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אֲבַטִּיחַ

𐤀𐤁𐤈𐤉𐤇

ʼăbaṭṭîyach

H20 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain; denoting a melon-type fruit

Definition

A type of cultivated, sweet fruit with a thick rind and succulent interior, most often referred to as 'melon.' In the Hebrew Bible, the term denotes an edible fruit cultivated in ancient Egypt and known to the ancient Israelites, likely corresponding to the species or varieties similar to modern melons (Cucumis melo), distinct from cucumbers or gourds. Attested only in the plural and used in reference to desirable food.

Semantic Range

melon (unspecified variety); sweet edible gourd or fruit, likely corresponding to muskmelon or similar, distinct from cucumber

Root / Etymology

etymology uncertain

Historical & Contextual Notes

אֲבַטִּיחַ (ʼăbaṭṭîyach) appears only in Numbers 11:5, in a list of produce the Israelites recall having in Egypt. The precise botanical identification is uncertain, but context, ancient Near Eastern agriculture, and later Hebrew usage suggest a melon, possibly muskmelon (Cucumis melo), as opposed to cucumbers (qishshuʼîm). In Modern Hebrew, the term designates the watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), but there is little evidence this specific species was present in the biblical period. The Septuagint translates it with a general term for melon. English Bibles commonly render it 'melon,' accurately reflecting a sweet, succulent fruit but without specifying an exact species. The word is unattested elsewhere in biblical Hebrew, and its singular form is absent. No evidence connects the fruit with specifically religious or ritual significance; it is mentioned as part of a nostalgic recollection of the Egyptian diet. The meaning appears consistent throughout its limited attestation, with no shift over Israelite or later periods.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of uncertain derivation; a melon (only plural); melon.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אבטח (ʾ-b-ṭ-ḥ (uncertain)) — uncertain; melon-type fruit

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H20-01 הָֽ/אֲבַטִּחִ֔ים haavatichim HTd/Ncmpa melons melons 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H20-01 Numbers 11:5 הָֽ/אֲבַטִּחִ֔ים haavatichim HTd/Ncmpa melons melons
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