אֲבִיּוֹנָה
𐤀𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤍𐤄
ʼăbîyôwnâh
H35 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The caper berry, most likely referring to the fruit or bud of the caper plant (Capparis spinosa), known for its sharp, stimulating taste. In biblical usage, it is associated metaphorically with desire, vigor, or appetite, particularly as something that arouses or stimulates, often in the context of waning vitality in old age.
Semantic Range
caper berry, fruit of the caper plant, stimulus of appetite, arouser of desire (metaphorical), loss of vigor or appetite (figurative in old age)
Root / Etymology
From the root אָבָה (ʼāvāh), meaning 'to desire, to long for.' אֲבִיּוֹנָה is a feminine noun formed with a characteristic -וֹנָה ending that can mark species or objects (possibly a diminutive formation or denoting a particular plant part). The root conveys a general sense of inclination or longing, but the noun refers specifically to the caper berry, named for its property of provoking appetite or desire.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The word appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Ecclesiastes 12:5, which refers to the time when 'the caper berry (אֲבִיּוֹנָה) fails,' using the loss of desire as a metaphor for the decline of physical vitality in old age. Various ancient translations (LXX, Vulgate, Targum) render it as 'caper berry,' supporting the botanical identification. Rabbinic literature and later commentators also confirm this meaning. The connection with desire is due to the caper berry’s reputation in antiquity for stimulating appetite or erotic desire (cf. Mishnah Shabbath 2:1). It does not refer directly to the abstract concept of desire itself, but rather illustrates the loss of it through the image of a familiar plant. Some older translations, influenced by late meaning, render it as 'desire,' but most modern scholarship favors the botanical sense. It should not be confused with more commonly used words for 'desire' or 'longing.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אָבָה; provocative of desire; the caper berry (from its stimulative taste); desire.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אבה (ʾ-b-h) — to desire, to long for, to be inclined
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H14 | אָבָה | he was willing |
| H16 | אֵבֶה | papyrus reed |
| H17 | אֲבוֹי | Ah, woe! |
| H34 | אֶבְיוֹן | man in want |
| H5666 | עָבָה | he was willing |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H35-01 |
הָֽ/אֲבִיּוֹנָ֑ה | haavionah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the caperberry | the desire-arousing caper berry | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H35-01 |
Ecclesiastes 12:5 | הָֽ/אֲבִיּוֹנָ֑ה | haavionah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the caperberry | the desire-arousing caper berry |