What does הַוָּה (havvah) mean in the Bible?
הַוָּה (havvah): Desire as destructive force; the word pivots from wanting toward ruin and moral corruption.
Hebrew · H1942
הַוָּה
By implication, of falling) ; desire ; also ruin
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הַוָּה H1942
Pronunciation havvah
What does הַוָּה (havvah) mean in the Bible?
הַוָּה (havvah): Desire as destructive force; the word pivots from wanting toward ruin and moral corruption.
Full entry for הַוָּה (H1942) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1942?
The BSB source-word alignment has 15 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include destruction (4), a destructive (1), and from the deadly (1), by destruction (1), by their own desires (1).
Where does הַוָּה (havvah) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Job 6:30. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (8), Proverbs (4), Job (2), Micah (1).
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 destruction 4× Psalms 5:9, Psalms 38:12, Psalms 52:2, Psalms 55:11
a destructive 1× Proverbs 17:4
and from the deadly 1× Psalms 91:3
by destruction 1× Psalms 52:7
by their own desires 1× Proverbs 11:6
Can a corrupt 1× Psalms 94:20
evil 1× Micah 7:3
from my destruction 1× Job 30:13
malice 1× Job 6:30
ruin 1× Proverbs 19:13
the craving 1× Proverbs 10:3
the danger 1× Psalms 57:1
Show sample aligned rows
Job 6:30 הַוּֽוֹת׃ to malice Noun - feminine plural Job 30:13 לְהַוָּתִ֥י to from my destruction Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Psalms 5:9 הַ֫וּ֥וֹת to destruction Noun - feminine plural Psalms 38:12 הַוּ֑וֹת to destruction Noun - feminine plural Psalms 52:2 הַ֭וּוֹת to destruction Noun - feminine plural Psalms 52:7 בְּהַוָּתֽוֹ׃ to by destruction Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Psalms 55:11 הַוּ֥וֹת to Destruction Noun - feminine plural Psalms 57:1 הַוּֽוֹת׃ to the danger Noun - feminine plural Psalms 91:3 הַוּֽוֹת׃ to and from the deadly Noun - feminine plural Psalms 94:20 הַוּ֑וֹת to Can a corrupt Noun - feminine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Job 6:30
Aligned rows 15
Books represented 4
Job 2 Psalms 8 Proverbs 4 Micah 1
Source forms
הַוּֽוֹת׃ 3x haw·wō·wṯ Job 6:30, Psalms 57:1, Psalms 91:3
הַוּ֑וֹת 2x haw·wō·wṯ Psalms 38:12, Psalms 94:20
בְּהַוָּתֽוֹ׃ 1x bə·haw·wā·ṯōw Psalms 52:7
הַ֫וּ֥וֹת 1x haw·wō·wṯ Psalms 5:9
הַ֭וּוֹת 1x haw·wō·wṯ Psalms 52:2
הַוּ֥וֹת 1x haw·wō·wṯ Psalms 55:11
הַוַּ֥ת 1x haw·waṯ Micah 7:3
הַוֺּ֣ת 1x haw·wōṯ Proverbs 19:13
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine plural 10x Job 6:30, Psalms 5:9, Psalms 38:12, Psalms 52:2
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct 1x Proverbs 10:3
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct 1x Proverbs 11:6
Noun - feminine singular construct 1x Micah 7:3
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular 1x Psalms 52:7
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular 1x Job 30:13
Evidence Summary
Revelation
Hebrew word. Desire as destructive force; the word pivots from wanting toward ruin and moral corruption.
Source Gloss
by implication, of falling) ; desire ; also ruin
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Desire as destructive force; the word pivots from wanting toward ruin and moral corruption.
by implication, of falling); desire; also ruin BDB: desire Usage: calamity, iniquity, mischief, mischievous (thing), naughtiness, naughty, noisome, perverse thing, substance, very wickedness.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
desire or destructive appetite
desire, craving, or destructive passion
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 16 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
הַוָּה is built from this root:
הָוָא H1933
Why This Word Matters
The verse exposes the destructive desires that drive wicked behavior. Proverbs 10:3
The word indicates the internal cravings that eventually trap the treacherous. Proverbs 11:6
Canonical Themes
Revelation
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
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