STRONGS NUMBER H1


Word Summary
ab: father
Original Word: אָב
Transliteration: ab
Phonetic Spelling: (awb)
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Short Definition: father
Meaning: father
Strong's Concordance
chief, principal

A primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application) -- chief, (fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names in "Abi-".

Brown-Driver-Briggs

H1. ab

אָב1191 noun masculine father (Phoenician אב‎, Assyrian abu, Arabic , Sabean אב‎ CISiv, 1, 37 1. 2 and others, Ethiopic Aramaic אַבָּא‎, — absolute אָבGenesis 44:19 47t.; construct אַב17:4-5, (compare in אַבְרָהָםib. & elsewhere in proper names. On Hal's proposed אֲבִר‎ see אברהם‎); אֲבִי‎ (compare Ge§§ 90, 3b, 96) 4:20 +; suffix אָבִי19:34 + (MI אבי‎); אָבִיךָ12:1 +; אָבִיו2:24 +; אָבִ֫יהוּJudges 14:10 + 6t.; plural אָבוֺתExodus 12:3 +; construct אֲבוֺת6:25 7t.; suffix אֲבוֺתַי‎ (אֲבוֺתָ֑י אֲבֹתַי,‎) Genesis 47:9 15t.; אֲבוֺתֵיהֶם1 Chronicles 4:38 32t. (late); אֲבוֺתָםExodus 4:5 106t. etc.; —

1 father of individual Genesis 2:24 (+ אֵם‎) 11:28-29, (twice in verse); 19:31-32, 33, + often (mostly J E D); of father as commanding 50:16 (J) Jeremiah 35:6 f Proverbs 6:20 (compare Genesis 18:19; J 28:1, 6 P 1 Samuel 17:20; 1 Kings 2:1); instructing מוסרProverbs 1:8; 4:1 (compare Deuteronomy 8:5); specifically as begetter, genitor Proverbs 23:22; Zechariah 13:3 (twice in verse) (+ אֵם‎) Isaiah 45:10; compare Genesis 49:4 (J) Leviticus 18:7-8, 11 (P); rebuking Genesis 37:10; loving 37:4; 44:20 (J E; compare 22:2; 25:28; 37:3; 2 Samuel 14:1); pitying Psalm 103:13 (in simile compare 2 Samuel 18:5); blessing Genesis 27:41 (J E compare 27:4; also 28:1 P +); as glad Proverbs 10:1; 15:20; compare 29:3; grieving Genesis 37:35 (J E; compare 2 Samuel 12:22; 19:1; 19:2 f) etc. Also as object of honour, obedience, love Exodus 20:12 (E) = Deuteronomy 5:16; Exodus 21:15, 17 (E) Deuteronomy 21:18-19, Genesis 28:7 (P) 1 Kings 19:20 (all + אֵם‎), 1Ki 50:1; 1Ki 50:5 (J) Malachi 1:6 etc. Hence metaphor of intimate connection Job 17:14 to corruption I cry, My father art thou ("" לָֽרִמָּה וַאֲחֹתִי אִמִּי‎).

2 of God as father of his people (see RSSem 42), who constituted, controls, guides and lovingly watches over it: Deuteronomy 32:6; Jeremiah 3:4, 19; 31:9; Isaiah 63:16 (twice in verse); 64:7; Malachi 1:6; 2:10 (compare Exodus 4:22; 19:4 (JE) Deuteronomy 32:11; Hosea 11:1); compare Jeremiah 2:27 (of idolatrous Israel) ילדתני׃ אַתְּ וְלָאֶבֶן אַתָּה אָבִי לָעֵץ אֹמְרִים‎; especially God as father of Davidic line 2 Samuel 7:14; Psalm 89:27; f. of needy (late) 68:6 (compare 103:13) (in proper name, f. of individual, compare below)

3 head of household, family or clan; אָבִי בֵּית‎ as abode Genesis 38:11 (twice in verse); Leviticus 22:13 +; = family Genesis 24:40 ("" מִשְׁמַּחְתִּי‎) 41:51; 46:31 +? Numbers 18:1-2, Joshua 2:12, 18; 6:25; especially techn. of divisions of Israel לְמִשְׁמָּחוֺת אָב בֵּיתNumbers 3:30, 35 = a father's house, i.e. a family or clan; more often plural (אבותיו אבותם,‎) אָבוֺת בֵית‎ = father's houses = families, clans (compare Di on Exodus 6:14) 6:14; 12:3; Numbers 1:2, 18 ff (often in Numbers) Joshua 14:1; 19:51; 21:1 (twice in verse); 22:14 (twice in verse) (always P in Hexateuch); also 1 Chronicles 5:13, 15 + often in Chronicles; compare הלוים אבות רָאשֵׁי‎ (= ׳ר א ׳בית‎) Exodus 6:25 compare 1 Kings 8:1; 1 Chronicles 6:4; 7:11 +? Ezra Nehemiah.

4 ancestor (a) of individual; grandfather (instead of precise term) Genesis 28:13; 32:10 (J; where used by Jacob of Abraham & then of Isaac); greatgrandfather 1 Kings 15:13; great-greatgrandfather 15:11 etc.; oft plural (= fathers, forefathers) Genesis 15:15; 46:34 (JE) 1 Kings 19:4; 21:3-4, 2 Kings 19:12; 20:17 +; particularly אבותיו עם שׁכב1 Kings 1:21; 2:10; 11:21; 22:40 +; joined with אב עם ׳ויקבר14:31; 15:24; 22:51; 2 Kings 8:24; 15:38 compare 15:7, 16:20 + (all of kings of Judah); intensive, אֲבֹתֶיךָ וַאֲבוֺת אֲבֹתֶיךָExodus 10:6 compare Daniel 11:24; (b) of people Genesis 10:21 (J) 17:4-5, (P) 19:37-38, (J) 36:9, 43 (P) Deuteronomy 26:5; Isaiah 51:2; 43:27 (where הראשׁון אביךthy first father, see Che) compare also Ezekiel 16:3, 45 + often; plural Exodus 3:13, 15, 16 (E) Deuteronomy 1:8; Joshua 1:6; Judges 2:1; 1 Samuel 12:6 +; 12:15 near the end read ᵐ5 וּבְמַלְכְּכֶם‎ We Dr.

5 originator or patron of a class, profession, or art Genesis 4:20-21,.

6 figurative of producer, Generator Job 38:28 אָ֑ב לַמָּטָר הֲיֵשׁ‎ ("" מִיֿ אֶגְלֵיטָֽֿל׃ הוֺלִיד‎).

7 figurative of benevolence & protection Job 29:6 לָֽאֶבְיוֺנִים אָֽנֹכִי אָב‎, compare 31:18; of Eliakim Isaiah 22:21; perhaps also of gracious Messianic king עַד אֲבִי9:5 everlasting father (Ge Ew De Che Brd Di) — others divider of spoil (Abarb Hi Kn Kue BrMP).

8 term of respect & honour (Abbas, Pater, Papa, Pope); applied to master 2 Kings 5:13; priest Judges 17:10; 18:19; prophet 2 Kings 2:12 (twice in verse); 6:21; 13:14 (twice in verse); compare 8:9; counsellor Genesis 45:8 (E; compare δευτέρου πατρός ᵐ5‎ add. Esther 3:13; τῷ πατρί1Mac Esth 11:32); king 1 Samuel 24:12; artificer 2 Chronicles 2:12; 4:16.

9 specifically, ruler, chief (late) 1 Chronicles 2:24, 42 (twice in verse); etc. (compare Ew§ 273 b) see also EwGeschichte. i. 524. H i. 365. On the force of אָב‎ in proper names (in many probably a divine title), see CheEncy. Bib., ABI, NAMES WITHib., NAMES, §§ 44, 45.

א‎, Aleph, first letter; in post Biblical Hebrew = numeral 1 (and so in margin of printed MT); א֟‎ = 1000; no evidence of this usage in OT times.

אָב‎ see II. אבה‎.

אבב‎ (fresh, bright, Assyrian abâbu Dlw, AGI.)