אָבַס
𐤀𐤁𐤎
ʼâbaç
H75 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To feed animals abundantly, especially by providing ample fodder resulting in fattening; specifically, to supply livestock or cattle with an ample amount of food so they are well-nourished or fattened. The verb is used primarily in agricultural contexts relating to the care and provision of fodder for animals.
Semantic Range
to supply with fodder, to fatten (by feeding), to nourish abundantly (animals), to stall-feed
Root / Etymology
From the root אָבַס (אבס), whose core meaning is related to feeding or fattening livestock. The verb derives from this root and is primarily used with reference to providing abundant food, especially for domestic animals such as cattle or oxen.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אָבַס appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible—in only a few passages (e.g., Deuteronomy 32:15, Jeremiah 46:21, Hosea 10:11)—and always in reference to the practice of feeding and fattening livestock. It often carries connotations not simply of providing food but of providing plentiful or even excessive nourishment, resulting in the animals becoming 'fatted' or 'stalled.' This agricultural vocabulary item reflects settled life, animal husbandry, and the concerns of agricultural societies. The meaning is narrower and more specific than the common verb for 'to feed' (e.g., רָעָה), which may refer to both men and animals; אָבַס is limited to the context of providing fodder for animals, not for humans. In later translations, such as the KJV, 'fatted' or 'stalled' are used as adjectives derived from this verb to describe animals, but its primary sense is the action of plentifully providing animal fodder, not the state of being fat. Over time, the specific agricultural sense became less prominent as Israelite society changed, but the verb retains its association with animal husbandry in the biblical texts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to fodder; fatted, stalled.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אבס (ʾ-b-s) — to feed, to fatten, to provide fodder
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H75-01 |
אָ֝ב֗וּס | avus | HVqsmsa |
fattened | fodder-fed one | 1 |
H75-02 |
אֲבוּסִֽים | avusim | HVqsmpa |
prepared | stall-fed ones | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H75-02 |
1 Kings 5:3 | אֲבוּסִֽים | avusim | HVqsmpa |
prepared | stall-fed ones |
H75-01 |
Proverbs 15:17 | אָ֝ב֗וּס | avus | HVqsmsa |
fattened | fodder-fed one |