עַוִּים
𐤏𐤅𐤉𐤌
Avim
H5761 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A group known as the Avvites or Avvim, a people dwelling in the southwestern coastal region of ancient Canaan, especially associated with the area later inhabited by Philistines. The term refers collectively to the inhabitants themselves rather than a geographic location. In the Hebrew Bible, 'Avvim' denotes these people who were present before the arrival of the Philistines.
Semantic Range
the Avvites as a people group, inhabitants of southwestern Canaan, displaced pre-Philistine population
Root / Etymology
Plural form of עַוִּי (ʻawwi), which is likely a gentilice (ethnic or tribal name) derived from an uncertain root. The ultimate etymology is unclear, as the name does not have a securely identifiable Semitic root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The Avvites (עַוִּים) are mentioned primarily in Deuteronomy 2:23 and Joshua 13:3 as former inhabitants of the southwestern coastal plain, later Philistia. The biblical account notes that the Caphtorites (associated with Crete or Cyprus) displaced the Avvites. The term is a people group name, not a place name; the confusion in English versions likely results from the context in which they appear. The Avvites have sometimes been confused with other minor Canaanite groups, but textual evidence suggests they were distinct. English translations sometimes render the Hebrew with place-based language due to its association with territory, but the word itself is ethnonymic. In later tradition or translation (e.g., the Septuagint), the term is preserved as a people group with little elaboration. The Avvites are otherwise unattested in extrabiblical sources.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
plural of עַוִּי; Avvim (as inhabited by Avvites), a place in Palestine (with the article prefix); Avim.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עוי (ʿ-w-y) — to twist, to bend (uncertain)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5761-01 |
וְ/הָֽ/עַוִּ֛ים | vehaavim | HC/Td/Np |
and Avvim | and the Avvim | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5761-01 |
Deuteronomy 2:23 | וְ/הָֽ/עַוִּ֛ים | vehaavim | HC/Td/Np |
And-the-Avvim | and the Avvim |
H5761-01 |
Joshua 18:23 | וְ/הָ/עַוִּ֥ים | vehaavim | HC/Td/Np |
and Avvim | and the Avvim |