הַבְהָב
𐤄𐤁𐤄𐤁
habhâb
H1890 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A sacrificial offering of a whole animal burnt as a holocaust, focusing on a gift presented in its entirety to a deity. Used particularly to denote an offering in which the whole is consumed by fire, not shared or eaten by humans.
Semantic Range
offering given wholly by burning, whole burnt offering, sacrificial gift fully consumed by fire
Root / Etymology
The term is traditionally understood as a reduplication from the root יָהַב (to give, to grant), though this derivation is debated and the exact etymology is uncertain. The reduplication in the form may suggest emphasis or intensiveness, pointing to the idea of a complete gift or offering.
Historical & Contextual Notes
הַבְהָב occurs only twice in the Hebrew Bible (Numbers 23:1, 23:29), both in the Balaam narrative, to describe the seven whole burnt offerings prepared on separate altars. Its use is distinct from other more common sacrificial terms such as עֹלָה ('olah, 'burnt-offering'), in that it emphasizes the act of making an offering that is given wholly, rather than the type of burnt offering regulated in Levitical law. Standard English translations often render this word as 'offering' or 'holocaust,' but this does not fully convey the sense of totality inherent in the context. The term does not appear in later Hebrew or rabbinic literature, and its specific cultic nuances remain somewhat opaque due to its rarity. The context of its usage underscores the element of ritual performance outside regular priestly or Levitical practice, associated instead with prophetic or divinatory rites.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
by reduplication from יָהַב; gift (in sacrifice), i.e. holocaust; offering.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
יהב (y-h-b) — to give, bestow, grant
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1934 | הָוָא | Give! |
| H3051 | יָהַב | Give! |
| H3052 | יְהַב | Give! |
| H3053 | יְהָב | your given-portion |
| H3097 | יוֹאָב | in YHWH-is-Father |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1890-01 |
הַבְהָבַ֗/י | havehavay | HNcmpc/Sp1cs |
my offerings | my whole-burnt gift-offerings | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1890-01 |
Hosea 8:13 | הַבְהָבַ֗/י | havehavay | HNcmpc/Sp1cs |
my offerings | my whole-burnt gift-offerings |