Bible Lexicons

יֵשׁ followed by a Maccaph, יִשׁ

(1) prop. subst. esse, being, existence (see יָשָׁה ); whence that which is present, ready; οὐσία, wealth (compare עֲתִידוֹת). So prob. Proverbs 8:21, לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ “to cause those who love me to inherit substance.”

(2) By far the most common use of the word is its being put for the verb substantive, without distinction of number or tense (Aram. ܐܝܺܬ, אִיתַי, which see, id.; Arab. أَيْسَ. Opposed to אַיִן, אֵין, there is not). Specially, therefore, with a sing. is, was, will be, may be. Genesis 28:16, יֵשׁ יְהֹוָה בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה “Jehovah is in this place.” 2 Kings 10:5, יֵשׁ זָיֵשׂ “truly it is so.” Numbers 22:29; Jeremiah 31:6. With plur. are, were, will be, 2 Kings 2:16; Ezra 10:4; 2 Chronicles 6:19. יֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר there are those who, there will be those who (Syr. ܐܝܺܬ ܕ), Nehemiah 5:2,,. יֵשׁ לִי there is to me, I have, Genesis 43:7, 44:20 hence כָּל־אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ לוֹ whatsoever he had, Genesis 39:5.

(3) especially, to be present, ready, to exist, Ruth 3:12; Jeremiah 5:1. Ecclesiastes 1:10, יֵשׁ דָּבָר שֶׁיּאֹמַר “there is anything of which it may be said.” Ecclesiastes 2:21, 7:15 8:14. Proverbs 13:7, יֵשׁ מִתְעַשֶּׁר “there are those (who) feign themselves rich.” Proverbs 11:24, 18:24. Comp. Numbers 9:20, יֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה “there was, when there was,” etc., i.e. there was sometimes, like Ch. אית דהוי.

If the subject be contained in a personal pronoun, this is expressed by a suffix, as יֶשְׁךָ thou art, Judges 6:36 יֶשְׁכֶם ye are, Genesis 24:49 יֶשְׁנוֹ he is, Deuteronomy 29:14. The verb substantive, when thus expressed, stands often in conjunction with a participle for the finite verb, Judges 6:36, אִם יֶשְׁךָ מוֹשִׁיעַ “if thou savest,” Genesis 24:42, 49 Genesis 24:49.