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אָוָה

𐤀𐤅𐤄

ʼâvâh

H183 verb

SILEX Entry

Root אוה to desire, to long, to wish

Definition

To desire intensely, to long for, to incline toward something or someone with strong attraction. In biblical contexts, this desire can be for objects, conditions, or persons, and may carry either positive or negative connotations depending on context—ranging from simple yearning or inclination to covetousness or unrestrained longing.

Semantic Range

to long for, desire, crave, wish, incline toward, covet, feel appetite for, lust (sometimes negatively), yearn after

Root / Etymology

Root: אוָה. The root אוָה ('avah) primarily conveys the sense of desiring or longing. The verb is an inherited Semitic root, reflected in other Semitic languages with similar senses ('to desire,' 'to will'). The noun forms derived from the root denote 'desire,' 'longing,' or sometimes 'wish.' The verb itself does not inherently signal illegitimate or sinful desire—a nuance that may develop contextually in specific usages.

Historical & Contextual Notes

אָוָה can express both ordinary, even virtuous, yearning (Psalm 132:13: 'For YHWH has desired [אִוָּה] Zion'), or strong, sometimes unchecked, appetite or craving (Numbers 11:4: 'the craving [הִתְאַוּוּ] of the mixed multitude for meat'). The term shifts from neutral or positive connotations in poetic and divine contexts (e.g., YHWH's desire for Zion) to more negative connotations when tied to human covetousness or unmoderated appetites. Unlike חָמַד (ḥāmad), which more specifically refers to coveting what is not one's own (e.g., the Tenth Commandment), אָוָה casts a wider net, encompassing any deep-felt longing, whether proper or improper. In post-exilic texts, nuances of illicit longing become more prominent, especially in wisdom literature—though this is context-dependent. Later translations sometimes rendered אָוָה with words like 'lust,' but this can mislead modern readers by signaling purely sexual or sinful desire, which is a narrowing of the original Hebrew range of meaning. The word’s flexibility makes contextual interpretation crucial in translation and exegesis.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to wish for; covet, (greatly) desire, be desirous, long, lust (after).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אוה (ʾ-w-h) — to desire, to long, to wish

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H184 אָוָה you have craved
H185 אַוָּה craving of
H188 אוֹי Woe!
H189 אֱוִי Evi
H337 אִי coastland

Word Forms

20 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H183-10 תְאַוֶּ֥ה teaveh HVpi3fs desires she intensely desires 4
H183-06 אִוְּתָ֥ה ivetah HVpp3fs desires she intensely desired 3
H183-13 תִּ֝תְאָ֗יו titeayv HVtj2ms his delicacies may you long intensely 2
H183-01 הַ/מִּתְאַוִּֽים hamiteavim HTd/Vtrmpa who craved the ones craving 2
H183-14 תתאו ttv HVtj2ms desire may you long intensely 2
H183-17 וַ/יִּתְאָ֥יו vayiteayv HC/Vtw3ms and-longed he longed intensely 1
H183-16 וַ/יִּתְאַוֶּ֥ה vayiteaveh HC/Vtw3ms And longed he intensely longed 1
H183-20 יִתְאַוֶּ֗ה yiteaveh HVti3ms he will long intensely 1
H183-09 מִתְאַוָּ֣ה miteavah HVtrfsa craves she who longs 1
H183-18 וְ/יִתְאָ֣ו veyiteav HC/Vti3ms will desire and he will crave 1

Occurrences in Scripture

28 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H183-02 Numbers 11:4 הִתְאַוּ֖וּ hiteauu HVtp3cp craved they eagerly longed
H183-01 Numbers 11:34 הַ/מִּתְאַוִּֽים hamiteavim HTd/Vtrmpa who craved the ones craving
H183-12 Deuteronomy 5:21 תִתְאַוֶּ֜ה titeaveh HVti2ms you shall desire you will crave
H183-10 Deuteronomy 12:20 תְאַוֶּ֥ה teaveh HVpi3fs desires she intensely desires
H183-10 Deuteronomy 14:26 תְּאַוֶּ֨ה teaveh HVpi3fs desires she intensely desires
H183-10 2 Samuel 3:21 תְּאַוֶּ֖ה teaveh HVpi3fs desires she intensely desires
H183-16 2 Samuel 23:15 וַ/יִּתְאַוֶּ֥ה vayiteaveh HC/Vtw3ms And longed he intensely longed
H183-10 1 Kings 11:37 תְּאַוֶּ֖ה teaveh HVpi3fs desires she intensely desires
H183-08 Isaiah 26:9 אִוִּיתִ֨י/ךָ֙ ivitikha HVpp1cs/Sp2ms I have yearned for you I have intensely desired you
H183-04 Jeremiah 17:16 הִתְאַוֵּ֖יתִי hiteaveyti HVtp1cs have I desired I have intensely longed
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