עֲגַב
𐤏𐤂𐤁
ʻăgab
H5689 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To desire or lust after intensely, particularly with reference to passionate or sensual attraction; commonly used for strong infatuation or lustful longing, rather than for enduring or covenantal love. The term indicates an overwhelming, often uncontrollable attraction or fascination, especially in a sexual or erotic sense.
Semantic Range
to experience intense sensual desire, to dote on passionately, to lust after, to pursue lustfully, to be infatuated, to long for in a bodily or erotic sense
Root / Etymology
Root: עגב. Derived from the root meaning to breathe after or pant after, expressing intense yearning or longing. The verb form indicates the act of feeling or expressing passionate or sensual attraction.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, עֲגַב is relatively rare and appears primarily in contexts describing passionate or sensual desire, often viewed in negative terms (e.g., Ezekiel's oracles against Jerusalem for pursuing foreign lovers). It does not carry the connotations of covenantal or familial love expressed by the root אהב (’ahav), nor the kindness or loyalty of חסד (ḥesed). Instead, it expresses a more impulsive and bodily longing, often leading to idolatrous or morally problematic associations in prophetic literature. In later periods and in rabbinic usage, related forms retain the sense of lust or sensual infatuation, rarely, if ever, denoting positive relationship or love. English translations such as 'dote,' 'lust after,' or 'be infatuated' capture parts of the sense but may fail to convey the negative or excessive connotations that the term often bears in its original context. The word is not used to refer to religious love, friendship, or marital affection in normative Israelite society, but is reserved for passionate, often forbidden desire. Translations that use 'lover' reflect the object of such desire, usually in polemical or critical contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to breathe after, i.e. to love (sensually); dote, lover.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עגב (ʿ-g-b) — panting desire, sensual longing, lustful pursuit
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5690 | עֶגֶב | erotic lusts |
| H5691 | עֲגָבָה | her lustful desire |
| H5748 | עוּגָב | breath-pipe |
Word Forms
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5689-02 |
עָֽגְבָ֛ה | agevah | HVqp3fs |
she doted | she lusted after | 2 |
H5689-05 |
וַ/תַּעְגְּבָ֥/ה | vataegevah | HC/Vqw3fs/Sh |
and she lusted | and she lusted after | 2 |
H5689-04 |
וַ/תַּעְגַּב֙ | vataegav | HC/Vqw3fs |
and she lusted | and she lusted after | 1 |
H5689-03 |
עֹגְבִ֖ים | ogevim | HVqrmpa |
lovers | lusting ones | 1 |
H5689-01 |
עָגָ֜בָה | agavah | HVqp3fs |
she lusted | she lusted after | 1 |
H5689-06 |
ו/תעגב | vtgv | HC/Vqw3fs |
and she lusted | and she lusted after | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5689-03 |
Jeremiah 4:30 | עֹגְבִ֖ים | ogevim | HVqrmpa |
lovers | lusting ones |
H5689-04 |
Ezekiel 23:5 | וַ/תַּעְגַּב֙ | vataegav | HC/Vqw3fs |
and she lusted | and she lusted after |
H5689-02 |
Ezekiel 23:7 | עָֽגְבָ֛ה | agevah | HVqp3fs |
she lusted | she lusted after |
H5689-02 |
Ezekiel 23:9 | עָגְבָ֖ה | agevah | HVqp3fs |
she doted | she lusted after |
H5689-01 |
Ezekiel 23:12 | עָגָ֜בָה | agavah | HVqp3fs |
she lusted | she lusted after |
H5689-06 |
Ezekiel 23:16 | ו/תעגב | vtgv | HC/Vqw3fs |
and she lusted | and she lusted after |
H5689-05 |
Ezekiel 23:16 | וַ/תַּעְגְּבָ֥/ה | vataegevah | HC/Vqw3fs/Sh |
and she lusted | and she lusted after |
H5689-05 |
Ezekiel 23:20 | וַֽ/תַּעְגְּבָ֔/ה | vataegevah | HC/Vqw3fs/Sh |
and she lusted | and she lusted after |