אָב1191 noun masculine father (Phoenician אב, Assyrian abu, Arabic , Sabean אב CISiv, 1, 37 1. 2 and others, Ethiopic Aramaic אַבָּא, — absolute אָב 1 Mos 44,19 + 47 t.; construct אַב 1 Mos 17,4; 1 Mos 17,5 (compare in אַבְרָהָם ib. & elsewhere in proper names. On Hal's proposed אֲבִר see אברהם); אֲבִי (compare Ge§§ 90, 3b, 96) 1 Mos 4,20 +; suffix אָבִי 1 Mos 19,34 + (MI אבי); אָבִיךָ 1 Mos 12,1 +; אָבִיו 1 Mos 2,24 +; אָבִ֫יהוּ Dom 14,10 + 6t.; plural אָבוֺת 2 Mos 12,3 +; construct אֲבוֺת 2 Mos 6,25 + 7 t.; suffix אֲבוֺתַי (אֲבֹתַי, אֲבוֺתָ֑י) 1 Mos 47,9 + 15 t.; אֲבוֺתֵיהֶם 1 Kron 4,38 + 32 t. (late); אֲבוֺתָם 2 Mos 4,5 + 106 t. etc.; —
1. father of individual 1 Mos 2,24 (+
אֵם)
1 Mos 11,28;
1 Mos 11,29 (twice in verse);
1 Mos 19,31;
1 Mos 19,32;
1 Mos 19,33, + often (mostly
J E D); of father as commanding
1 Mos 50,16 (
J)
Jer 35,6 f
Ord 6,20 (compare
1 Mos 18,19 J 1 Mos 28,1;
1 Mos 28,6 P 1 Sam 17,20;
1 Kong 2,1); instructing
מוסר Ord 1,8;
Ord 4,1 (compare
5 Mos 8,5); specifically as begetter,
genitor Ord 23,22;
Zak 13,3 (twice in verse) (+
אֵם)
Es 45,10 compare
1 Mos 49,4 (
J)
3 Mos 18,7;
3 Mos 18,8;
3 Mos 18,11 (
P); rebuking
1 Mos 37,10 loving
1 Mos 37,4;
1 Mos 44,20 (
J E; compare
1 Mos 22,2;
1 Mos 25,28;
1 Mos 37,3;
2 Sam 14,1); pitying
Sl 103,13 (in simile compare
2 Sam 18,5); blessing
1 Mos 27,41 (
J E compare
1 Mos 27,4 also
1 Mos 28,1 P +); as glad
Ord 10,1;
Ord 15,20 compare
Ord 29,3 grieving
1 Mos 37,35 (
J E; compare
2 Sam 12,22;
2 Sam 19,1;
2 Sam 19,2 f) etc. Also as object of honour, obedience, love
2 Mos 20,12 (
E) =
5 Mos 5,16;
2 Mos 21,15;
2 Mos 21,17 (
E)
5 Mos 21,18;
5 Mos 21,19;
1 Mos 28,7 (
P)
1 Kong 19,20 (all +
אֵם),
1 Kong 50,1;
1 Kong 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:
5 Mos 32,6;
Jer 3,4;
Jer 3,19;
Jer 31,9;
Es 63,16 (twice in verse);
Es 64,7;
Mal 1,6;
Mal 2,10 (compare
2 Mos 4,22;
2 Mos 19,4 (
JE)
5 Mos 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 2 Sam 7,14;
Sl 89,27 f. of needy (late)
Sl 68,6 (compare
Sl 103,13) (in proper name,
f. of individual, compare below)
3. head of household, family or clan;
בֵּית אָבִי as abode
1 Mos 38,11 (twice in verse);
3 Mos 22,13 +; = family
1 Mos 24,40 (||
מִשְׁפַּחְתִּי)
1 Mos 41,51;
1 Mos 46,31 + compare
4 Mos 18,1;
4 Mos 18,2;
Jos 2,12;
Jos 2,18;
Jos 6,25 especially techn. of divisions of Israel
בֵּית אָב לְמִשְׁפָּחוֺת 4 Mos 3,30;
4 Mos 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
2 Mos 6,14)
2 Mos 6,14;
2 Mos 12,3;
4 Mos 1,2;
4 Mos 1,18 ff (often in Numbers)
Jos 14,1;
Jos 19,51;
Jos 21,1 (twice in verse);
Jos 22,14 (twice in verse) (always
P in Hexateuch); also
1 Kron 5,13;
1 Kron 5,15 + often in Chronicles; compare
רָאשֵׁי אבות הלוים (=
׳בית א ׳ר)
2 Mos 6,25 compare
1 Kong 8,1;
1 Kron 6,4;
1 Kron 7,11 + often Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah.
4. ancestor (
a)
of individual; grandfather (instead of precise term)
1 Mos 28,13;
1 Mos 32,10 (
J; where used by Jacob of Abraham & then of Isaac); greatgrandfather
1 Kong 15,13 great-greatgrandfather
1 Kong 15,11 etc.; oft plural (=
fathers, forefathers)
1 Mos 15,15;
1 Mos 46,34 (
JE)
1 Kong 19,4;
1 Kong 21,3;
1 Kong 21,4;
2 Kong 19,12;
2 Kong 20,17 +; particularly
שׁכב עם אבותיו 1 Kong 1,21;
1 Kong 2,10;
1 Kong 11,21;
1 Kong 22,40 +; joined with
׳ויקבר עם אב 1 Kong 14,31;
1 Kong 15,24;
1 Kong 22,51;
2 Kong 8,24;
2 Kong 15,38 compare v
2 Kong 15,7,
2 Kong 16,20 + (all of kings of Judah); intensive,
אֲבֹתֶיךָ וַאֲבוֺת אֲבֹתֶיךָ 2 Mos 10,6 compare
Dan 11,24 (
b)
of people 1 Mos 10,21 (
J)
1 Mos 17,4;
1 Mos 17,5 (
P)
1 Mos 19,37;
1 Mos 19,38 (
J)
1 Mos 36,9;
1 Mos 36,43 (
P)
5 Mos 26,5;
Es 51,2;
Es 43,27 (where
אביך הראשׁון thy first father, see
Che) compare also
Ezk 16,3;
Ezk 16,45 + often; plural
2 Mos 3,13;
2 Mos 3,15;
2 Mos 3,16 (
E)
5 Mos 1,8;
Jos 1,6;
Dom 2,1;
1 Sam 12,6 +;
1 Sam 12,15 near the end read
וּבְמַלְכְּכֶם ᵐ5 We Dr.
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
Es 22,21 perhaps also of gracious Messianic king
אֲבִי עַד Es 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
2 Kong 5,13 priest
Dom 17,10;
Dom 18,19 prophet
2 Kong 2,12 (twice in verse);
2 Kong 6,21;
2 Kong 13,14 (twice in verse); compare
2 Kong 8,9 counsellor
1 Mos 45,8 (
E; compare
δευτέρου πατρός ᵐ5 add.
Est 3,13 τῷ πατρί 1 Mac
Est 11,32); king
1 Sam 24,12 artificer
2 Kron 2,12;
2 Kron 4,16.
9. specifically,
ruler, chief (late)
1 Kron 2,24;
1 Kron 2,42 (twice in verse); etc. (compare
Ew§ 273 b) see also Ew
Geschichte. i. 524. H i. 365. On the force of
אָב in proper names (in many probably a divine title), see Che
Ency. Bib., ABI, NAMES WITH Nö
ib., NAMES, §§ 44, 45.