אוּלַי ulay

Hebrew word for “perhaps” · Strong’s H194 · used 45 times in 44 verses

Explore it in the Word Atlas

Meaning

1) perhaps, peradventure; 2) if peradventure; 3) unless; 4) suppose

How it is translated

Glosses given for ulay in context, with how often each is used:

• perhaps 45

Where it is used

Also in 5 more books.

Chapters where it is used most

Genesis 18 (6), Numbers 22 (3), Genesis 24 (2), Numbers 23 (2), 1 Kings 18 (2), Jeremiah 36 (2), Genesis 16 (1), Genesis 27 (1), Genesis 32 (1), Genesis 43 (1)

Forms

• אולי 44
• אלי 1

Words used with it

Words that share verses with ulay more often than their overall frequency would suggest:

• נָא na “please” 11
• מָצָא matsa “to find” 8
• שָׁם sham “there” 9
• הָלַךְ halakh “to go” 10
• עַתָּה attah “now” 7
• דָבַר davar “to speak” 8
• שָׁמַע shama “to hear” 8
• בַּעַד bead “about/through/for” 4
• שָׁחַת shachat “to ruin” 4
• הִנֵּה hinneh “behold” 6
• יָכֹל yakhol “be able” 4
• שׁוּב shuv “to return” 6

Key verses

The verses using ulay that are most connected by cross-references (King James Version):

• 1 Samuel 14:6 — And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work…
• 2 Kings 19:4 — It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove…
• Job 1:5 — And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt…
• Isaiah 37:4 — It may be the LORD thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the…
• Isaiah 47:12 — Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit,…
• Jeremiah 20:10 — For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he…
• Jeremiah 21:2 — Enquire, I pray thee, of the LORD for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that the LORD will deal with us according to all…
• Jeremiah 36:3 — It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive…
• Jeremiah 36:7 — It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the LORD…
• Hosea 8:7 — For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow…
• Amos 5:15 — Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
• Zephaniah 2:3 — Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the…

See all 44 verses in the Word Atlas

Hebrew and Greek text, tagging, glosses and lexicon definitions: STEPBible.org, Tyndale House Cambridge (TAHOT, TAGNT, TBESH, TBESG; CC BY 4.0), adapted. Counts follow King James verse numbering; a word counts each time it is written.