עוּגָב
𐤏𐤅𐤂𐤁
ʻûwgâb
H5748 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A type of ancient musical instrument, likely a wind instrument such as a panpipe or reed pipe, though the precise identification is uncertain. Used in musical settings, especially in poetic or cultic contexts, often paired with stringed instruments.
Semantic Range
pipe, panpipe, wind instrument, perhaps reed flute; ancient musical instrument producing sound by blowing
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root עגב, which may have the sense 'to be fond, passionate, long for' but in this case likely refers to the act of breathing or blowing. The connection to 'breath' suggests the instrument's method of producing sound was through blown air, supporting the interpretation as a wind instrument or pipe. The exact derivation and why the term is applied to this instrument type is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עוּגָב occurs only three times in the Hebrew Bible (Genesis 4:21; Job 21:12; Psalm 150:4). In Genesis 4:21, it is associated with Yubal, 'the ancestor of all who play the kinnor and ugav,' suggesting the ugav was a prominent instrument in early Israelite tradition. In Job 21 and Psalm 150, it appears in lists of musical instruments for worship or celebration. The exact form of the עוּגָב remains debated; while the King James Version translates it as 'organ,' scholarship agrees this is anachronistic, since pipe organs did not exist in the ancient Near East. Most modern interpreters favor 'pipe' or 'panpipe,' a wind instrument made from reeds or tubes. The עוּגָב is never described in technical detail, nor is it given ritual function independent from other instruments. It is distinct from the חָלוּל (flute/fife) and from stringed instruments (e.g., כִּנּוֹר, kinnor). In later periods, translations and commentaries sometimes misunderstood the term due to shifting musical terminology.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or עֻגָּב; from עֲגַב in the original sense of breathing; a reed-instrument of music; organ.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עגב (ʿ-g-b) — to long for, to desire, to breathe
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5689 | עֲגַב | she lusted after |
| H5690 | עֶגֶב | erotic lusts |
| H5691 | עֲגָבָה | her lustful desire |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5748-02 |
וְ/עוּגָֽב | veugav | HC/Ncmsa |
and pipe | breath-pipe | 2 |
H5748-03 |
וְ֝/עֻגָבִ֗/י | veugavi | HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs |
and my flute | my reed-pipe | 1 |
H5748-01 |
עוּגָֽב | ugav | HNcmsa |
of the pipe | breath-pipe | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5748-02 |
Genesis 4:21 | וְ/עוּגָֽב | veugav | HC/Ncmsa |
and pipe | breath-pipe |
H5748-02 |
Psalms 150:4 | וְ/עוּגָֽב | veugav | HC/Ncmsa |
and pipe | breath-pipe |
H5748-01 |
Job 21:12 | עוּגָֽב | ugav | HNcmsa |
of the pipe | breath-pipe |
H5748-03 |
Job 30:31 | וְ֝/עֻגָבִ֗/י | veugavi | HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs |
and my flute | my reed-pipe |