אַהֲוָא
𐤀𐤄𐤅𐤀
Ahava
H163 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun designating a river, canal, or regional geographical location associated with the Babylonian region into which Israelites were exiled, most notably mentioned as the site where Ezra assembled returning exiles before their journey to Jerusalem. The term does not signify a common noun and is almost exclusively a toponym in the Hebrew Bible.
Semantic Range
A river, canal, or regional watercourse in Babylonia associated with the Israelite exile and return, exclusively a proper noun; does not occur with a common noun sense.
Root / Etymology
Of uncertain origin, likely not Hebrew and generally considered to be foreign—possibly Akkadian or another Semitic language of Mesopotamia. Its internal structure does not clearly relate to any Hebrew root. The form reflects a place name transliterated into Hebrew characters rather than a word built from a known Hebrew root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
'Ahava' appears exclusively in the context of the Ezra memoir (Ezra 8:15, 21, 31) as the staging ground for the return from Babylonian exile. The text specifies that this river (or canal) lies within the broader territory of Babylonia, but its precise identity is presently unknown; it has been variously identified with the canal system near ancient Babylon or with an unidentified tributary. The word is always a toponym, and English translations often simply transliterate the term rather than render its meaning, reflecting uncertainty about the precise referent and its lack of additional semantic freight beyond denoting a specific place. Earlier English translations sometimes use the word 'Ahava' as though it were a common noun, but its exclusive usage as a foreign place name is now clear. The term does not appear before the exile or outside exilic/post-exilic contexts, and is distinctive for its appearance in first-person narrative (the Ezra memoir). No later Jewish, Judean, or theological meanings are attached to this term.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably of foreign origin; Ahava, a river of Babylonia; Ahava.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
uncertain (uncertain) — proper name, place name (river or canal)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1085 | בִּלְדַּד | Bildad |
| H1095 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר | Belteshatsar |
| H1114 | בִּלְשָׁן | Bilshan |
| H1150 | בִּנְעָא | Bin'a |
| H116 | אֱדַיִן | and then |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H163-01 |
אַהֲוָ֔א | ahava | HNp |
of Ahava | Ahava | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences