אַהַב
𐤀𐤄𐤁
ʼahab
H158 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
To have deep affection or attachment for someone or something; to love, desire, or take pleasure in. Used for various forms of positive emotional attachment in interpersonal, familial, and covenantal relationships, as well as for preference or delight in things or actions. In negative contexts, may describe excessive or inappropriate desire.
Semantic Range
love, affection, fondness, devotion, loyalty, friendship, romantic attraction, familial attachment, preference, delight, desire, excessive or illicit desire
Root / Etymology
Root: אָהַב (אהב). Derived from a verbal root meaning 'to love.' The precise etymology remains uncertain; some suggest it may be related to similar Northwest Semitic roots, but consensus is lacking. The root conveys the fundamental idea of strong affection or attachment.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אַהַב is the primary verb in Biblical Hebrew for expressing emotional attachment, fondness, or love. It covers a wide range of relationships and contexts: romantic (as between human partners, e.g. Isaac and Rebekah), familial (e.g. Isaac's love for Esau), between friends (e.g. Jonathan and David), as well as between a sovereign and subjects, or subjects and deities (e.g. YHWH loving Israel, or Israelites commanded to love YHWH). It can also express preference or deep delight in objects (food, wisdom, justice) or actions (righteousness, peace). In a negative sense, it may refer to misplaced or illicit desire, but always retains a sense of strong attraction or attachment. In the Israelite context, אָהַב becomes, in Deuteronomy and later literature, a key covenantal term indicating loyalty, devotion, and faithfulness in the relationship between YHWH and Israel. Later Jewish tradition further develops the theological nuances, but in the biblical period the term need not indicate exclusively theological or religious love. Compared to דָּבַק (dāvâq, 'to cling') or רֵעַ ('friend, companion'), אַהַב covers a broader affective range. English 'love' or 'affection' sometimes fails to capture its full emotional and volitional depth. The later association of the term 'love' (from Greek 'agapē', Latin 'caritas') with distinctly theological meanings should not be presumed for earlier Hebrew uses.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אָהַב; affection (in a good or a bad sense); love(-r).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אהב (ʾ-h-b) — to love, have affection, desire, delight in
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H158-01 |
אֲהָבִֽים | ahavim | HNcmpa |
lovers | lovers | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H158-01 |
Hosea 8:9 | אֲהָבִֽים | ahavim | HNcmpa |
lovers | lovers |
H158-01 |
Proverbs 5:19 | אֲהָבִ֗ים | ahavim | HNcmpa |
loving | lovers |