H0375 H0375
Where? — interrogative adverb of place, demanding identification of a location or situation
The interrogative adverb אֵיפֹה (eifoh) asks 'where?' with a directness that often carries emotional or theological weight beyond mere geography. When Joseph asks shepherds 'where are they pasturing?' (Gen 37:16), the question launches the pivotal narrative of his descent into Egypt. Ruth's mother-in-law Naomi asks 'where did you glean today?' (Ruth 2:19), probing for evidence of providential care. Most dramatically, God challenges Job: 'Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?' (Job 38:4), using the spatial question to expose the gulf between divine and human knowledge. Spanish '¿dónde?' and French 'où?' capture the interrogative force.
Senses
1. Where? (interrogative of place) — An interrogative adverb meaning 'where?' used to inquire about location, often with narrative or theological significance beyond the literal question. Joseph uses it to seek his brothers' whereabouts (Gen 37:16), Naomi uses it to discover Ruth's benefactor (Ruth 2:19), and God deploys it as a devastating rhetorical weapon against Job (Job 38:4). Also appears in Isaiah 49:21 and Judges 8:18. The compound form (אֵי + פֹּה, 'where here?') intensifies the immediacy. Spanish '¿dónde?' and German 'wo?' reflect the direct interrogative sense. 10×
AR["أَينَ", "أَيْنَ", "وَأَيْنَ"]·ben["এবং-কোথায়", "কোথায়"]·DE["Efa", "[איפה]", "und-Efa", "wo"]·EN["and-where", "where"]·FR["[איפה]", "et-ואיפה", "où", "איפה"]·heb["איפה", "ו-איפה"]·HI["और-कहाँ", "कहन", "कहाँ", "कहां"]·ID["Di mana", "Di-mana", "dan-di-mana", "di-mana", "di-manakah"]·IT["dove", "e-e-dove"]·jav["Pundi", "Wonten-pundi", "ing-pundi", "lan-wonten-pundi", "pundi", "wonten-ing-pundi", "wonten-pundi"]·KO["그리고-어디에", "어디-에", "어디서", "어디에", "어디에서"]·PT["Onde", "e-onde", "onde"]·RU["Где", "где", "и-где"]·ES["dónde", "y-dónde", "¿Dónde", "¿dónde"]·SW["mahali", "na-wapi", "wako-wapi", "walikuwa-watu-wa-aina-gani", "wapi"]·TR["Nerede", "nerede", "ve-nerede"]·urd["اور-کہاں", "کہاں", "کہاں-ہے"]
Related Senses
H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)H7760a 1. put, place, set physically (444×)H8064 1. heavens / sky (329×)H5439 1. around, all around (spatial) (319×)H4057b 1. wilderness, desert region (270×)H3220 1. sea, body of water (269×)H0520a 1. cubit (unit of length) (246×)H0127 1. ground, land (territory) (210×)H3383 1. Jordan River (proper noun) (183×)G1093 1. earth, the world (176×)H5800a 1. forsake, abandon (Qal active) (166×)H8121 1. sun (celestial body) (133×)H7126 1. offer, present sacrificially (122×)H6828 1. north, cardinal direction (120×)H2351 1. outside, exterior space (119×)H5104 1. river, stream (119×)H7341 1. width, breadth (101×)G1563 1. there (95×)H7126 2. draw near, approach (95×)G2281 1. sea, large body of water (91×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† אֵיפֹה (from אַי & פֹּה here) adv. 1. where? Gn 37:16 1 S 19:22 2 S 9:4 Is 49:21 Je 3:2 Jb 4:7; 38:4 Ru 2:19; in indirect sentence Je 36:19 (less common than אַיֵּה, used of persons [contrast אֵי־זֶה] and with a verb [contrast אַיֵּה]). 2. of what kind? (qualis?) only Ju 8:18.