Sabbath before the fast of the Ninth of Av, the day of mourning for the Temple, partly because Isaiah 1:21 opens with this lament word.