← All word studies · Scripture answers
מָה
mâh · Hebrew · Strong's H4101 · 13 occurrences
The KJV renders 10 different Hebrew and Greek words as “what”
What it means
{properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what}
(Aramaic) corresponding to H4100 (מָה)
How the KJV renders it
how great, that which, what, why
Where that flattens a distinction
The same English word is also used for these other originals, so the distinction between them disappears in translation.
“what”
“how great”
also renders hēlíkos (G2245), pēlíkos (G4080)
“why”
also renders hinatí (G2444), tís (G5101)
Where it appears
13 occurrences in the Hebrew text, first 11 verses shown.
Daniel 2:15 · ATi
He answered Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree so urgent from the king?” Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
Daniel 2:22 · APfxbs
He reveals the deep and secret things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.
Daniel 2:28 · APfxbs
but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head on your bed are these:
Daniel 2:29 · APfxbs
“As for you, O king, your thoughts came on your bed, what should happen hereafter; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what will happen.
Daniel 2:45 · APfxbs
Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will happen hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
Daniel 4:3 · AR/Pfxcs
How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. His dominion is from generation to generation.
Daniel 4:35 APixbsEzra 4:22 AR/TiEzra 6:9 AC/PfxcsEzra 7:18 AC/PfxcsEzra 7:23 AR/Pixcs
Occurrences and morphology are taken from the primary Hebrew text, never from an English translation. Strong's Hebrew lexicon and Westminster Leningrad Codex morphology used under CC BY-SA 4.0 / CC BY 4.0 (OpenScriptures). Strong's Greek lexicon is public domain.