Interjections in Biblical Hebrew are spontaneous, expressive words that convey strong emotion, attention, or surprise. Often standing outside regular sentence structure, they nonetheless play a vital syntactic and rhetorical role. Words like אֲהָהּ (“alas”), הֵן (“behold”), אוֹי (“woe”), or הָבוּ (“come!”) can signal grief, astonishment, warning, or urgency. Recognizing interjections is crucial not only for accurate translation, but also for understanding the emotional and dramatic tone of biblical passages.
This article explores the types, usage, and syntactic behavior of Hebrew interjections, with a focus on their theological, prophetic, and poetic significance. Drawing examples from prose and poetry, we will see how these seemingly small particles deliver rhetorical weight and shape the dynamics of discourse.
1. What Are Interjections?
Interjections are non-inflected words that express emotion or reaction. In Biblical Hebrew, interjections can function:
- As emotional outbursts (grief, joy, anger)
- As calls for attention or command
- As discourse markers that frame or interrupt speech
They are typically syntactically independent—not governed by verbs or clauses—but they often introduce or punctuate dialogue, prophecy, or lament. Interjections occur frequently in direct speech, prophetic utterances, and psalms of lament or praise.
2. Woe and Grief: א֗וֹי and אֲהָהּ
א֗וֹי (woe!)
The interjection אוֹי expresses lament, despair, or warning. It is often used by prophets to pronounce judgment or to express intense sorrow. It is frequently followed by a noun or participial phrase identifying the object of woe.
Example – Lamentations 5:16
נָפְלָה עֲטֶרֶת רֹאשֵׁנוּ אוֹי נָא לָנוּ כִּי חָטָאנוּ
“The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!”
Here, אוֹי expresses deep personal and communal grief. It stands independently as a cry of anguish, followed by a clause explaining the cause of the lament.
הֹוי (woe!)
Example – Isaiah 5:20
הֹ֣וי הָאֹמְרִ֥ים לָרַ֛ע טֹ֖וב וְלַטֹּ֣וב רָ֑ע
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil…”
Here, הֹוי serves as a formal marker of prophetic denunciation, initiating a series of judgment oracles. It introduces the clause without being governed by it.
אֲהָהּ (alas!)
Used less frequently, אֲהָהּ expresses grief, distress, or shock. Often used by prophets or individuals crying out to God, it can occur with or without a vocative phrase.
Example – Jeremiah 1:6
וָאֹמַר אֲהָהּ אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה
“And I said, Alas, Lord YHWH!”
Unlike אוֹי, which targets others, אֲהָהּ often expresses personal inadequacy, fear, or reverent dread.
3. Attention and Urgency: הֵן, הִנֵּה, הָבוּ
הֵן / הִנֵּה (behold!)
These particles mark something as noteworthy or imminent. הִנֵּה is often used to call attention to an action, situation, or speech, and functions similarly to a discourse deictic (“look!” or “see!”). It precedes clauses or nominal phrases and functions as a dramatic introducer.
Example – Genesis 6:13
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים לְנֹחַ קֵץ כָּל־בָּשָׂר בָּא לְפָנַי… הִנְנִי מַשְׁחִיתָם
“And God said to Noaḥ, ‘The end of all flesh has come before me… behold, I am destroying them.’”
Here הִנֵּה intensifies divine action and signals a significant shift in the narrative.
הָבוּ (give!/come!)
Though derived from the imperative of יָהַב, הָבוּ often functions idiomatically as an interjection calling for attention or joint action. It occurs frequently in narrative and legal speech to direct audience engagement.
Example – Genesis 11:3
וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵהוּ הָבָה נִלְבְּנָה לְבֵנִים
“And they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks.’”
In such contexts, הָבָה functions as a rallying cry or exhortation. It often precedes cohortative verbs.
4. Vocative and Address Interjections: אָנָּא, אוֹי־לִי
אָנָּא (please!)
Used to soften a command or intensify a request, אָנָּא expresses supplication. It frequently appears in prayers or appeals:
Example – Exodus 32:31
אָנָּא חָטָא הָעָם הַזֶּה חֲטָאָה גְדוֹלָה
“Please, this people has sinned a great sin…”
אָנָּא precedes the clause without being part of the verb phrase, signaling politeness and urgency.
אוֹי־לִי (woe to me!)
This compound interjection is a reflexive lament, often used in contexts of deep personal affliction or prophetic burden.
Example – Micah 7:1
אוֹי לִי כִּי הָיִיתִי
“Woe is me, for I am like…”
The phrase introduces a lament and frames the tone for what follows. It can stand alone or precede clauses, making it both emotional and syntactic in function.
5. Syntactical Role of Interjections
Though interjections are not part of sentence grammar in the traditional sense (i.e., they are not governed by verbs or modifiers), they nonetheless shape the discourse flow and syntactic framing in several ways:
- Initiate a sentence or speech: Often set apart by pausal accentuation
- Stand as vocatives or discourse markers: Signaling transition or urgency
- Modify tone or mood: Adding emotional or rhetorical weight to otherwise neutral syntax
In Masoretic cantillation, interjections often stand before an atnaḥ or silluq, indicating their independence and rhetorical pause.
6. Theological and Literary Function
Interjections are not mere emotional noise. In Biblical Hebrew, they often carry prophetic urgency, liturgical force, or covenantal weight. Consider:
- אוֹי – announces divine judgment
- הִנֵּה – signals divine action or revelation
- אָנָּא – frames intense prayer or intercession
These particles are thus pragmatic markers that shape the way speech is delivered and interpreted—whether in dialogue, prophecy, lament, or praise.
Tiny Words with Transformative Force
Interjections in Biblical Hebrew are small, often overlooked elements, yet they play powerful roles in expressing emotion, driving rhetoric, and marking theological emphasis. Whether it is the prophet crying “אוֹי,” the psalmist pleading “אָנָּא,” or YHWH declaring “הִנֵּה,” these words interrupt the flow of narrative or poetry with urgency and intensity.
To read Hebrew well is to hear these exclamations—not merely as linguistic ornaments, but as keys to the affective and rhetorical world of the text. They are the pulse points of passion, judgment, and hope.
