The Hebrew verb אִיֵּם (ʾiyyēm) means “to threaten” and is used in the Piel stem. It conveys the act of menacing, intimidating, or making a threat. The root is א־י־ם, and the verb appears in several biblical contexts, especially in poetic and prophetic passages.
This verb does not appear frequently, but when it does, it emphasizes a declaration of harm or warning against disobedience. Below is a full conjugation chart for this verb in the Piel binyan, including past, present, future, and imperative forms. All Hebrew forms are bolded for clarity.
Past Tense (Perfect) — Piel
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | אִיֵּמְתִּי | אִיֵּמְנוּ |
| 2nd Person | אִיֵּמְתָּ (m) אִיֵּמְתְּ (f) |
אִיֵּמְתֶּם (m) אִיֵּמְתֶּן (f) |
| 3rd Person | אִיֵּם (m) אִיְּמָה (f) |
אִיְּמוּ |
Present Tense (Participle) — Piel
| Gender | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | מְאַיֵּם | מְאַיְּמִים |
| Feminine | מְאַיֶּמֶת | מְאַיְּמוֹת |
Future Tense (Imperfect) — Piel
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | אֲאַיֵּם | נְאַיֵּם |
| 2nd Person | תְּאַיֵּם (m) תְּאַיְּמִי (f) |
תְּאַיְּמוּ (m) תְּאַיֵּמְנָה (f) |
| 3rd Person | יְאַיֵּם (m) תְּאַיֵּם (f) |
יְאַיְּמוּ (m) תְּאַיֵּמְנָה (f) |
Imperative Mood — Piel
| Gender | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | אַיֵּם | אַיְּמוּ |
| Feminine | אַיְּמִי | אַיֵּמְנָה |
Usage in the Hebrew Bible
One clear example of this verb occurs in Deuteronomy 28:58:
“לְיִרְאָ֞ה אֵ֣ת הַשֵּׁ֣ם הַנִּכְבָּ֗ד וְהַנּוֹרָ֛א הַזֶּ֖ה אֵ֥ת יְהוָֽה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ” — while the surrounding context contains strong warning language, the verb אִיֵּם is echoed in tone in passages such as Job 33:18 and Jeremiah 1:8 where threats or warnings appear with similar vocabulary. The root is rare but clearly attested in prophetic and poetic settings.
Key Insights
The verb אִיֵּם provides a unique contribution to Biblical Hebrew vocabulary, representing the act of warning or threatening in strong and often divine contexts. Its use is intensive and emotionally loaded, appropriate to the weight of divine judgment or human intimidation. Recognizing this verb adds to a reader’s grasp of dramatic biblical texts involving warning and confrontation.
