Hoy הוֹי

Hoy (Hebrew הוֹי, Strong's H1945) is a Hebrew interjection meaning “woe!”. It occurs 51 times in 47 verses of the Old Testament.

Definition

From the STEPBible Brief Lexicon of Hebrew (based on the abridged Brown-Driver-Briggs), STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0.

Translated as

Verses

Every verse with Hoy, with the English words that translate it highlighted (KJV or BSB; other translations show the KJV here).

1 Kings

• 1 Kings 13:30
  And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother!Then he laid the body in his own tomb, and they lamented over him, “Oh, my brother!”

Isaiah

• Isaiah 1:4
  Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.Alas, O sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children of depravity! They have forsaken the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him.
• Isaiah 1:24
  Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:Therefore the Lord GOD of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah, I will be relieved of My foes and avenge Myself on My enemies.
• Isaiah 5:8
  Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field until no place is left and you live alone in the land.
• Isaiah 5:11
  Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!Woe to those who rise early in the morning in pursuit of strong drink, who linger into the evening, to be inflamed by wine.
• Isaiah 5:18
  Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes,
• Isaiah 5:20
  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter.
• Isaiah 5:21
  Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
• Isaiah 5:22
  Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine and champions in mixing strong drink,
• Isaiah 10:1
  Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees,
• Isaiah 10:5
  O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger; the staff in their hands is My wrath.
• Isaiah 17:12
  Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!Alas, the tumult of many peoples; they rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations; they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters.
• Isaiah 18:1
  Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:Woe to the land of whirring wings, along the rivers of Cush,
• Isaiah 28:1
  Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!Woe to the majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards, to the fading flower of his glorious splendor, set on the summit above the fertile valley, the pride of those overcome by wine.
• Isaiah 29:1
  Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.Woe to you, O Ariel, the city of Ariel where David camped! Year upon year let your festivals recur.
• Isaiah 29:15
  Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, “Who sees us, and who will know?”
• Isaiah 30:1
  Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin.
• Isaiah 31:1
  Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.
• Isaiah 33:1
  Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.Woe to you, O destroyer never destroyed, O traitor never betrayed! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed. When you have finished betraying, you will be betrayed.
• Isaiah 45:9
  Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker— one clay pot among many. Does the clay ask the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has no hands’?
• Isaiah 45:10
  Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?Woe to him who says to his father, ‘What have you begotten?’ or to his mother, ‘What have you brought forth?’”
• Isaiah 55:1
  Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!

Jeremiah

• Jeremiah 22:13
  Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;“Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms without justice, who makes his countrymen serve without pay, and fails to pay their wages,
• Jeremiah 22:18
  Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah; They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah lord! or, Ah his glory!Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: “They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’ They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’
• Jeremiah 23:1
  Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD.
• Jeremiah 30:7
  Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.How awful that day will be! None will be like it! It is the time of Jacob’s distress, but he will be saved out of it.
• Jeremiah 34:5
  But thou shalt die in peace: and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pronounced the word, saith the Lord.you will die in peace. As spices were burned for your fathers, the former kings who preceded you, so people will burn spices for you and lament, ‘Alas, O master!’ For I Myself have spoken this word, declares the LORD.”
• Jeremiah 47:6
  O thou sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.‘Alas, O sword of the LORD, how long until you rest? Return to your sheath; cease and be still!’
• Jeremiah 48:1
  Against Moab thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Woe unto Nebo! for it is spoiled: Kiriathaim is confounded and taken: Misgab is confounded and dismayed.Concerning Moab, this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Woe to Nebo, for it will be devastated. Kiriathaim will be captured and disgraced; the fortress will be shattered and dismantled.
• Jeremiah 50:27
  Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.Kill all her young bulls; let them go down to the slaughter. Woe to them, for their day has come— the time of their punishment.

Ezekiel

• Ezekiel 13:3
  Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!This is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, yet have seen nothing.
• Ezekiel 13:18
  And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their wrists and make veils for the heads of people of every height, in order to ensnare their souls. Will you ensnare the souls of My people but preserve your own?
• Ezekiel 34:2
  Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who only feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed their flock?

Amos

• Amos 5:18
  Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.Woe to you who long for the Day of the LORD! What will the Day of the LORD be for you? It will be darkness and not light.
• Amos 6:1
  Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!Woe to those at ease in Zion and those secure on Mount Samaria, the distinguished ones of the foremost nation, to whom the house of Israel comes.

Micah

• Micah 2:1
  Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.

Nahum

• Nahum 3:1
  Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without prey.

Habakkuk

• Habakkuk 2:6
  Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!Will not all of these take up a taunt against him, speaking with mockery and derision: ‘Woe to him who amasses what is not his and makes himself rich with many loans! How long will this go on?’
• Habakkuk 2:9
  Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, to place his nest on high and escape the hand of disaster!
• Habakkuk 2:12
  Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by iniquity!
• Habakkuk 2:15
  Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness!
• Habakkuk 2:19
  Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’ Can it give guidance? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.”

Zephaniah

• Zephaniah 2:5
  Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.Woe to the dwellers of the seacoast, O nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: “I will destroy you, and no one will be left.”
• Zephaniah 3:1
  Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled!

Zechariah

• Zechariah 2:6
  Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord.“Get up! Get up! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the LORD, “for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven,” declares the LORD.
• Zechariah 2:7
  Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.“Get up, O Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the Daughter of Babylon!”
• Zechariah 11:17
  Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May a sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered and his right eye utterly blinded!”

Notes

1. Definition and verse list from STEPBible's tagged Hebrew Old Testament (TAHOT) and Greek New Testament (TAGNT) and Brief Lexicons, STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0.
2. English renderings from the public-domain KJV with Strong's numbers (eBible.org) and the Berean Standard Bible interlinear (public domain).