BDB17
אָב1191
noun masculine
father (Phoenician אב, Assyrian
abu
, Arabic
[untranscribed source text 8], Sabean אב
CISiv, 1, 37 1. 2 and others, Ethiopic
[untranscribed source text 9] Aramaic אַבָּא,
[untranscribed source text 10] — absolute אָב
Gen 44:19 + 47
t.; construct אַב
Gen 17:4; Gen 17:5 (compare in
אַבְרָהָם
ib. & elsewhere in proper names. On Hal's
proposed אֲבִר see אברהם); אֲבִי (compare Ge§§ 90, 3b, 96) Gen 4:20 +; suffix אָבִי
Gen 19:34 + (
MI
אבי); אָבִיךָ
Gen 12:1 +;
אָבִיו
Gen 2:24 +;
אָבִ֫יהוּ
Judg 14:10 +
6t.; plural אָבוֺת
Exod 12:3 +;
construct אֲבוֺת
Exod 6:25 + 7 t.;
suffix אֲבוֺתַי (אֲבֹתַי, אֲבוֺתָ֑י) Gen 47:9 + 15 t.; אֲבוֺתֵיהֶם
1Chr 4:38 + 32 t.
(late); אֲבוֺתָם
Exod 4:5 + 106 t. etc.;
—
1.
father of individual
Gen 2:24 (+
אֵם)
Gen 11:28;
Gen 11:29 (twice in verse); Gen 19:31; Gen 19:32; Gen 19:33, + often (mostly
J
E
D
); of father as commanding Gen 50:16 (
J
) Jer 35:6
f Prov 6:20
(compare
Gen 18:19
J
Gen 28:1; Gen 28:6
P
1Sam 17:20;
1Kgs 2:1);
instructing מוסר
Prov 1:8; Prov 4:1 (compare
Deut 8:5);
specifically as begetter, genitor
Prov 23:22
; Zech 13:3
(twice in verse) (+ אֵם) Isa 45:10 compare Gen 49:4 (
J
) Lev 18:7
; Lev 18:8
; Lev 18:11
(
P
); rebuking
Gen 37:10 loving Gen 37:4; Gen 44:20 (
J
E
; compare Gen
22:2;
Gen 25:28;
Gen 37:3;
2Sam 14:1); pitying Ps 103:13 (in simile compare 2Sam 18:5); blessing Gen 27:41 (
J
E
compare Gen
27:4 also
Gen 28:1
P
+); as glad
Prov 10:1; Prov 15:20 compare Prov 29:3 grieving Gen 37:35 (
J
E
; compare
2Sam 12:22;
2Sam 19:1;
2Sam 19:2 f) etc. Also as object of honour, obedience, love
Exod 20:12
(
E
) = Deut
5:16;
Exod 21:15; Exod 21:17 (
E
) Deut
21:18;
Deut 21:19;
Gen 28:7 (
P
) 1Kgs
19:20 (all + אֵם),
1Kgs 50:1;
1Kgs 50:5 (
J
) Mal 1:6
etc. Hence metaphor of intimate connection
Job 17:14
to corruption I cry, My father art thou (|| אִמִּי וַאֲחֹתִי לָֽרִמָּה).
2. of God as father of his people (see
RSSem 42), who constituted, controls, guides and lovingly watches over it: Deut 32:6; Jer 3:4; Jer 3:19; Jer 31:9; Isa 63:16
(twice in verse); Isa
64:7; Mal 1:6
; Mal 2:10
(compare Exod 4:22;
Exod 19:4 (
J
E
) Deut 32:11
; Hos 11:1);
compare Jer 2:27
(of idolatrous Israel) אֹמְרִים לָעֵץ אָבִי אַתָּה וְלָאֶבֶן אַתְּ ילדתני׃; especially God as
father of Davidic line
2Sam 7:14; Ps 89:27
f. of needy (late) Ps 68:6 (compare Ps 103:13) (in proper name, f. of individual,
compare below)
3.
head of household, family or clan; בֵּית אָבִי as abode Gen 38:11 (twice in verse);
Lev 22:13 +;
= family Gen 24:40
(|| מִשְׁפַּחְתִּי) Gen 41:51; Gen 46:31 + compare Num 18:1; Num 18:2; Josh 2:12; Josh 2:18; Josh 6:25 especially techn. of divisions of
Israel בֵּית אָב לְמִשְׁפָּחוֺת
Num 3:30; Num 3:35 = a
father's house, i.e. a family or clan; more often plural (אבותם, אבותיו)
בֵית אָבוֺת = father's houses = families, clans (compare Di
on Exod
6:14) Exod
6:14; Exod
12:3; Num 1:2
; Num 1:18
ff (often in Numbers)
Josh 14:1;
Josh 19:51;
Josh 21:1 (twice in verse); Josh 22:14 (twice in verse) (always
P
in Hexateuch); also 1Chr 5:13; 1Chr 5:15 + often in Chronicles; compare רָאשֵׁי אבות הלוים
(= ׳
בית א
׳
ר)
Exod 6:25 compare 1Kgs 8:1; 1Chr 6:4; 1Chr 7:11 + often Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah.
4.
ancestor
(a) of individual; grandfather (instead of
precise term) Gen
28:13;
Gen 32:10 (
J
; where used by Jacob of Abraham & then of Isaac); greatgrandfather 1Kgs 15:13 great-greatgrandfather
1Kgs 15:11
etc.; oft plural (= fathers, forefathers) Gen 15:15; Gen 46:34 (
J
E
) 1Kgs
19:4;
1Kgs 21:3; 1Kgs 21:4; 2Kgs 19:12; 2Kgs 20:17 +; particularly שׁכב עם אבותיו
1Kgs 1:21;
1Kgs 2:10;
1Kgs 11:21
; 1Kgs
22:40 +; joined with ׳
ויקבר עם אב
1Kgs 14:31
; 1Kgs
15:24; 1Kgs 22:51; 2Kgs 8:24; 2Kgs 15:38 compare 2Kgs 15:7, 2Kgs 16:20 + (all of kings
of Judah); intensive, אֲבֹתֶיךָ וַאֲבוֺת אֲבֹתֶיךָ
Exod 10:6
compare Dan
11:24
(b) of people
Gen 10:21 (
J
) Gen 17:4
; Gen 17:5
(
P
) Gen
19:37;
Gen 19:38 (
J
) Gen 36:9
; Gen 36:43
(
P
) Deut 26:5
; Isa 51:2
; Isa
43:27 (where אביך הראשׁון
thy first father, see Che) compare also Ezek 16:3;
Ezek 16:45
+ often; plural
Exod 3:13;
Exod
3:15; Exod
3:16
(
E
) Deut 1:8
; Josh 1:6; Judg 2:1; 1Sam 12:6 +;
1Sam 12:15
near the end read וּבְמַלְכְּכֶם
ᵐ5
We
Dr.
5.
originator or patron of a class, profession, or art Gen 4:20; Gen 4:21.
6.
figurative of producer, generator
Job 38:28
הֲיֵשׁ לַמָּטָר אָ֑ב (|| הוֺלִיד אֶגְלֵיטָֽֿל׃ מִיֿ).
7.
figurative of benevolence & protection Job 29:6
אָב אָֽנֹכִי לָֽאֶבְיוֺנִים, compare Job 31:18 of Eliakim Isa 22:21 perhaps also of gracious
Messianic king אֲבִי עַד
Isa 9:5
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 2Kgs 5:13 priest Judg 17:10; Judg 18:19 prophet 2Kgs 2:12 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 6:21; 2Kgs 13:14 (twice in verse);
compare 2Kgs 8:9
counsellor Gen 45:8
(
E
; compare δευτέρου
πατρός
ᵐ5
add. Esth
3:13
τῷ πατρί 1 Mac
Esth 11:32);
king 1Sam 24:12
artificer 2Chr 2:12
; 2Chr 4:16
.
9. specifically, ruler, chief (late) 1Chr 2:24; 1Chr 2:42 (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
WITH Nöib., NAMES, §§ 44, 45.