Original Word: אִי
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: iy
Pronunciation: yesh
Phonetic Spelling: (ee)
Definition: there is, there are
Meaning: a howler, any solitary wild creature

wild beast of the islands

Probably identical with 'iy (through the idea of a doleful sound); a howler (used only in the plural), i.e. Any solitary wild creature; --wild beast of the islands.

see HEBREW 'iy

Word Origin
from oy
Definition
a jackal
NASB Translation
Hyenas (1), jackals (1), wolves (1).

II. [אִי] noun masculine jackal (howler, for *אָוִי see Ba^{NB 188}, compare Arabic , whence ) — plural אִיִּים, Isaiah 13:22; Isaiah 34:14; Jeremiah 50:39 (inhabitant of desert, ruin).

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning to howl or cry out.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There are no direct Greek equivalents in the Strong's Concordance that correspond to the specific Hebrew term אִי (i) as used in the context of "howler" or "solitary wild creature." However, Greek terms related to desolation or wilderness, such as ἔρημος (erēmos, Strong's Greek 2048), may capture similar thematic elements in the New Testament.

Usage: The term is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe creatures that inhabit desolate or deserted places, often translated as "wild beasts" or "howlers" in English.

Context: The Hebrew word אִי (i) appears in the context of desolation and wilderness, often symbolizing the haunting presence of wild creatures in abandoned or uninhabited areas. This term is typically associated with the imagery of desolation and ruin, where such creatures dwell. In the Berean Standard Bible, the word is used to evoke the sense of a place that has been forsaken by human habitation, now overtaken by nature and its wild inhabitants.

For example, in Isaiah 13:21, the prophecy against Babylon describes a scene of utter desolation: "But desert creatures will lie there, and their houses will be full of owls; ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about." Here, the presence of אִי (i) underscores the complete abandonment and transformation of a once-thriving city into a wilderness.

The use of אִי (i) in the Hebrew Bible serves as a powerful metaphor for divine judgment and the consequences of turning away from God. It reflects the theme of desolation that follows divine retribution, where once-prosperous places become the haunt of wild and solitary creatures.

אִיִּ֔ים אִיִּים֙ איים ’î·yîm ’îyîm iYimInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts