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Hebrew · H178

אוֹב

Properly, a mumble , i.e. a water- skin (from its hollow sound); hence a necromancer (ventriloquist, as from a jar)

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אוֹבH178
Pronunciationʾwōb

What does אוֹב (ʾwōb) mean in the Bible?

אוֹב (ʾwōb): Necromancer whose hollow-voiced divination mimics a spirit speaking through a vessel or skin-bottle.

Full entry for אוֹב (H178) · Open the biblical lexicon

Questions this entry answers

What does אוֹב (ʾwōb) mean in the Bible?

אוֹב (ʾwōb): Necromancer whose hollow-voiced divination mimics a spirit speaking through a vessel or skin-bottle.

How does the BSB render H178?

The BSB source-word alignment has 17 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include a medium (5), mediums (5), the mediums (3), a spirit (1), like a spirit (1).

Where does אוֹב (ʾwōb) appear in Scripture?

The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Leviticus 19:31. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Samuel (5), Isaiah (3), Leviticus (3), 2 Kings (2).

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
a medium5×Leviticus 20:27, Deuteronomy 18:11, 1 Samuel 28:7, 1 Chronicles 10:13
mediums5×Leviticus 19:31, Leviticus 20:6, 2 Kings 21:6, 2 Chronicles 33:6
the mediums3×1 Samuel 28:3, 1 Samuel 28:9, 2 Kings 23:24
a spirit1×1 Samuel 28:8
like a spirit1×Isaiah 29:4
to mediums1×Isaiah 19:3
wineskin1×Job 32:19
Show sample aligned rows
Leviticus 19:31הָאֹבֹת֙tomediumsArticle | Noun - masculine pluralLeviticus 20:6הָֽאֹבֹת֙tomediumsArticle | Noun - masculine pluralLeviticus 20:27א֛וֹבtoa mediumNoun - masculine singularDeuteronomy 18:11אוֹב֙toa mediumNoun - masculine singular1 Samuel 28:3הָאֹב֥וֹתtothe mediumsArticle | Noun - masculine plural1 Samuel 28:7א֔וֹבtoa mediumNoun - masculine singular1 Samuel 28:7א֖וֹבtoa mediumNoun - masculine singular1 Samuel 28:8בָּא֔וֹבtoa spiritPreposition, Article | Noun - masculine singular1 Samuel 28:9הָאֹב֥וֹתtothe mediumsArticle | Noun - masculine plural2 Kings 21:6א֖וֹבtomediumsNoun - masculine singular
Usage map

A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.

First aligned rowLeviticus 19:31
Aligned rows17
Books represented8
Leviticus3Deuteronomy11 Samuel52 Kings21 Chronicles12 Chronicles1Job1Isaiah3
Source forms
א֖וֹב3x’ō·wḇ1 Samuel 28:7, 2 Kings 21:6, 2 Chronicles 33:6
הָאֹב֥וֹת2xhā·’ō·ḇō·wṯ1 Samuel 28:3, 1 Samuel 28:9
א֛וֹב1x’ō·wḇLeviticus 20:27
אוֹב֙1x’ō·wḇDeuteronomy 18:11
א֔וֹב1x’ō·wḇ1 Samuel 28:7
בָּא֔וֹב1xbā·’ō·wḇ1 Samuel 28:8
בָּא֖וֹב1xbā·’ō·wḇ1 Chronicles 10:13
הָאֹב֣וֹת1xhā·’ō·ḇō·wṯ2 Kings 23:24
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - masculine plural7xLeviticus 19:31, Leviticus 20:6, 1 Samuel 28:3, 1 Samuel 28:9
Noun - masculine singular6xLeviticus 20:27, Deuteronomy 18:11, 1 Samuel 28:7, 2 Kings 21:6
Preposition, Article | Noun - masculine singular2x1 Samuel 28:8, 1 Chronicles 10:13
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural1xJob 32:19
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular1xIsaiah 29:4
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

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain

Full license details