What does אָבָה (toʾvē’ (from אָבָה, ʾāvāh)) mean in the Bible?
אָבָה (toʾvē’ (from אָבָה, ʾāvāh)): Willing consent that moves from literal breathing/panting toward figurative acceptance or agreement.
Hebrew · H14
אָבָה
To breathe after, i.e. (figuratively) to be acquiescent
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אָבָה H14
Pronunciation toʾvē’ (from אָבָה, ʾāvāh)
What does אָבָה (toʾvē’ (from אָבָה, ʾāvāh)) mean in the Bible?
אָבָה (toʾvē’ (from אָבָה, ʾāvāh)): Willing consent that moves from literal breathing/panting toward figurative acceptance or agreement.
Full entry for אָבָה (H14) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H14?
The BSB source-word alignment has 54 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (19), would (5), willing (3), consent (2), They were unwilling (2).
Where does אָבָה (toʾvē’ (from אָבָה, ʾāvāh)) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 24:5. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Samuel (10), Deuteronomy (7), Isaiah (5), 1 Chronicles (4).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It . . . 19× Genesis 24:5, Genesis 24:8, Exodus 10:27, Leviticus 26:21
would 5× Deuteronomy 2:30, Deuteronomy 23:5, Judges 19:25, 1 Samuel 22:17
willing 3× Deuteronomy 25:7, 2 Samuel 13:25, Isaiah 30:15
consent 2× Judges 11:17, Job 39:9
They were unwilling 2× 1 Samuel 15:9, Isaiah 42:24
to do it 2× 1 Samuel 31:4, 1 Chronicles 10:4
was unwilling 2× 2 Samuel 6:10, 2 Kings 24:4
[David] refused 1× 1 Chronicles 11:19
[the LORD] has been unwilling 1× 2 Kings 13:23
agreed 1× Deuteronomy 10:10
and wanted 1× Proverbs 1:25
be willing 1× Deuteronomy 29:20
but I would 1× Joshua 24:10
But they would 1× Isaiah 28:12
consent to his terms 1× 1 Kings 20:8
I would not 1× 1 Samuel 26:23
obey 1× Psalms 81:11
persuaded 1× Proverbs 6:35
refused 1× Judges 20:13
They accepted 1× Proverbs 1:30
they are unwilling 1× Ezekiel 3:7
unwilling 1× Isaiah 30:9
will be unwilling 1× Ezekiel 3:7
yield 1× Deuteronomy 13:8
yield [to them] 1× Proverbs 1:10
you are willing 1× Isaiah 1:19
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 24:5 תֹאבֶ֣ה to . . . Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular Genesis 24:8 תֹאבֶ֤ה to . . . Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular Exodus 10:27 אָבָ֖ה to . . . Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 26:21 תֹאב֖וּ to . . . Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural Deuteronomy 1:26 אֲבִיתֶ֖ם to . . . Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural Deuteronomy 2:30 אָבָ֗ה to would Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Deuteronomy 10:10 אָבָ֥ה to agreed Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Deuteronomy 13:8 תֹאבֶ֣ה to yield Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Deuteronomy 23:5 אָבָ֞ה to would Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Deuteronomy 25:7 אָבָ֖ה to willing Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 24:5
Aligned rows 54
Books represented 17
Genesis 2 Exodus 1 Leviticus 1 Deuteronomy 7 Joshua 1 Judges 4 1 Samuel 4 2 Samuel 10 1 Kings 2 2 Kings 3 1 Chronicles 4 2 Chronicles 1 Job 1 Psalms 1 Proverbs 4 Isaiah 5 Ezekiel 3
Source forms
אָבָ֖ה 9x ’ā·ḇāh Exodus 10:27, Deuteronomy 25:7, 2 Samuel 13:14, 2 Samuel 13:16
אָבָה֙ 4x ’ā·ḇāh 1 Samuel 31:4, 2 Samuel 23:16, 2 Kings 13:23, 1 Chronicles 10:4
אָבָ֣ה 4x ’ā·ḇāh 2 Samuel 2:21, 2 Samuel 6:10, 1 Chronicles 19:19, 2 Chronicles 21:7
אָבָ֥ה 3x ’ā·ḇāh Deuteronomy 10:10, 2 Samuel 13:25, 2 Kings 24:4
אָבָ֤ה 3x ’ā·ḇāh Judges 19:10, 2 Kings 8:19, 1 Chronicles 11:18
אָב֤וּ 2x ’ā·ḇū Judges 19:25, Isaiah 42:24
אָב֥וּ 2x ’ā·ḇū Proverbs 1:30, Isaiah 30:9
אֲבִיתֶֽם׃ 2x ’ă·ḇî·ṯem Proverbs 1:25, Isaiah 30:15
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 28x Exodus 10:27, Deuteronomy 2:30, Deuteronomy 10:10, Deuteronomy 23:5
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural 9x Judges 19:25, Judges 20:13, 1 Samuel 15:9, 1 Samuel 22:17
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 3x Deuteronomy 29:20, Job 39:9, Proverbs 6:35
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural 3x Deuteronomy 1:26, Proverbs 1:25, Isaiah 30:15
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural 2x Leviticus 26:21, Isaiah 1:19
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 2x Deuteronomy 13:8, 1 Kings 20:8
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular 2x Genesis 24:5, Genesis 24:8
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular 2x Joshua 24:10, 1 Samuel 26:23
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Willing consent that moves from literal breathing/panting toward figurative acceptance or agreement.
Strong's H14
Lexical occurrences 54 verses Word forms 1 form 53 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Proverbs 1:8-19 Source Gloss
to breathe after, i.e. (figuratively) to be acquiescent
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Willing consent that moves from literal breathing/panting toward figurative acceptance or agreement.
to breathe after, i.e. (figuratively) to be acquiescent BDB: be willing Usage: consent, rest content will, be willing.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 1 Aligned forms 53
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 53×
Perfect 1Chr 10:4 · 1Chr 11:18 · 1Chr 11:19 · 1Chr 19:19 · 1Kgs 22:50 · 1Sam 31:4 · 2Chr 21:7 · 2Kgs 8:19 · 2Kgs 13:23 · 2Kgs 24:4 · 2Sam 2:21 · 2Sam 6:10 · 2Sam 12:17 · 2Sam 13:14 · 2Sam 13:16 · 2Sam 13:25 42×
Imperfect 1Kgs 20:8 · Deut 13:9 · Deut 29:19 · Prov 6:35 · Gen 24:5 · Gen 24:8 · Isa 1:19 · Lev 26:21 · Ezek 3:7 9×
Participle active Ezek 3:7 1×
Jussive Prov 1:10 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
to be willing, to agree, to desire
Showing 1 selected witness from 54 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
אָבָה is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
The decisive moment is early. Wisdom refuses at the level of consent, before the feet begin walking and the hands begin acting. Proverbs 1:8-19
Canonical Themes
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain