אוּלַי

u.lay

perhaps

Strong’s H194Adverb45 times in the Hebrew Bible

perhaps45

In the text

Genesis 16:2אוּלַי
So Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
Numbers 22:6אוּלַי
So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”
1 Samuel 6:5אוּלַי
Make images of your tumors and of the rats that are ravaging the land. Give glory to the God of Israel, and perhaps He will lift His hand from you and your gods and your land.
1 Kings 18:5אוּלַי
Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring and every valley. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive so that we will not have to destroy any livestock.”
Isaiah 37:4אוּלַי
Perhaps the LORD your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to defy the living God, and He will rebuke him for the words that the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up a prayer for the remnant that still survives.”
Jeremiah 20:10אוּלַי
For I have heard the whispering of many: “Terror is on every side! Report him; let us report him!” All my trusted friends watch for my fall: “Perhaps he will be deceived so that we may prevail against him and take our vengeance upon him.”

אוּלַי 44 and (Gn 24:39) אֻלַי adv.

1. peradventure, perhaps; usually expressing a hope

2. followed by another clause, it expresses virtually the protasis = if peradventure

3. unless

Sources: Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906, public domain) from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon (CC BY 4.0), glosses from STEPBible TBESH (CC BY 4.0); STEPBible TAHOT (Hebrew Bible, Leningrad Codex, CC BY 4.0); the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). Reformatted by Word Study, wording unchanged. All sources and licenses.