### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **bᵉʻîy**, represented by `{{H1164}}`, is a rare term with the dual definition of **a prayer; grave**. It appears only **1 time** in the single verse of [[Job 30:24]], making its usage highly specific. The word captures a moment of ultimate despair, pointing to a final state from which there is no physical intervention.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its sole biblical appearance, `{{H1164}}` is used by Job to describe the finality of death. He laments that a person will not stretch out his hand to the **grave** [[Job 30:24]]. This occurs within a cry of anguish, where Job contemplates the pointlessness of intervention when faced with utter destruction. The word is set in a scene of profound suffering, emphasizing the grave as a destination beyond human help.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words in the surrounding text clarify the context of `{{H1164}}`:
* `{{H7971}}` **shâlach** (to send away, for, or out): This word is used for the action of stretching out or sending forth. In Job's lament, no one will "stretch out" a hand to the grave [[Job 30:24]]. A similar sense of divine action is seen when the LORD "put forth" his hand to touch Jeremiah's mouth [[Jeremiah 1:9]].
* `{{H3027}}` **yâd** (a hand): Representing power and intervention, the "hand" is what will not be stretched out to the grave. The concept of God's hand, however, is often a source of help and blessing, as seen when Ezra speaks of how "The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him" [[Ezra 8:22]].
* `{{H7769}}` **shûwaʻ** (a halloo; cry, riches): This is the sound made in the midst of ruin. In the context of Job, "they cry" in their destruction [[Job 30:24]]. The same word can also mean "riches," creating a contrast between a cry of desperation and material wealth [[Job 36:19]].
* `{{H6365}}` **pîyd** (misfortune; destruction, ruin): This term defines the state in which the cry to the grave occurs. It points to a calamity or ruin, as referenced in Proverbs, which asks who knows the "ruin" of the wicked [[Proverbs 24:22]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H1164}}` is concentrated in its singular, powerful context in the book of Job.
* **The Finality of the Grave:** The word is used to represent the grave as a point of no return, a place where human aid and intervention cease. Job's statement highlights that no one will stretch out a hand to the **grave** [[Job 30:24]], underscoring a theme of human limitation in the face of death.
* **Despair in Suffering:** The use of `{{H1164}}` is directly linked to a "cry" `{{H7769}}` in "destruction" `{{H6365}}`. This frames the grave not as a peaceful rest but as the culmination of intense suffering and loss, a central theme in Job's ordeal [[Job 30:24]].
* **A Prayer to the Grave:** While translated as "grave" in its context, the root definition of `{{H1164}}` is also "a prayer." This duality suggests that the cry in destruction is itself a type of desperate prayer directed toward the reality of the grave, expressing the ultimate human plea in a hopeless situation.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H1164}}` is a deeply poignant and exceptionally rare term. Its single appearance in scripture provides a stark image of the grave as a final, unreachable state. Set within Job's lament, **bᵉʻîy** is inseparable from the themes of suffering, destruction, and the limits of human power. The word powerfully conveys a moment of absolute despair, where the only remaining reality is the grave and the cry directed toward it.
TRV