Hebrew

Adverb

אֻלַי • ‎(uláy)

1. (rare, Biblical Hebrew) Defective spelling of אוּלַי: maybe.
   • Genesis 24:39, with translation of the King James Version:

     אֻלַי לֹא־תֵלֵךְ הָאִשָּׁה אַחֲרָי‎

     'uláy lo-teléch haishá acharáy

     Peradventure the woman will not follow me

Noun

אֵלִי • ‎(elí)

1. Singular form of אֵל ‎(él)‎ with first-person singular personal pronoun as possessor.
   • Psalms 118:28, with translation of the King James Version:

     אֵלִי אַתָּה וְאוֹדֶךָּ‎

     elí atá v'odéka

     Thou art my God, and I will praise thee

Preposition

אֱלֵי • ‎(elé)

1. (rare form) Alternative form of אֶל ‎(él)
   • Job 3:22, with Young's Literal Translation:

     הַשְּׂמֵחִים אֱלֵי־גִיל‎

     has'mechím ele-gíl

     Who are glad — unto joy

Preposition

אֵלַי • ‎(eláy)

1. Form of אֶל ‎(él) including first-person singular personal pronoun as object.
   • Exodus 3:16, with translation of the King James Version:

     אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵיכֶם נִרְאָה אֵלַי‎

     elohé avotechém nir'á eláy

     God of your fathers […] appeared unto me

Verb

אֱלִי • ‎(elí)

1. Wail: feminine singular imperative.
   • Joel 1:8, with translation of the King James Version:

     אֱלִי כִּבְתוּלָה חֲגֻרַת־שַׂק עַל־בַּעַל נְעוּרֶיהָ‎

     elí kivtulá chagurat-sák al-báal n'uréha

     Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.

Judeo-Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic إِلَى ‎(ʾilā).

Preposition

אלי ‎(ʾilā)

1. to, toward
   • Exodus 10:1 in Saadia Gaon's Tafsir (circa 10th century)

     תׄם קאל אללה למוסי אדכׄל אלי פרעון פאני קד קוית קלבה וקלב קואדה לכי אחל אפאתי הדׄה בהם׃‎

     ṯumma qāla llāhu limūsā dḵul ʾilā firʿawna faʾinnī qad qawwaytu qalbahu waqalba quwwādihi likay ʾuḥilla ʾāfātī hāḏihi bahum.

     Then God said to Moses: Come to Pharaoh for I have just strengthened his heart and the the heart of his commanders so that I might set upon them these my plagues.