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עָב

𐤏𐤁

ʻâb

H5645 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A thick, dense mass; usually refers to a heavy or dark cloud, emphasizing opacity and the sense of obscured light. In some contexts, it denotes physical density or thickness, such as in clay or a wooded thicket. The central sense is of something that envelopes and conceals by its density.

Semantic Range

dense (rain) cloud, thick cloud, darkness, mass of clay, heavy or thick covering, thicket or copse

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root עוּב, which conveys the sense of thickness or density. The noun form עָב reflects the idea of a dense covering, most commonly a cloud, but also any thick or tightly packed substance (such as a copse or clay). The root itself is only attested in a limited number of forms.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical Hebrew, עָב overwhelmingly denotes a dense or dark cloud, often used in poetic or prophetic passages to evoke imagery of divine appearance, judgment, or natural phenomena where heaviness and obscuration are focal qualities (e.g., heavy rain clouds or a supernatural manifestation). Only rarely does it refer to other dense substances or collections, such as clay or a thicket (the latter sense especially occurs in later Hebrew or cognate languages and may reflect semantic extension). The term is distinct from other Hebrew words for 'cloud' (such as עָנָן [anan]), which emphasize shape or movement rather than density; עָב connotes thickness, darkness, or impenetrability. In English translations, 'cloud' is common, but 'cloud mass', 'dark cloud', or 'thick darkness' better reflect the nuance in passages where עָב suggests formidable opacity rather than simply a sky cloud. Its association as an envelope or dense cover also influenced its metaphorical use as 'darkness.' Over time, the primary sense contracted to 'heavy cloud', with secondary connotations of density in related substances.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(masculine and feminine); from עוּב; properly, an envelope, i.e. darkness (or density, 2 Chronicles 4:17); specifically, a (scud) cloud; also a copse; clay, (thick) cloud, [idiom] thick, thicket. Compare עֲבִי.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

עוּב (ʻûwb) — to be thick, to be dense, to make dense

Root עוּב to be thick, to be dense, to make dense
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H5743 עוּב he will enshroud

Word Forms

16 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H5645-01 עָ֛ב av HNcbsa a cloud father of cloud 7
H5645-04 עָבִ֣ים avim HNcbpa clouds dense clouds dense clouds 4
H5645-10 הֶ/עָבִ֥ים heavim HTd/Ncbpa the clouds the dense clouds the dense clouds 3
H5645-03 עָבֵ֥י avey HNcbpc clouds-of dense clouds of dense clouds of 2
H5645-05 עָב֔וֹת avot HNcbpa clouds fathers of clouds 2
H5645-09 בֶּ/עָבִ֔ים beavim HRd/Ncbpa the thickets in thick clouds with thick clouds 2
H5645-12 כְּ/עָ֥ב keav HR/Ncbsc like a cloud like a dense cloud like a dense cloud 2
H5645-14 לָ/עָ֥ב laav HRd/Ncbsa to the cloud to a dense cloud to a dense cloud 2
H5645-02 עָבָ֥י/ו avayv HNcbpc/Sp3ms his clouds his dense clouds his dense clouds 1
H5645-06 בַּ/עֲבִ֖י baavi HR/Ncbsc in the clay in the dense mass of in the clay 1

Occurrences in Scripture

32 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H5645-07 Exodus 19:9 בְּ/עַ֣ב beav HR/Ncbsc in the cloud in a dense cloud of in a dense cloud
H5645-04 Judges 5:4 עָבִ֖ים avim HNcbpa clouds dense clouds dense clouds
H5645-03 2 Samuel 22:12 עָבֵ֥י avey HNcbpc thick clouds dense clouds of dense clouds of
H5645-05 2 Samuel 23:4 עָב֔וֹת avot HNcbpa clouds fathers of clouds
H5645-01 1 Kings 18:44 עָ֛ב av HNcbsa a cloud father of cloud
H5645-04 1 Kings 18:45 עָבִ֣ים avim HNcbpa clouds dense clouds dense clouds
H5645-10 Isaiah 5:6 הֶ/עָבִים֙ heavim HTd/Ncbpa the clouds the dense clouds the dense clouds
H5645-01 Isaiah 14:14 עָ֑ב av HNcbsa of the clouds father of the clouds
H5645-12 Isaiah 18:4 כְּ/עָ֥ב keav HR/Ncbsc like/cloud like a dense cloud like a dense cloud
H5645-01 Isaiah 19:1 עָ֥ב av HNcbsa a cloud father of a cloud
H5645-01 Isaiah 25:5 עָ֔ב av HNcbsa of a cloud father of cloud
H5645-13 Isaiah 44:22 כָ/עָב֙ khaav HRd/Ncbsa like a thick cloud dense cloud-mass as a thick cloud
H5645-11 Isaiah 60:8 כָּ/עָ֣ב kaav HRd/Ncbsa like a cloud dense cloud-mass like a dense cloud-mass
H5645-09 Jeremiah 4:29 בֶּ/עָבִ֔ים beavim HRd/Ncbpa the thickets in thick clouds in thick clouds
H5645-03 Psalms 18:12 עָבֵ֥י avey HNcbpc clouds-of dense clouds of dense clouds of
H5645-02 Psalms 18:13 עָבָ֥י/ו avayv HNcbpc/Sp3ms his clouds his dense clouds his dense clouds
H5645-05 Psalms 77:18 עָב֗וֹת avot HNcbpa clouds fathers of clouds
H5645-04 Psalms 104:3 עָבִ֥ים avim HNcbpa the clouds dense clouds dense clouds
H5645-09 Psalms 147:8 בְּ/עָבִ֗ים beavim HR/Ncbpa with clouds in thick clouds with thick clouds
H5645-12 Proverbs 16:15 כְּ/עָ֣ב keav HR/Ncbsc like a cloud like a dense cloud like a dense cloud
H5645-14 Job 20:6 לָ/עָ֥ב laav HRd/Ncbsa to-the-cloud to a dense cloud to the dense cloud
H5645-04 Job 22:14 עָבִ֣ים avim HNcbpa thick clouds dense clouds dense clouds
H5645-08 Job 26:8 בְּ/עָבָ֑י/ו beavayv HR/Ncbpc/Sp3ms in His thick clouds in his dense clouds in his dense clouds
H5645-15 Job 30:15 וּ֝/כְ/עָ֗ב ukheav HC/R/Ncbsa and like a cloud dense cloud and like a cloud
H5645-01 Job 36:29 עָ֑ב av HNcbsa clouds father of cloud
H5645-01 Job 37:11 עָ֑ב av HNcbsa the thick cloud father of the thick cloud
H5645-01 Job 37:16 עָ֑ב av HNcbsa the clouds father of the clouds
H5645-14 Job 38:34 לָ/עָ֣ב laav HRd/Ncbsa to the cloud to a dense cloud to a dense cloud
H5645-10 Ecclesiastes 11:3 הֶ/עָבִ֥ים heavim HTd/Ncbpa the clouds the dense clouds the dense clouds
H5645-16 Ecclesiastes 11:4 בֶ/עָבִ֖ים veavim HRd/Ncbpa the clouds dense clouds dense clouds
H5645-10 Ecclesiastes 12:2 הֶ/עָבִ֖ים heavim HTd/Ncbpa the clouds the dense clouds the clouds
H5645-06 2 Chronicles 4:17 בַּ/עֲבִ֖י baavi HR/Ncbsc in the clay in the dense mass of in the clay
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