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אַחְאָב

𐤀𐤇𐤀𐤁

Acheav

H256 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אָח, אָב to be a brother, to be a father, kinship, familial bond

Definition

A proper noun used as a personal name in the Hebrew Bible, most notably referring to Ahab, king of the northern kingdom of Israel (son of Omri), and to a later figure in Babylon. The name likely means 'the (divine/brotherly) kinship of the father' or 'my father is a brother,' though precise nuance is debated. The semantic range belongs to personal name usage, not a noun with lexical senses.

Semantic Range

personal name reflecting familial relationship; used for the Israelite king Ahab and another figure in Babylon; no extended lexical meanings beyond the proper name

Root / Etymology

From the Hebrew roots אָח (ach, 'brother') and אָב (av, 'father'). The construction may be understood literally as 'brother of a father' or idiomatically to convey close familial or possibly metaphorical ties (such as friendship or kinship-like bonds). Root meaning relates to kinship and familial relationships; the actual lexical sense is restricted to use as a personal name. Some uncertainty remains in how this compound expresses relationship, as with several theophoric or kinship names in ancient Semitic cultures.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, אַחְאָב (Ahab) is primarily known as the Israelite king who reigned in the 9th century BCE during the divided monarchy period (1 Kings 16–22), notable for his political alliances and conflict with prophetic figures such as Eliyahu (Elijah). The name also appears in Jeremiah 29:21–22 referring to a different figure in exile. The biblical usage is as a given name rather than a title, and the meaning is drawn from standard naming patterns that emphasize kinship. In later Jewish and Christian tradition, the name 'Ahab' is rendered in English based on Greek and Latin forms. Standard English translations render אַחְאָב as 'Ahab,' which accurately preserves its nature as a personal name, but the cultural and lexical nuances of ancient Semitic naming conventions (i.e., the relational force between 'brother' and 'father') are often not apparent in translation. The rare contracted form אֶחָב (Jer 29:22) reflects variant spelling, but not a difference in meaning.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

once (by contraction) אֶחָב (Jeremiah 29:22); from אָח and אָב; brother (i.e. friend) of (his) father; Achab, the name of a king of Israel and of a prophet at Babylon; Ahab.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אח, אב (ʾ-ḥ / ʾ-b) — brotherhood, kinship, fatherhood, familial bond

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H256-01 אַחְאָ֥ב acheav HNp Ahab Brother-of-a-Father 81
H256-03 לְ/אַחְאָ֛ב leacheav HR/Np of Ahab to Ahab 8
H256-02 כְ/אַחְאָ֔ב kheacheav HR/Np like Ahab as Ahab 1
H256-05 וּ/לְ/אַחְאָ֛ב uleacheav HC/R/Np to Ahab and to Kin-of-Father 1
H256-04 וּ/כְ/אֶחָ֔ב ukheechav HC/R/Np and like Ahab and like Ahab 1
H256-06 וְ/אַחְאָ֣ב veacheav HC/Np And Ahab and Kin-of-Father 1

Occurrences in Scripture

93 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H256-01 1 Kings 16:28 אַחְאָ֥ב acheav HNp Ahab Brother-of-a-Father
H256-06 1 Kings 16:29 וְ/אַחְאָ֣ב veacheav HC/Np And Ahab and Kin-of-Father
H256-01 1 Kings 16:29 אַחְאָ֨ב acheav HNp Ahab Brother-of-a-Father
H256-01 1 Kings 16:30 אַחְאָ֧ב acheav HNp Ahab Brother-of-a-Father
H256-01 1 Kings 16:33 אַחְאָ֖ב acheav HNp Ahab Brother-of-a-Father
H256-01 1 Kings 16:33 אַחְאָ֜ב acheav-2 HNp Ahab Brother-of-a-Father
H256-01 1 Kings 17:1 אַחְאָב֒ acheav HNp Ahab Brother-of-a-Father
H256-01 1 Kings 18:1 אַחְאָ֔ב acheav HNp Ahab Brother-of-a-Father
H256-01 1 Kings 18:2 אַחְאָ֑ב acheav HNp Ahab Brother-of-a-Father
H256-01 1 Kings 18:3 אַחְאָ֔ב acheav HNp Ahab Brother-of-a-Father
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