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אָבָה

𐤀𐤁𐤄

ʼâbâh

H14 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To desire, want, be willing, or consent; expresses the act of wishing for something, expressing readiness, or granting approval. Emphasizes an inward inclination or determination to do or experience something, whether positive (to wish, be willing, consent) or negative (to refuse, when used with a negation).

Semantic Range

to want, to desire, to long for, to be willing, to consent, to accept, to refuse (with negation), to approve, to acquiesce

Root / Etymology

Root: אבה (aleph-bet-he). The root conveys the sense of willingness or desire. The verb אָבָה likely derives from an older Semitic root meaning 'to wish for' or 'to long for.' The actual lexical meaning focuses on internal will or disposition rather than external action; etymology uncertain beyond the Hebrew context.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Primarily used to indicate active willingness or consent — for example, a person's readiness to do something (Exod 10:27, 'Pharaoh was not willing/consented'). In other instances, it may express strong personal desire or refusal when negated. The root does not have a specialized religious nuance and is employed in a range of social, familial, and diplomatic settings. The verb is often paired with negation (לֹא אָבָה, 'not willing') to signal reluctance or refusal, a nuance sometimes underrepresented in English translations. Related words such as רָצָה ('to be pleased, accept, show favor') have a more relational or external focus, while אָבָה is more about inner disposition or will. The term remains strongly consistent across textual strata, from early narrative to exilic and later periods, without significant semantic shift. English translations sometimes restrict it to 'consent,' 'be willing,' or 'be content,' but the semantic range in Hebrew is broader, encompassing desire, willingness, and refusal (when negated).

Translation Consistency

primary "be willing" 0 occurrences

The Hebrew אָבָה most typically expresses willingness or consenting (including accepting or refusing when negated). "Be willing" naturally captures the inward readiness/consent sense across positive and negative contexts and matches the majority of existing renderings ("willing"). It is the most natural, consistent choice to cover desire, consent, and acquiescence without over‑formalizing (e.g., "consent") or narrowing the sense (e.g., "want").

Alternatives (50 occurrences):
"willing" (46x) "consent" (3x) "want" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to breathe after, i.e. (figuratively) to be acquiescent; consent, rest content will, be willing.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

אבה (ʼâbâh) — to be willing, to want, to desire, to consent

Root אבה to be willing, to want, to desire, to consent
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H15 אָבֶה my father
H16 אֵבֶה papyrus reed
H17 אֲבוֹי Ah, woe!
H34 אֶבְיוֹן man in want
H35 אֲבִיּוֹנָה the desire-arousing caper berry

Word Forms

11 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H14-01 אָבָה֙ avah HVqp3ms was willing he was willing he was willing 28
H14-04 אָב֖וּ avu HVqp3cp were willing they were willing they were willing 9
H14-08 תֹאבֶֽה toveh HVqi2ms is willing she is willing she will be willing 4
H14-02 אֲבִיתֶ֖ם avitem HVqp2mp you-wanted you were willing you were willing 3
H14-03 אָבִ֔יתִי aviti HVqp1cs I-willed I was willing I was willing 2
H14-09 תֹּאב֖וּ tovu HVqi2mp you are willing you are willing you are willing 2
H14-10 יֹאבֶ֣ה yoveh HVqi3ms be willing he will be willing he will be willing 2
H14-05 הֲ/יֹ֣אבֶה hayoveh HTi/Vqi3ms will consent he will be willing will he be willing 1
H14-06 אֹבִ֖ים ovim HVqrmpa willing the willing ones willing 1
H14-07 תֹּבֵֽא tove HVqj2ms consent may you be willing consent 1

Occurrences in Scripture

54 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H14-08 Genesis 24:5 תֹאבֶ֣ה toveh HVqi3fs is willing she is willing she will be willing
H14-08 Genesis 24:8 תֹאבֶ֤ה toveh HVqi3fs is willing she is willing she will be willing
H14-01 Exodus 10:27 אָבָ֖ה avah HVqp3ms was willing he was willing he was willing
H14-09 Leviticus 26:21 תֹאב֖וּ tovu HVqi2mp you are willing you are willing you are willing
H14-02 Deuteronomy 1:26 אֲבִיתֶ֖ם avitem HVqp2mp you were willing you were willing you were willing
H14-01 Deuteronomy 2:30 אָבָ֗ה avah HVqp3ms was willing he was willing was willing
H14-01 Deuteronomy 10:10 אָבָ֥ה avah HVqp3ms was willing he was willing he was willing
H14-08 Deuteronomy 13:9 תֹאבֶ֣ה toveh HVqi2ms you shall consent she is willing you shall consent
H14-01 Deuteronomy 23:6 אָבָ֞ה avah HVqp3ms was willing he was willing he was willing
H14-01 Deuteronomy 25:7 אָבָ֖ה avah HVqp3ms willing he was willing he was willing
H14-10 Deuteronomy 29:19 יֹאבֶ֣ה yoveh HVqi3ms be willing he will be willing he will be willing
H14-03 Joshua 24:10 אָבִ֖יתִי aviti HVqp1cs I-willed I was willing I was willing
H14-01 Judges 11:17 אָבָ֑ה avah HVqp3ms he-was-willing he was willing he was willing
H14-01 Judges 19:10 אָבָ֤ה avah HVqp3ms was willing he was willing he was willing
H14-04 Judges 19:25 אָב֤וּ avu HVqp3cp they were willing they were willing they were willing
H14-04 Judges 20:13 אָבוּ֙ avu HVqp3cp would they were willing they were willing
H14-04 1 Samuel 15:9 אָב֖וּ avu HVqp3cp they-willed they were willing they were willing
H14-04 1 Samuel 22:17 אָב֞וּ avu HVqp3cp they were willing they were willing they were willing
H14-03 1 Samuel 26:23 אָבִ֔יתִי aviti HVqp1cs I would I was willing I was willing
H14-01 1 Samuel 31:4 אָבָה֙ avah HVqp3ms would he was willing he was willing
H14-01 2 Samuel 2:21 אָבָ֣ה avah HVqp3ms was willing he was willing he was willing
H14-01 2 Samuel 6:10 אָבָ֣ה avah HVqp3ms was willing he was willing it was willing
H14-01 2 Samuel 12:17 אָבָ֔ה avah HVqp3ms he would he was willing he was willing
H14-01 2 Samuel 13:14 אָבָ֖ה avah HVqp3ms he was willing he was willing he was willing
H14-01 2 Samuel 13:16 אָבָ֖ה avah HVqp3ms he would not he was willing he was willing
H14-01 2 Samuel 13:25 אָבָ֥ה avah HVqp3ms he would he was willing want
H14-01 2 Samuel 14:29 אָבָ֖ה avah HVqp3ms he was willing he was willing he was willing
H14-01 2 Samuel 14:29 אָבָ֖ה avah-2 HVqp3ms he was willing he was willing he was willing
H14-01 2 Samuel 23:16 אָבָה֙ avah HVqp3ms he would he was willing he was willing
H14-01 2 Samuel 23:17 אָבָ֖ה avah HVqp3ms he was willing he was willing he was willing
H14-08 1 Kings 20:8 תֹאבֶֽה toveh HVqi2ms consent she is willing you will consent
H14-01 1 Kings 22:50 אָבָ֖ה avah HVqp3ms was-willing he was willing he was willing
H14-01 2 Kings 8:19 אָבָ֤ה avah HVqp3ms was willing he was willing he was willing
H14-01 2 Kings 13:23 אָבָה֙ avah HVqp3ms was-willing he was willing he was willing
H14-01 2 Kings 24:4 אָבָ֥ה avah HVqp3ms was willing he was willing he was willing
H14-09 Isaiah 1:19 תֹּאב֖וּ tovu HVqi2mp you are willing you are willing you are willing
H14-04 Isaiah 28:12 אָב֖וּא avu HVqp3cp they would they were willing they were willing
H14-04 Isaiah 30:9 אָב֥וּ avu HVqp3cp were willing they were willing they were willing
H14-02 Isaiah 30:15 אֲבִיתֶֽם avitem HVqp2mp you were not willing you were willing you were willing
H14-04 Isaiah 42:24 אָב֤וּ avu HVqp3cp they-were-willing they were willing they were willing
H14-11 Ezekiel 3:7 יֹאבוּ֙ yovu HVqi3mp will be willing they will be willing they will be willing
H14-06 Ezekiel 3:7 אֹבִ֖ים ovim HVqrmpa willing the willing ones willing
H14-04 Ezekiel 20:8 אָבוּ֙ avu HVqp3cp were willing they were willing they were willing
H14-01 Psalms 81:12 אָ֥בָה avah HVqp3ms was-willing he was willing was willing
H14-07 Proverbs 1:10 תֹּבֵֽא tove HVqj2ms consent may you be willing consent
H14-02 Proverbs 1:25 אֲבִיתֶֽם avitem HVqp2mp you-wanted you were willing you were willing
H14-04 Proverbs 1:30 אָב֥וּ avu HVqp3cp they-would they were willing they were willing
H14-10 Proverbs 6:35 יֹ֝אבֶ֗ה yoveh HVqi3ms he-will-be-willing he will be willing he will be willing
H14-05 Job 39:9 הֲ/יֹ֣אבֶה hayoveh HTi/Vqi3ms will consent he will be willing will he be willing
H14-01 1 Chronicles 10:4 אָבָה֙ avah HVqp3ms he would he was willing he was willing
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