Original Word: אֲהָהּ
Part of Speech: Interjection
Transliteration: ahahh
Pronunciation: ah-hah
Phonetic Spelling: (a-haw')
KJV: ah, alas
NASB: alas, Ah
Word Origin: [apparently a primitive word expressing pain exclamatorily]

1. Oh!

ah, alas

Apparently a primitive word expressing pain exclamatorily; Oh! -- ah, alas.

Word Origin
a prim. interj.
Definition
alas!
NASB Translation
Ah (5), alas (10).

אֲהָהּ ( ) interjection alas! Judges 11:35; 2 Kings 3:10; 2 Kings 6:5,15; with ל Joel 1:15 אֲהָהּ לַיּוֺם alas for the day! for etc. In the combination אֲהָהּ אֲדֹנָי יֱהוִֺה Joshua 7:7; Judges 6:22; Jeremiah 1:6; Jeremiah 4:10; Jeremiah 14:13; Jeremiah 32:17; Ezekiel 4:14; Ezekiel 9:8; Ezekiel 11:13; Ezekiel 21:5.

Meaning and Emotional Range

The interjection אֲהָהּ gives voice to startled grief, dread, perplexity, or urgent appeal. It erupts in moments when human weakness collides with divine sovereignty, allowing speakers to pour out unfiltered emotion before the Lord.

Distribution in Scripture

Fifteen occurrences span narrative history and prophetic literature: Joshua 7:7; Judges 6:22; Judges 11:35; 2 Kings 3:10; 2 Kings 6:5; 2 Kings 6:15; Jeremiah 1:6; 4:10; 14:13; 32:17; Ezekiel 4:14; 9:8; 11:13; 20:49; Joel 1:15. The breadth of settings—from battlefield reversals to prophetic commission—shows its versatility as a cry of the heart.

Personal Anguish and Immediate Crisis

• Joshua, staggered by defeat at Ai, laments, “Ah, Lord GOD, why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan?” (Joshua 7:7).
• When Jephthah’s daughter greets him, he groans, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me to my knees” (Judges 11:35).
• In ordinary life, the loss of a borrowed tool prompts the servant’s plea, “Oh, my master, it was borrowed!” (2 Kings 6:5).

Reaction to Perceived Judgment

Kings and prophets feel the weight of God’s holiness: “Alas, the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!” (2 Kings 3:10). Joel widens the lament to national scale: “Alas for the day! For the Day of the LORD is near” (Joel 1:15).

Prophetic Burden and Holy Fear

Jeremiah’s call begins with inadequacy: “Ah, Lord GOD! I do not know how to speak” (Jeremiah 1:6). Ezekiel trembles at symbolic tasks: “Ah, Lord GOD! I have never defiled myself” (Ezekiel 4:14). Their laments mark the threshold between human frailty and divine commission.

Intercession Amid Wrath

As executioners strike Jerusalem, Ezekiel intercedes, “Ah, Lord GOD, are You going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel?” (Ezekiel 9:8). The cry bridges judgment and mercy, revealing God’s concern for a remnant.

Transition from Lament to Confidence

Jeremiah 32:17 turns the exclamation into worship: “Ah, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power … Nothing is too difficult for You”. Honest lament matures into steadfast trust when it rests on God’s creative power and covenant faithfulness.

Theological Significance

1. Scripture legitimizes lament as part of faithful dialogue with God.
2. The interjection underscores both God’s transcendence and His accessibility; He hears even the gasp of the overwhelmed.
3. Each cry is answered—by revelation, intervention, or assurance—demonstrating the consistency of God’s character throughout redemptive history.

Ministry Application

• Encourage believers to articulate distress honestly before God; lament is not unbelief but relational engagement.
• Show that crises can sharpen dependence on divine strength. Joshua, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel moved forward in obedience after their cries.
• Use Jeremiah 32:17 to teach that worship often grows out of lament, transforming “Ah, Lord GOD” from a sigh of despair into a declaration of omnipotence.

אֲהָ֕הּ אֲהָ֖הּ אֲהָ֣הּ ׀ אֲהָ֤הּ אֲהָ֥הּ אֲהָהּ֙ אֲהָהּ֮ אהה ’ă·hāh ’ăhāh aHahInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts