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עָב

𐤏𐤁

ʻâb

H5645 noun

SILEX Entry

Root עוּב to be thick, to be dense, to make dense

Definition

A thick, dense mass; usually refers to a heavy or dark cloud, emphasizing opacity and the sense of obscured light. In some contexts, it denotes physical density or thickness, such as in clay or a wooded thicket. The central sense is of something that envelopes and conceals by its density.

Semantic Range

dense (rain) cloud, thick cloud, darkness, mass of clay, heavy or thick covering, thicket or copse

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root עוּב, which conveys the sense of thickness or density. The noun form עָב reflects the idea of a dense covering, most commonly a cloud, but also any thick or tightly packed substance (such as a copse or clay). The root itself is only attested in a limited number of forms.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical Hebrew, עָב overwhelmingly denotes a dense or dark cloud, often used in poetic or prophetic passages to evoke imagery of divine appearance, judgment, or natural phenomena where heaviness and obscuration are focal qualities (e.g., heavy rain clouds or a supernatural manifestation). Only rarely does it refer to other dense substances or collections, such as clay or a thicket (the latter sense especially occurs in later Hebrew or cognate languages and may reflect semantic extension). The term is distinct from other Hebrew words for 'cloud' (such as עָנָן [anan]), which emphasize shape or movement rather than density; עָב connotes thickness, darkness, or impenetrability. In English translations, 'cloud' is common, but 'cloud mass', 'dark cloud', or 'thick darkness' better reflect the nuance in passages where עָב suggests formidable opacity rather than simply a sky cloud. Its association as an envelope or dense cover also influenced its metaphorical use as 'darkness.' Over time, the primary sense contracted to 'heavy cloud', with secondary connotations of density in related substances.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(masculine and feminine); from עוּב; properly, an envelope, i.e. darkness (or density, 2 Chronicles 4:17); specifically, a (scud) cloud; also a copse; clay, (thick) cloud, [idiom] thick, thicket. Compare עֲבִי.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עוב (ʿ-w-b) — thickness, density, heaviness

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H5743 עוּב he will enshroud

Word Forms

16 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5645-01 עָ֛ב av HNcbsa a cloud father of 7
H5645-04 עָבִ֖ים avim HNcbpa clouds dense clouds 4
H5645-10 הֶ/עָבִים֙ heavim HTd/Ncbpa the clouds the dense clouds 3
H5645-03 עָבֵ֥י avey HNcbpc clouds-of dense clouds of 2
H5645-14 לָ/עָ֥ב laav HRd/Ncbsa to the cloud to a dense cloud 2
H5645-09 בֶּ/עָבִ֔ים beavim HRd/Ncbpa the thickets in thick clouds 2
H5645-12 כְּ/עָ֥ב keav HR/Ncbsc like a cloud like a dense cloud 2
H5645-05 עָב֔וֹת avot HNcbpa clouds fathers of 2
H5645-15 וּ֝/כְ/עָ֗ב ukheav HC/R/Ncbsa and like a cloud dense cloud 1
H5645-07 בְּ/עַ֣ב beav HR/Ncbsc in the cloud in a dense cloud of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

32 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5645-07 Exodus 19:9 בְּ/עַ֣ב beav HR/Ncbsc in the cloud in a dense cloud of
H5645-04 Judges 5:4 עָבִ֖ים avim HNcbpa clouds dense clouds
H5645-03 2 Samuel 22:12 עָבֵ֥י avey HNcbpc thick clouds dense clouds of
H5645-05 2 Samuel 23:4 עָב֔וֹת avot HNcbpa clouds fathers of
H5645-01 1 Kings 18:44 עָ֛ב av HNcbsa a cloud father of
H5645-04 1 Kings 18:45 עָבִ֣ים avim HNcbpa clouds dense clouds
H5645-10 Isaiah 5:6 הֶ/עָבִים֙ heavim HTd/Ncbpa the clouds the dense clouds
H5645-01 Isaiah 14:14 עָ֑ב av HNcbsa of the clouds father of
H5645-12 Isaiah 18:4 כְּ/עָ֥ב keav HR/Ncbsc like/cloud like a dense cloud
H5645-01 Isaiah 19:1 עָ֥ב av HNcbsa a cloud father of
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