עֲגָבָה
𐤏𐤂𐤁𐤄
ʻăgâbâh
H5691 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Expressed as 'amorousness' or 'lustful desire,' עֲגָבָה signifies an intense, sometimes illicit or excessive, longing or infatuation, especially in the context of sexual attraction. It generally refers to overly passionate or inordinate love, frequently with negative connotations of craving or yearning beyond socially accepted norms.
Semantic Range
amorousness, lust, inordinate love, passionate craving, excessive longing, illicit desire, lewdness
Root / Etymology
From the root עגב, which conveys the idea of passionate desire or lust. The noun עֲגָבָה is a feminine abstract formation, denoting the quality, state or condition of such desire. The verbal root עגב means 'to desire passionately,' with an emotional or sensual overtone.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, עֲגָבָה appears only rarely (notably in Ezekiel 23:11, 23:17), always within prophetic oracles that condemn the 'amorousness' or 'lust' of Samaria (representing the northern kingdom of Israel) and Jerusalem (representing the southern kingdom of Judah). The term is used metaphorically for political or religious infidelity, likening Israelite/Israelite or Judahite political alliances with foreign powers to acts of unrestrained sexual passion, depicted as negative or degrading. Standard English translations often render the term as 'lust,' 'lewdness,' or 'inordinate love'—but these terms do not fully capture the metaphoric use involving both sexual and spiritual infidelity in prophetic critique. The word does not appear in reference to positive or familial love, nor is it used outside of these rebuking contexts. It contrasts with words such as אַהֲבָה (ahavah, 'love'), which can have positive, relational, or covenantal undertones, and חֵשֶׁק (chesheq, 'desire'), which may be neutral or even positive depending on context.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עֲגַב; love (abstractly), i.e. amorousness; inordinate love.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
עגב (ʿ-g-b) — to lust, to desire passionately, to be amorous
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5689 | עֲגַב | she lusted after |
| H5690 | עֶגֶב | erotic lusts |
| H5748 | עוּגָב | breath-pipe |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5691-01 |
עַגְבָתָ֖/הּ | agevatah | HNcfsc/Sp3fs |
her lust | her lustful desire | her lustful desire | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5691-01 |
Ezekiel 23:11 | עַגְבָתָ֖/הּ | agevatah | HNcfsc/Sp3fs |
her lust | her lustful desire | her lustful desire |