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תַּעָב

𐤕𐤏𐤁

taʻâb

H8581 verb

SILEX Entry

Root תעב to abhor, to detest, to find abhorrent

Definition

To abhor, detest, or view with intense aversion or repugnance, especially in a moral or ritual context. The verb denotes a reaction of strong distaste or rejection, often with a connotation of turning away or despising because of perceived vileness, uncleanness, or impropriety. In biblical usage, the term is frequently applied to moral revulsion against conduct or practices that violate Israelite ethical or ritual norms.

Semantic Range

to abhor, to regard as loathsome, to detest utterly, to make abominable, to reject with moral revulsion, to consider ritually or ethically repugnant

Root / Etymology

Root: תּ־ע־ב. The root conveys the sense of abomination or strong rejection, but its exact etymological origin is uncertain; it appears in Hebrew but is not clearly attested in related Semitic languages. The verb form tantalizes with the idea of 'making abominable' or 'regarding as loathsome'.

Historical & Contextual Notes

This verb is found primarily in later strata of Biblical Hebrew, often within Deuteronomic and exilic/post-exilic texts, particularly where moral or ritual violations are repudiated in the strongest terms. It is distinct from תָּעֵב (taʿēv, Strong's H8581, the Qal stem), and related more broadly to the noun תּוֹעֵבָה (toʿēvah, 'abomination'), which refers to abominable acts or objects. While standard translations often render this root as 'abhor' or 'abominate,' the term implies a deep emotional and ethical response, not merely intellectual disapproval. Its usage is largely restricted to actions or practices judged severely by Israelite/Yahwistic norms, rather than everyday dislikes. Phases of Israelite history that emphasized ethical or cultic purity (especially the Deuteronomistic reforms and later post-exilic religious identity) tended to use this term more frequently. Later English translations sometimes use 'abomination' or 'detest,' but these may not fully capture the depth of emotional revulsion implied by the Hebrew. Anachronistic translation as 'Jew' for ethnonyms should be avoided; the term is cultural-ethical, not ethnic.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to loathe, i.e. (morally) detest; (make to be) abhor(-red), (be, commit more, do) abominable(-y), [idiom] utterly.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

תעב (t-ʿ-b) — abhor, detest, regard as loathsome

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H8441 תּוֹעֵבַה in their detestable practices

Word Forms

17 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8581-05 נִתְעָ֔ב niteav HVNrmsa abominable abhorred one 3
H8581-07 תְתַעֵ֣ב tetaev HVpi2ms abhor you will utterly detest 3
H8581-08 תִּֽ֭עֲבוּ/נִי tiavuni HVpp3cp/Sp1cs abhorred me They utterly detested me 2
H8581-12 וַ֝/יְתָעֵ֗ב vayetaev HC/Vpw3ms and-he-abhorred he utterly detested 1
H8581-01 הַֽ/מֲתַעֲבִ֣ים hamataavim HTd/Vprmpa who abhor the ones who utterly detest 1
H8581-02 הִתְעַ֥בְתְּ hiteavete HVhp2fs you have been detestable you have made abhorrent 1
H8581-06 תְּֽתַעֲבֶ֖/נּוּ tetaavenu HVpi2ms/Sp3ms you shall utterly abhor it you will utterly detest him 1
H8581-11 וַ/יַּתְעֵ֣ב vayateev HC/Vhw3ms And he acted detestably and he made abominable 1
H8581-16 יְתָ֘עֵ֥ב yetaev HVpi3ms abhors he utterly detests 1
H8581-04 לִ/מְתָ֤עֵֽב limetaev HR/Vprmsc abhorred one who makes abhorrent 1

Occurrences in Scripture

22 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8581-14 Deuteronomy 7:26 וְ/תַעֵ֥ב vetaev HC/Vpa abhor utterly detest
H8581-06 Deuteronomy 7:26 תְּֽתַעֲבֶ֖/נּוּ tetaavenu HVpi2ms/Sp3ms you shall utterly abhor it you will utterly detest him
H8581-07 Deuteronomy 23:8 תְתַעֵ֣ב tetaev HVpi2ms abhor you will utterly detest
H8581-07 Deuteronomy 23:8 תְתַעֵ֣ב tetaev-2 HVpi2ms abhor you will utterly detest
H8581-11 1 Kings 21:26 וַ/יַּתְעֵ֣ב vayateev HC/Vhw3ms And he acted detestably and he made abominable
H8581-05 Isaiah 14:19 נִתְעָ֔ב niteav HVNrmsa abominable abhorred one
H8581-04 Isaiah 49:7 לִ/מְתָ֤עֵֽב limetaev HR/Vprmsc abhorred one who makes abhorrent
H8581-10 Ezekiel 16:25 וַ/תְּתַֽעֲבִי֙ vatetaavi HC/Vpw2fs and made abominable and you made abhorrent
H8581-02 Ezekiel 16:52 הִתְעַ֥בְתְּ hiteavete HVhp2fs you have been detestable you have made abhorrent
H8581-17 Amos 5:10 יְתָעֵֽבוּ yetaevu HVpi3mp they abhor they utterly detest
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