Word Study for H859 (אַתָּה) | Strong's Concordance

ʼattâh /at-taw'/ Ask about this word

Meaningor (shortened); אַתָּ; or אַת; feminine (irregular) sometimes אַתִּי; plural masculine אַתֶּם; feminine אַתֶּן; or אַתֵּנָהlemma אתֵּנָה missing vowel, corrected to class="strongs-hebrew-text">אַתֵּנָה; or אַתֵּנָּה; a primitive pronoun of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

KJV usagethee, thou, ye, you.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼattâh — 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 ʼattâh, represented by H859, is a primitive pronoun of the second person. Its meaning translates to thou and thee, or its plural forms ye and you. It appears 11 times across 11 unique verses, making each occurrence a specific and direct form of address. Its primary function is to single out an individual or group for a direct statement, command, or definition of their nature.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical narratives, H859 is used in moments of profound significance. God uses it when speaking to the serpent, declaring, "Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed" Genesis 3:14. It is also central to the declaration of humanity's mortal nature, "for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" Genesis 3:19. The term is vital in establishing covenants, as when God promises Noah, "thou shalt come into the ark" Genesis 6:18. It is also used in the plural to address the nation of Israel directly, as when God states through the prophet Ezekiel, "ye my flock... are men" Ezekiel 34:31.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide context for the direct address of H859:

H120 ʼâdâm (man): In Ezekiel 34:31, God identifies his flock by saying "ye H859 my flock... are men," directly linking the pronoun to the definition of humanity.
H136 ʼĂdônây (the Lord): This name for God often precedes a direct address using H859, establishing the speaker's authority, as in "saith the Lord GOD" before a declaration to the people Ezekiel 34:17.
H3069 Yᵉhôvih (God): Used alongside H136, this variation of God's name reinforces the divine identity of the one speaking directly to individuals or groups, such as in the prophecies of Ezekiel Ezekiel 13:20.
H430 ʼĕlôhîym (God): The pronoun H859 is frequently used in dialogue with or about God. Joseph uses it to frame his moral dilemma, stating he cannot sin against God because "thou art his wife" Genesis 39:9.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H859 lies in its direct and personal nature.

Divine Declaration: The term is a vehicle for God to impart foundational truths, curses, and blessings directly to the subject, whether it be a person like Rebekah Genesis 24:60 or the serpent Genesis 3:14.
Covenantal Address: It is instrumental in forming covenants. God singles out Noah with "thou" to establish the terms of his salvation and the preservation of life Genesis 6:18.
Defining Relationships: The pronoun clarifies the relationship between God and humanity. When God says, "ye my flock... are men, and I am your God," he uses H859 to establish a personal, pastoral connection with his people Ezekiel 34:31.
Moral Accountability: It is used to establish direct, personal responsibility. Joseph's statement to Potiphar's wife uses "thou" to place the moral reality of her identity directly before her Genesis 39:9.

Summary

In summary, H859 is a potent word that signifies direct, unmediated address. While a simple pronoun, its usage in scripture is reserved for pivotal moments of definition, covenant, judgment, and blessing. It underscores the personal nature of God's interactions with His creation and highlights the importance of individual identity and accountability in the biblical narrative.

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 pronoun across 1,080 occurrences, inflected in 4 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.

אַתָּה
אַתֶּם
אַתְּ
אַתֵּנָה

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 11 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis (7 verses); never once in the other 37.

Genesis

Ezekiel

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.