English · KJV
H857

אָתָה

ʼâthâh /aw-thaw'/ Ask about this word
Rootor אָתָא · a primitive root (collateral to אוּת contraction)
Meaningto arrive
KJV usage(be-, things to) come (upon), bring.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼâthâh — 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 ʼâthâh, represented by H857, is a primitive root meaning to arrive or to come. It appears 21 times across 20 unique verses in the Bible. While its core definition points to arrival, its usage extends to describe the coming of future events, divine appearances, and the arrival of both people and consequences.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H857 is used in several significant contexts. It is frequently found in prophetic passages where God's unique ability to declare "the things that are to come" is highlighted (Isaiah 41:23, Isaiah 45:11). The word also depicts a powerful divine arrival, as when the LORD "came with ten thousands of saints" from Mount Paran Deuteronomy 33:2. On a personal level, it can express a response of repentance, as when the children of Israel declare, "Behold, we come unto thee" Jeremiah 3:22, or the arrival of dreaded circumstances, as when Job laments that what he feared has "come upon" him Job 3:25.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide a broader context for the concept of coming and arriving:

  • H935 bôwʼ (to go or come): This word is often used interchangeably or in parallel with H857. For instance, in describing the establishment of the kingdom, it is said that dominion "shall it come" H857 and the kingdom "shall come" H935 Micah 4:8.
  • H3212 yâlak (to walk; come): This term often implies coming or going as a part of a process or journey. It is used as a command to "come ye, assemble" before the command is repeated with H857 to "come to devour" Jeremiah 12:9.
  • H1980 hâlak (to walk; come, go): This word is used to describe the progression of life and time. Job contrasts the coming H857 of his final years with the fact that he will soon "go" H1980 on a journey from which he will not return Job 16:22.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H857 is significant, particularly in relation to God's sovereignty and interaction with humanity.

  • Prophetic Certainty: The concept of "things to come" is a major theme. God challenges false gods to prove their divinity by showing "the things that are to come hereafter" Isaiah 41:23, establishing His omniscience and control over the future.
  • Divine Manifestation: The word describes God's arrival in glory and judgment. The Lord's coming from Sinai is a powerful theophany that establishes his authority and the giving of his law Deuteronomy 33:2.
  • Inevitable Outcomes: H857 is used to convey the unavoidable arrival of consequences, whether it is destruction coming "as a whirlwind" Proverbs 1:27 or the fulfillment of a promised kingdom Micah 4:8.
  • Human Approach: The word captures humanity's movement toward a destination or a state of being, from the inhabitants of Tema who "brought" H857 water to the thirsty Isaiah 21:14 to the backsliding children who "come" to God for healing Jeremiah 3:22.

Summary

In summary, H857 transcends a simple definition of arrival. It is a dynamic term used to articulate prophetic truth, the powerful manifestation of God, the certainty of future events, and the responsive movement of humanity. From the majestic coming of the Lord with His saints to the personal arrival of long-feared suffering, ʼâthâh illustrates how the concept of "coming" is deeply woven into the fabric of divine revelation and human experience.

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 verb across 21 occurrences, inflected in 11 grammatical forms — 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.

  • יֵּתֵא
  • אֵתָיוּ
  • יֶאֱתָיוּ
  • אֹתִיּוֹת
  • הֵתָיוּ
  • יֶאֱתֶה
  • יֶּאֱתָיוּ
  • אָתָה
  • תֵּאתֶה
  • אָתָנוּ
  • אָתָה

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.

H935 בּוֹא a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] H3212 יָלַךְ a primitive root (compare הָלַךְ); to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses); [idio H1980 הָלַךְ akin to יָלַךְ; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively); (all) along,

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

Appears in 20 verses across 7 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah (9 verses); never once in the other 32.

2
Deuteronomy
4
Job
1
Psalms
1
Proverbs
9
Isaiah
2
Jeremiah
1
Micah

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.