עִוָּה
𐤏𐤅𐤄
Ivah
H5755 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun referring to a place or district called Ivvah (also Avva or Ivah) mentioned in the Hebrew Bible in the context of Assyrian territorial organization. Its meaning pertains specifically to a geographic location, not to an ethnic group or people. In biblical passages, Ivvah is referenced as the origin of expelled peoples who were resettled elsewhere by the Assyrians.
Semantic Range
Ivvah (also Avva, Ivah), a district or city in Assyria; a place-name associated with Assyrian resettlement policy; contextually, a foreign toponym mentioned in relation to displaced peoples
Root / Etymology
Root uncertain. The origin of the name עִוָּה (Ivvah) is not transparent in Hebrew and may be of non-Semitic (Akkadian or another regional language) origin. The spelling variations (עִוָּה, עַוָּא, עַוָּה) reflect attempts to reflect a foreign toponym in Hebrew script. No direct relation to a known Hebrew root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ivvah appears in 2 Kings 17:24 and 2 Kings 18:34 (=Isaiah 37:13) as a district or city in the territory of the Assyrian Empire connected with the practice of population deportation and resettlement under Assyrian rule. The inhabitants of Ivvah were among those deported to Samaria. The Masoretic Text offers some spelling variation (עִוָּה, עַוָּא), likely reflecting an attempt to represent the non-Hebrew name phonetically. The exact location is uncertain; scholars suggest it may correspond with a place near the Euphrates, possibly modern Hit (ancient Ibat/Amat), but identification is not definitive. English translations (e.g., "Ava," "Ivah") render the name variously, sometimes conflating it with similar toponyms. The term is always a geographical reference; it does not refer to ethnic, religious, or political identity directly. The Septuagint usually transliterates the name, without ascribing meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or עַוָּא; (2 Kings 17:24), for עַוָּה; Ivvah or Avva, a region of Assyria; Ava, Ivah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עוה (uncertain) (ʿ-w-h (uncertain)) — uncertain; likely non-Hebrew place-name with no demonstrable Semitic root meaning
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5755-02 |
וְ/עִוָּ֑ה | veivah | HC/Np |
and Ivvah | and Ivvah | 3 |
H5755-01 |
וּ/מֵ/עַוָּ֤א | umeava | HC/R/Np |
and from Avva | and from Ivvah | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5755-01 |
2 Kings 17:24 | וּ/מֵ/עַוָּ֤א | umeava | HC/R/Np |
and from Avva | and from Ivvah |
H5755-02 |
2 Kings 18:34 | וְ/עִוָּ֑ה | veivah | HC/Np |
and Ivvah | and Ivvah |
H5755-02 |
2 Kings 19:13 | וְ/עִוָּֽה | veivah | HC/Np |
and Ivah | and Ivvah |
H5755-02 |
Isaiah 37:13 | וְ/עִוָּֽה | veivah | HC/Np |
and Ivvah | and Ivvah |