English · KJV
H5868

עֲיָם

ʻăyâm /ah-yawm'/ Ask about this word
Rootof doubtful origin and authenticity
Meaningprobably meaning strength
KJV usagemighty.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻăyâm — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ʻăyâm, represented by H5868, is a term of doubtful origin believed to mean strength or mighty. It is exceptionally rare, appearing only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the Bible, making its sole occurrence contextually significant.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The single use of H5868 is found in Isaiah's prophecy concerning the Lord's power. In this passage, the word describes the quality of the wind God will use to perform a miraculous act of judgment and deliverance. The verse states that the Lord will act "with his mighty wind" to shake his hand over the river and smite it Isaiah 11:15. This context directly links H5868 to an instrument of divine power.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words from its only context help clarify its meaning:

  • H5130 nûwph (wave): This primitive root means to quiver, shake, or wave. In the primary verse, God will shake his hand with the mighty wind Isaiah 11:15. The term is also used for a priest performing a wave offering before the Lord Numbers 6:20 or the action of a saw being shaken Isaiah 10:15.
  • H7307 rûwach (wind, spirit): This word, which can mean wind, breath, or spirit, is the object described as mighty H5868. While it is a wind in Isaiah 11:15, it frequently refers to the Spirit of God, as when the prophet declares, "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me" Isaiah 61:1.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5868 is derived entirely from its singular, powerful application.

  • Instrument of Divine Power: The word is used exclusively to describe an instrument of God's power—a mighty wind—demonstrating how God utilizes creation to execute His will Isaiah 11:15.
  • Sovereignty over Creation: By qualifying the wind as mighty, the text emphasizes God's absolute control over natural forces, directing them to strike the Egyptian sea and remake the landscape for His purposes Isaiah 11:15.
  • Force for Salvation: The purpose of this mighty action is ultimately redemptive. God smites the river to "make men go over dryshod" Isaiah 11:15, creating a path for his people.

Summary

In summary, though appearing only once, ʻăyâm H5868 carries significant weight. It is not a general term for strength but is uniquely applied to the wind of God in an act of both judgment and salvation. Its sole appearance in Isaiah 11:15 serves as a potent descriptor of divine might, illustrating how God wields the forces of nature to accomplish His sovereign plan.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • עְיָם

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H5130 נוּף a primitive root; to quiver (i.e. vibrate up and down, or rock to and fro); used in a great variety of applications (inc H7307 רוּחַ from רוּחַ; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubs

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in Isaiah — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.