'Oh' in the Bible
And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael [my firstborn] might live before You!”
Then Abraham said [to Him], “Oh, may the Lord not be angry, and I will speak; suppose thirty [righteous people] are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
Then Abraham said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry [with me], and I will speak only this once; suppose ten [righteous people] are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
Now look, this town [in the distance] is near enough for us to flee to, and it is small [with only a few people]. Please, let me escape there (is it not small?) so that my life will be saved.”
But he said, “Please my Lord, send the message [of rescue to Israel] by [someone else,] whomever else You will [choose].”
So Moses returned to the Lord, and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin [against You], and have made themselves a god of gold.
Then Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, I plead with you, do not account this sin to us, in which we have acted foolishly and in which we have sinned.
Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear [and worship Me with awe-filled reverence and profound respect] and keep all My commandments always, so that it may go well with them and with their children forever!
But Gideon said to Him, “Please Lord, how am I to rescue Israel? Behold, my family is the least [significant] in Manasseh, and I am the youngest (smallest) in my father’s house.”
Hannah said, “Oh, my lord! As [surely as] your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood beside you here, praying to the Lord.
Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were appointed judge in the land! Then every man who had a dispute could come to me and I would get justice for him.”
Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has returned to his own house in safety and peace.”
And David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”
Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would indeed bless me and enlarge my border [property], and that Your hand would be with me, and You would keep me from evil so that it does not hurt me!” And God granted his request.
David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem, which is next to the gate!”
“Oh, that my grief could actually be weighedAnd placed in the balances together with my tragedy [to see if my grief is the grief of a coward]!
“Oh that my request would come to pass,And that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
“Remember that my life is but breath [a puff of wind, a sigh];My eye will not see good again.
“But oh, that God would speak,And open His lips [to speak] against you,
“Oh, that you would be completely silent,And that silence would be your wisdom!
“Oh, that You would hide me in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead),That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past,That You would set a definite time and then remember me [and in Your lovingkindness imprint me on your heart]!
“Oh, that a man would mediate and plead with God [for me]Just as a man [mediates and pleads] with his neighbor and friend.
“Oh, that the words I now speak were written!Oh, that they were recorded in a scroll!
“Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,That I might [even] come to His seat!
“Oh, that I were as in the months of old,As in the days when God watched over me,
Oh, let Him weigh me with accurate scales,And let God know my integrity.
“Oh, that I had one to listen to me!Look, here is my signature (mark);Let the Almighty answer me!Let my adversary write out His indictment [and put His vague accusations in tangible form].
“Listen carefully to the thunder of His voice,And the rumbling that goes out of His mouth!
Many are saying, “Oh, that we might see some good!”Lift up the light of Your face upon us, O Lord.
Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous [those in right standing with You];For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds.
Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!When the Lord restores His captive people,Then Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad.
How great is Your goodness,Which You have stored up for those who [reverently] fear You,Which You have prepared for those who take refuge in You,Before the sons of man!
Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!When God restores [the fortunes of] His people,Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!I would fly away and be at rest.
Oh, do not hand over the soul of your turtledove to the wild beast;Do not forget the life of Your afflicted forever.
Let not the oppressed return dishonored;Let the afflicted and needy praise Your name.
“Oh, that My people would listen to Me,That Israel would walk in My ways!
Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,And for His wonderful acts to the children of men!
Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,And for His wonderful acts to the children of men!
Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,And for His wonderful acts to the children of men!
Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,And for His wonderful acts to the children of men!
Oh, that my ways may be establishedTo observe and keep Your statutes [obediently accepting and honoring them]!
With all my heart I have sought You, [inquiring of You and longing for You];Do not let me wander from Your commandments [neither through ignorance nor by willful disobedience].
Mem.Oh, how I love Your law!It is my meditation all the day.
There is a generation (class of people)—oh, how lofty are their eyes!And their eyelids are raised in arrogance.
(The Shulammite Bride)“Awake, O north wind,And come, south wind [blow softly upon my garden];Make my garden breathe out fragrance, [for the one in whom my soul delights],Let its spices flow forth.Let my beloved come into his gardenAnd eat its choicest fruits.” Cross references: Song of Solomon 4:7 : John 14:18; Eph 5:27 Song of Solomon 4:8 : 2 Cor 11:2, 3 Song of Solomon 4:10 : John 15:9; Rom 8:35 Song of Solomon 4:13 : John 15:5; Eph 5:9 Song of Solomon 4:15 : John 4:10; 7:37, 38 end of crossrefs
“Oh, that you were like a brother to me,Who nursed at the breasts of my mother.If I found you out of doors, I would kiss you;No one would blame me or despise me, either.
“Let his left hand be under my headAnd his right hand embrace me.”
You turn things upside down [with your perversity]!Shall the potter be considered equal with the clay,That the thing that is made would say to its maker, “He did not make me”;Or the thing that is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?
A [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning the beasts of the Negev (the South):Through a land of trouble and anguish,From where come lioness and lion, viper and [fiery] flying serpent,They carry their riches on the shoulders of young donkeysAnd their treasures on the humps of camels,To a people (Egyptians) who cannot benefit them.
“Oh, that you had paid attention to My commandments!Then your peace and prosperity would have been like a [flowing] river,And your righteousness [the holiness and purity of the nation] like the [abundant] waves of the sea.
Oh, that You would tear open the heavens and come down,That the mountains might quake at Your presence—
My soul, my soul! I writhe in anguish and pain! Oh, the walls of my heart!My heart is pounding and throbbing within me;I cannot be silent,For you have heard, O my soul,The sound of the trumpet,The alarm of war.
Oh, that I (Jeremiah) could find comfort from my sorrow [for my grief is beyond healing],My heart is sick and faint within me!
Oh that my head were watersAnd my eyes a fountain of tears,That I might weep day and nightFor the slain of the daughter of my people!
Oh that I had in the wildernessA lodging place (a mere shelter) for wayfaring men,That I might leave my peopleAnd go away from them!For they are all adulterers [worshiping idols instead of the Lord],[They are] an assembly of treacherous men [of weak character, men without integrity].
Yet I sent to you all My servants the prophets, again and again, saying, “Oh, do not do this shamefully vile thing which I hate.”
You have heard my voice,“Do not hide Your ear from my prayer for relief,From my cry for help.”
I will stand at my guard postAnd station myself on the tower;And I will keep watch to see what He will say to me,And what answer I will give [as His spokesman] when I am reproved.
“Oh, that there were even one among you [whose duty it is to minister to Me] who would shut the gates, so that you would not kindle fire on My altar uselessly [with an empty, worthless pretense]! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of hosts, “nor will I accept an offering from your hand.