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אַהֲבָה

𐤀𐤄𐤁𐤄

ʼahăbâh

H160 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אהב to love, to have affection, to desire

Definition

Affection, attachment, or love; denotes deep emotional connection such as love between individuals (romantic, familial, or social), as well as the devotion or loyalty directed toward God, objects, or ideals. The term encompasses desire, pleasure, and a willful inclination toward someone or something, expressing both human and divine love in various contexts.

Semantic Range

affection, love (romantic, familial, or platonic), loyalty, devotion, desire, delight, attachment

Root / Etymology

From the Semitic root אהב (ʼ-h-b), meaning 'to love, have affection for.' The noun is a feminine derivative of the verb, and its root carries the fundamental notion of emotional attachment or affectionate inclination. The root is common in Northwest Semitic languages.

Historical & Contextual Notes

אַהֲבָה occurs in a range of biblical texts, from the earliest narrative literature to post-exilic writings. In narrative contexts, it denotes emotional bonds—such as between parents and children (Genesis 22:2, Deuteronomy 21:15-17), between companions (1 Samuel 18:1), romantic attachment (Song of Songs), and love between a deity and people (Deuteronomy 7:8; Hosea 11:4). It can describe both human-to-human and human-to-deity relationships, sometimes with covenantal or loyal connotations. In wisdom literature, it is often contrasted with hatred. Over time, especially in post-exilic and Second Temple periods, its use to describe devotion to God or the Torah becomes more pronounced. The term does not inherently distinguish between sexual, platonic, or familial love—rather, the context specifies the nuance. Later English translations may narrowly render it as 'love,' though the ancient sense is broader and contextually flexible.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of אַהַב and meaning the same; {affection (in a good or a bad sense)}; love.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אהב (ʾ-h-b) — to love, to have affection, to desire

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H157 אָהַב he loved
H158 אַהַב lovers
H159 אֹהַב in lovers

Word Forms

16 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H160-01 אַהֲבָ֑ה ahavah HNcfsa love affectionate love 11
H160-09 בְּ/אַהֲבָת֥/וֹ beahavato HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms because of his love in his love 4
H160-10 הָ/אַהֲבָ֖ה haahavah HTd/Ncfsa love the love 4
H160-07 בְּ/אַהֲבַ֨ת beahavat HR/Vqc because of the love of in love of 3
H160-16 וְ/אַהֲבַ֤ת veahavat HC/Ncfsc and love and love-of 2
H160-05 אַהֲבָתִ֥/י ahavati HNcfsc/Sp1cs my love my love 2
H160-13 מֵ/אַהֲבָ֖ה meahavah HR/Ncfsa than love from love 2
H160-02 אַהֲבַ֥ת ahavat HNcfsc love love-of 2
H160-14 מֵֽ/אַהֲבַ֨ת meahavat HR/Vqc love-of from loving 2
H160-03 אַהֲבָתָ֔/ם ahavatam HVqc/Sp3mp love them to love them 2

Occurrences in Scripture

40 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H160-14 Deuteronomy 7:8 מֵֽ/אַהֲבַ֨ת meahavat HR/Vqc love-of from loving
H160-09 1 Samuel 18:3 בְּ/אַהֲבָת֥/וֹ beahavato HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms because of his love in his love
H160-09 1 Samuel 20:17 בְּ/אַהֲבָת֖/וֹ beahavato HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms because of his love in his love
H160-02 1 Samuel 20:17 אַהֲבַ֥ת ahavat HNcfsc love love-of
H160-04 2 Samuel 1:26 אַהֲבָֽתְ/ךָ֙ ahavatekha HNcfsc/Sp2ms your love your love
H160-14 2 Samuel 1:26 מֵ/אַהֲבַ֖ת meahavat HR/Ncfsc than the love from loving
H160-13 2 Samuel 13:15 מֵ/אַהֲבָ֖ה meahavah HR/Ncfsa than love from love
H160-07 1 Kings 10:9 בְּ/אַהֲבַ֨ת beahavat HR/Vqc Because of the love of in love of
H160-12 1 Kings 11:2 לְ/אַהֲבָֽה leahavah HR/Vqc in love to love
H160-09 Isaiah 63:9 בְּ/אַהֲבָת֥/וֹ beahavato HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms in his love in his love
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