Aim (Hastings' Dictionary)
To ' aim at,' in the sense of ' conjecture,' ' make guesses at,' occurs Wis 13» * For if they were able to know so much that they could aun at (ffToxifo/xoi, RV 'explore') the world.' Cf. a. Smith (1593), 'No marvel if he did aim that his death was near at hand.' J. HASTINGS. AIN (y, usually spelled "Ayin, and represented in transliteration by ') is the sixteenth letter of the Heb. Alphabet (wh. see), and so is used to introduce the sixteenth part of Ps 119. See Psalms.
This topic also has an entry in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Both articles offer independent scholarly perspectives.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Aim
Aim am: In The Wisdom of Solomon 13:9. Lit. translation by the King James Version of Greek stochasasthai, which commonly means "to shoot at." This is Interpreted and explained by the Revised Version (British and American) as "explore," with a hint as to the nature of the process, and may be paraphrased: "If they be able to conjecture the mysteries of the universe."
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia