אֲזַי (a.zay)
a.zay
in that case
H:ConjQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:Conj
Word Overview
The Hebrew word azay functions as a temporal conjunction meaning "then" or "in that case." It appears in only three verses of Scripture, primarily within the Psalms. This rarity makes its usage distinctive, serving as a precise marker for consequence or immediate sequence rather than general time.
Lexical sources indicate it is likely a dialectical variant of the more common az. While both words translate to "then," azay often carries a stronger conditional weight, linking an action directly to a preceding condition. Its limited occurrence suggests it was used for specific rhetorical emphasis in poetic texts.
Translators typically render it simply as "then" or "so." Because it appears so infrequently, its meaning is tightly bound to the immediate context of each verse. It highlights the logical or chronological connection between events, ensuring the reader sees the direct result of a stated situation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word azay appears in Psalm 124 to mark a turning point in the narrative of deliverance. It signals that because God’s wrath was kindled against His people, a specific consequence would have followed. This linguistic choice helps readers see the direct link between the danger and the rescue.
When you read these verses, azay reminds us that our safety rests entirely on divine intervention. The psalmist uses this term to emphasize how close they came to being overwhelmed by pride and power. It is a reminder that without God’s restraint, the outcome would have been different.
This word invites you to trust in God’s protective care during times of intense pressure. Just as the waters were held back, He holds back what could harm your soul. You can rest in the knowledge that His mercy turns potential disaster into a testimony of grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- then3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אֲ֭זַי3×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 124:3
then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us,
This verse uses azay to establish the immediate consequence of the enemy's wrath, showing that without God's intervention, the psalmists would have been consumed alive.
-
Psalms 124:4
then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul.
Here azay connects the rising waters to the threat against their very souls, highlighting the severity of the danger that was narrowly avoided.
-
Psalms 124:5
Then the proud waters would have gone over our soul.
The term reinforces the finality of the threat posed by proud waters, serving as a rhetorical marker for the overwhelming force that God stopped.