ESTUDIO DE LA PALABRA HEBREA
Mîy (H4310) — Who? in Hebrew
מִי (mîy) is the basic Hebrew interrogative pronoun meaning 'who?' or 'whose?', used to identify persons and occasionally things.
Significado de la palabra
מִי (mîy) is the principal Hebrew word for asking 'who?' It introduces direct questions about a person's identity, as when Isaac asks Jacob, 'Who art thou, my son?' (Genesis 27:18), or when Abimelech inquires, 'Who hath done this thing?' (Genesis 21:26).
The word also functions as 'whose?', used to inquire about possession or parentage, as in 'Whose daughter art thou?' (Genesis 24:23, Genesis 24:47). With prefixed or suffixed forms it takes oblique constructions such as 'to whom' or 'of whom', as in 'Whomsoever thou hast in the city' (Genesis 19:12).
Beyond strict interrogation, מִי sometimes introduces an indefinite or hypothetical sense — 'whoever', 'anyone', or even the rhetorical 'would that!' (e.g., Genesis 21:7, 'Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should give children suck?'). It is occasionally applied by idiom to things rather than persons.
Uso en las Escrituras
מִי is one of the most frequent Hebrew words, appearing roughly 303 times in 238 verses across the Old Testament. Its use is concentrated in the early narratives of Genesis, where interpersonal questions drive the plot: Adam's exposure (Genesis 3:11), Lot's rescue (Genesis 19:12), the birth of Isaac (Genesis 21:7), the betrothal of Rebekah (Genesis 24:23, Genesis 24:47, Genesis 24:65), and Jacob's deception of Isaac (Genesis 27:18, Genesis 27:32, Genesis 27:33).
In these passages מִי does more than seek information — it exposes identity, intention, and authority. A reader should note that the same form is used for 'whose', 'whom', and 'whoever' depending on grammar; translating מִי accurately requires attention to context rather than a single gloss.
La palabra en detalle
- H4310 מִי (mîy), pronounced roughly 'me', is the standard Hebrew interrogative 'who?'. It functions as 'who', 'whose', 'whom', and 'whoever', and occasionally by idiom of things. With prefixes or suffixes it builds oblique forms such as 'to whom' or 'of whom'.
Versículos de ejemplo
- Genesis 3:11 After the fall, God asks Adam, 'Who told thee that thou wast naked?' — מִי here confronts Adam with his sin by forcing him to identify how he came to know his shame.
- Genesis 24:23 Abraham's servant asks Rebekah, 'Whose daughter art thou?' — מִי functioning as 'whose' determines lineage, a matter of central concern in the bride-choice narrative.
- Genesis 27:18 Isaac asks Jacob, 'Who art thou, my son?' — מִי in this pivotal scene of deception probes identity at the very moment Jacob assumes Esau's identity.
- Genesis 21:7 Sarah says, 'Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should give children suck?' — מִי here is rhetorical, expressing wonder at the unexpected fulfillment of the promise.
Preguntas frecuentes
Is מִי always a question?
No. מִי functions primarily as the interrogative 'who?', but it can also be indefinite ('whoever', 'anyone'), and in expressions like Genesis 21:7 it is rhetorical ('who would have said…?').
How does מִי differ from מָה (mah)?
מִי asks about persons ('who?'), while מָה asks about things ('what?'). The line is not absolute — מִי can occasionally refer to things by idiom — but in normal usage the distinction is clear.
Why does KJV render מִי in many different English ways?
Because מִי is an unchanging form that takes on 'who', 'whose', 'whom', or 'whoever' depending on the grammar of the clause. Translators must read each context rather than mapping one English word to מִי.