What does תַּאֲוָה (ta'avah) mean in the Bible?
תַּאֲוָה (ta'avah): Desire that encompasses both inner craving and external attractiveness; often implies appetite or lust rather than noble longing.
Hebrew · H8378
תַּאֲוָה
A longing ; by implication, a delight (subjectively, satisfaction, objectively, a charm)
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תַּאֲוָה H8378
Pronunciation ta'avah
What does תַּאֲוָה (ta'avah) mean in the Bible?
תַּאֲוָה (ta'avah): Desire that encompasses both inner craving and external attractiveness; often implies appetite or lust rather than noble longing.
Full entry for תַּאֲוָה (H8378) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8378?
The BSB source-word alignment has 20 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the desire (3), desire (2), . . . (1), [loathes] his favorite (1), and the bounty (1).
Where does תַּאֲוָה (ta'avah) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 3:6. Its strongest book concentrations include Proverbs (8), Psalms (7), Genesis (2), Isaiah (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 the desire 3× Psalms 10:17, Proverbs 11:23, Proverbs 19:22
desire 2× Psalms 38:9, Proverbs 13:19
. . . 1× Numbers 11:4
[loathes] his favorite 1× Job 33:20
and the bounty 1× Genesis 49:26
are the desire 1× Isaiah 26:8
but desire 1× Proverbs 13:12
but the desire 1× Proverbs 10:24
intensely 1× Psalms 106:14
more 1× Proverbs 21:26
pleasing 1× Genesis 3:6
selfish desires 1× Proverbs 18:1
The craving 1× Proverbs 21:25
the cravings 1× Psalms 10:3
the desires 1× Psalms 112:10
their desire 1× Psalms 78:30
what they craved 1× Psalms 78:29
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 3:6 תַֽאֲוָה־ to pleasing Noun - feminine singular Genesis 49:26 תַּאֲוַ֖ת to and the bounty Noun - feminine singular construct Numbers 11:4 תַּאֲוָ֑ה to . . . Noun - feminine singular Job 33:20 תַּאֲוָֽה׃ to [loathes] his favorite Noun - feminine singular Psalms 10:3 תַּאֲוַ֣ת to the cravings Noun - feminine singular construct Psalms 10:17 תַּאֲוַ֬ת to the desire Noun - feminine singular construct Psalms 38:9 תַּאֲוָתִ֑י to desire Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Psalms 78:29 וְ֝תַֽאֲוָתָ֗ם to what they craved Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural Psalms 78:30 מִתַּאֲוָתָ֑ם to their desire Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural Psalms 106:14 תַ֭אֲוָה to intensely Noun - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 3:6
Aligned rows 20
Books represented 6
Genesis 2 Numbers 1 Job 1 Psalms 7 Proverbs 8 Isaiah 1
Source forms
תַּאֲוַ֣ת 4x ta·’ă·waṯ Psalms 10:3, Proverbs 11:23, Proverbs 19:22, Proverbs 21:25
תַּאֲוַ֖ת 2x ta·’ă·waṯ Genesis 49:26, Psalms 112:10
וְתַאֲוַ֖ת 1x wə·ṯa·’ă·waṯ Proverbs 10:24
וְ֝תַֽאֲוָתָ֗ם 1x wə·ṯa·’ă·wā·ṯām Psalms 78:29
לְֽ֭תַאֲוָה 1x lə·ṯa·’ă·wāh Proverbs 18:1
מִתַּאֲוָתָ֑ם 1x mit·ta·’ă·wā·ṯām Psalms 78:30
תַ֭אֲוָה 1x ṯa·’ă·wāh Psalms 106:14
תַאֲוָ֑ה 1x ṯa·’ă·wāh Proverbs 21:26
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular construct 8x Genesis 49:26, Psalms 10:3, Psalms 10:17, Psalms 112:10
Noun - feminine singular 7x Genesis 3:6, Numbers 11:4, Job 33:20, Psalms 106:14
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct 1x Proverbs 10:24
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural 1x Psalms 78:29
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular 1x Psalms 38:9
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular 1x Proverbs 18:1
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural 1x Psalms 78:30
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Desire that encompasses both inner craving and external attractiveness; often implies appetite or lust rather than noble longing.
Strong's H8378
Lexical occurrences 21 verses Word forms 1 form 16 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Proverbs 10:24 Source Gloss
a longing ; by implication, a delight (subjectively, satisfaction, objectively, a charm)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Desire that encompasses both inner craving and external attractiveness; often implies appetite or lust rather than noble longing.
a longing; by implication, a delight (subjectively, satisfaction, objectively, a charm) BDB: desire Usage: dainty, desire, × exceedingly, × greedily, lust(ing), pleasant. See also 6914.
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 16
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 1×
Imperfect 1Sam 2:16 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
longing, desire, or heartfelt expectation
My longing; my deep desire; indicates the internal yearnings of the soul that are visible only to God
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 21 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
תַּאֲוָה is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
The term highlights the hopes shaped by righteousness and trust in God. Proverbs 10:24
Canonical Themes
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