a, a-ha': Interjections of frequent occurrence in the Old Testament, representing different Hebrew words and different states of feeling.
(1) 'ahah, expressing complaint and found in the phrase "Ah, Lord Yahweh" (Jer 1:6;4:10etc.;Eze 4:14etc.). Elsewhere the word is translated "alas!" (Joe 1:15).
(2) 'ach, occurs once (Eze 21:15), expressing grief in contemplating Israel's destruction.
(3) he'ach, usually expresses malicious joy over the reverses of an enemy, and is introduced by the verb "to say" (Brown-Driver-Briggs' Lexicon); so inPs 35:21,25;Eze 25:3;26:2;36:2; in the repeated Psalm 40:15; 70:3. It expresses satiety inIsa 44:16; and represents the neighing of a horse inJob 39:25.
(4) hoy, expresses grief or pain, (Isa 1:4;Jer 22:18). In1Ki 13:30it is translated "alas!" More frequently it is used to indicate that a threat of judgment is to follow (Isa 10:5;29:1); or to direct attention to some important announcement (Isa 55:1), where the Hebrew word is translated "Ho."
(5) Greek oua, inMr 15:29, used by those who mocked Jesus, as He hung upon the cross. All of these words are evidently imitative of the natural sounds, which spontaneously give expression to these emotions of complaint, grief, pain, exultation, etc.
Edward Mack