יוֹבָב
𐤉𐤅𐤁𐤁
Yovav
H3103 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name (Yôwbâb), likely meaning 'he cries out' or 'he howls'; attested as the name of several individuals in the Hebrew Bible, both Israelite and non-Israelite. The full semantic range of the form is restricted to its use as a proper noun, with possible original reference to an act of calling aloud or making a loud sound.
Semantic Range
proper name (personal name); possibly 'howler' or 'one who calls out' as implied etymology; no attested use as a common noun or verb in this form
Root / Etymology
From the root יָבַב (y-b-b), meaning 'to cry out' or 'to wail.' יוֹבָב is a nominal form, likely serving as a theophoric or descriptive name expressing the act of calling out or howling. The form itself functions almost entirely as a proper noun rather than a common noun or verb.
Historical & Contextual Notes
יוֹבָב appears in multiple contexts across the Hebrew Bible. An early ruler of Edom is called Jobab (Genesis 36:33, 1 Chronicles 1:44), as well as a king of Madon in Canaanite lists (Joshua 11:1), an ancestor in Judahite genealogy (1 Chronicles 4:16), and among the descendants of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:9). The name is also attested for a possible patriarch in genealogical texts (Genesis 10:29; 1 Chronicles 1:23). In each instance, יוֹבָב functions as a personal name, without narrative emphasis on the literal meaning, and does not become a common noun. Some commentaries connect the root's connotation of noise or crying to an ancient Near Eastern tradition of personal names based on desirable traits or significant sounds. Later translation traditions occasionally use 'Jobab' as a symbolic or typological figure, but historically the name simply marks individual persons of various ethnic backgrounds (Edomite, Israelite, Canaanite). The vocalization of יוֹבָב is stable across manuscript traditions. Unlike some biblical names, its literal meaning ('he howls' or 'he calls out') does not play a literary role in associated narratives.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from יָבַב; howler; Jobab, the name of two Israelites and of three foreigners; Jobab.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
יבב (y-b-b) — to wail, to cry out, to howl
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2980 | יָבַב | and she wailed loudly |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3103-02 |
יוֹבָ֑ב | yovav | HNp |
Jobab | Howler | 8 |
H3103-01 |
וְ/יוֹבָ֖ב | veyovav | HC/Np |
and Jobab | and Howler | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
9 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3103-02 |
Genesis 10:29 | יוֹבָ֑ב | yovav | HNp |
Jobab | Howler |
H3103-02 |
Genesis 36:33 | יוֹבָ֥ב | yovav | HNp |
Jobab | Howler |
H3103-02 |
Genesis 36:34 | יוֹבָ֑ב | yovav | HNp |
Jobab | Howler |
H3103-02 |
Joshua 11:1 | יוֹבָב֙ | yovav | HNp |
Jobab | Howler |
H3103-02 |
1 Chronicles 1:23 | יוֹבָ֑ב | yovav | HNp |
Jobab | Howler |
H3103-02 |
1 Chronicles 1:44 | יוֹבָ֥ב | yovav | HNp |
Jobab | Howler |
H3103-02 |
1 Chronicles 1:45 | יוֹבָ֑ב | yovav | HNp |
Jobab | Howler |
H3103-02 |
1 Chronicles 8:9 | יוֹבָב֙ | yovav | HNp |
Jobab | Howler |
H3103-01 |
1 Chronicles 8:18 | וְ/יוֹבָ֖ב | veyovav | HC/Np |
and Jobab | and Howler |