אֱוִי
𐤀𐤅𐤉
Evi
H189 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Evi — a personal name referring to one of the five leaders (described as 'kings' or 'chiefs') of the Midianites defeated by the Israelites during the campaign recounted in Numbers 31. The word is used strictly as a proper name and does not carry an independent lexical meaning outside of its use as a name in the biblical text.
Semantic Range
personal name of a Midianite leader; possibly 'desirous' by etymology, but used only as a proper name
Root / Etymology
Root/Etymology: Likely derived from the Hebrew root אוּה (ʼāvāh, אָוָה), 'to desire, wish, long for.' The name אֱוִי (Evi) may mean 'desirous' or 'one who desires,' though it is only attested as a personal name and does not appear as a common noun or verb.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Evi appears solely as a proper name for a Midianite leader executed by the Israelites in Numbers 31:8 and Joshua 13:21, alongside other Midianite chiefs. There is no evidence that the name was used for Israelites—Evi is strictly a non-Israelite personal name in the biblical record. The use in Numbers and Joshua may reflect a Moabite or Midianite title or may be of foreign linguistic origin despite the plausible Hebrew etymology. The exact meaning is uncertain since it does not occur as a vocabulary word outside the proper name. Later translations, including the Septuagint, transliterate the name with only slight adaptation, reflecting its interpretation as a foreign name. Evi is not to be confused with similar-sounding Israelite names or with common nouns based on the root אוה (to desire). Use of 'Midianitish chief' in English translations imports English tribal nomenclature; the Hebrew context refers to tribal or clan leaders of the Midianites. The tradition of translating biblical personal names as if they had lexical meaning is not warranted here—Evi functions strictly as a proper noun in all extant usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably from אָוָה; desirous; Evi, a Midianitish chief; Evi.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אוה (ʾ-w-h) — desire, wish, long for
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H183 | אָוָה | the ones craving |
| H184 | אָוָה | you have craved |
| H185 | אַוָּה | craving of |
| H188 | אוֹי | Woe! |
| H337 | אִי | coastland |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H189-01 |
אֱוִ֤י | evi | HNp |
Evi | Evi | Evi | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H189-01 |
Numbers 31:8 | אֱוִ֤י | evi | HNp |
Evi | Evi | Evi |
H189-01 |
Joshua 13:21 | אֱוִ֤י | evi | HNp |
Evi | Evi | Evi |