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The Blue Letter Bible

Lexicon :: Strong's H178 - 'ôḇ

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אוֹב
Transliteration
'ôḇ
Pronunciation
obe
Listen
Part of Speech
masculine noun
Root Word (Etymology)
From the same as אָב (H1) (apparently through the idea of prattling a father's name)
Dictionary Aids

TWOT Reference: 37a

Strong’s Definitions

אוֹב ʼôwb, obe; from the same as H1 (apparently through the idea of prattling a father's name); properly, a mumble, i.e. a water-skin (from its hollow sound); hence a necromancer (ventriloquist, as from a jar):—bottle, familiar spirit.

KJV Translation Count — Total: 17x

The KJV translates Strong's H178 in the following manner: familiar spirit(s) (16x), bottles (1x).

KJV Translation Count — Total: 17x
The KJV translates Strong's H178 in the following manner: familiar spirit(s) (16x), bottles (1x).

  1. water skin bottle

  2. necromancer

    1. necromancer, one who evokes the dead

    2. ghost, spirit of a dead one

    3. practice of necromancy

  3. one that has a familiar spirit

Strong’s Definitions [?](Strong’s Definitions Legend)
אוֹב ʼôwb, obe; from the same as H1 (apparently through the idea of prattling a father's name); properly, a mumble, i.e. a water-skin (from its hollow sound); hence a necromancer (ventriloquist, as from a jar):—bottle, familiar spirit.
STRONGS H178: Abbreviations
אוֺב noun masculineJob 32:19 skin-bottle, necromancer, etc. — absolute א׳ Leviticus 20:27 + 8 times; plural אֹבוֺת Leviticus 19:31 + 7 times —
1. skin-bottle, only plural אֹבוֺת חֲדָשִׁים new (wine-) skins Job 32:19.
2. necromancer, in phrase אוֺב אוֺ יִדְּעֹנִי necromancer or wizard Leviticus 20:27 (H; usually translated 'a man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit or that is a wizard' RV; but better a man or a woman, if there should be among them, a necromancer or wizard; no sufficient reason for exceptional use of phrase here); וְיִדְּעֹנִי א׳ Deuteronomy 18:11; 2 Chronicles 33:6 = 2 Kings 21:6 (where וידענים א׳); הָאֹבוֺת וְהַיִּדְּעֹנִים Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:6 (H) 1 Samuel 28:3, 9; 2 Kings 23:24; Isaiah 8:19 (where repres. as chirping & muttering, in practice of their art of seeking dead for instruction, probably ventriloquism, & so Greek Version of the LXX) Isaiah 19:3.
3. ghost, Isaiah 29:4 וְהָיָה כְּאוֺב מֵאֶרֶץ קוֺלֵח וּמֵעָפָר אִמְרָתֵח תְּצַפְצֵף and thy voice shall be as a ghost from the ground and from the dust thy speech shall chirp (so Ge MV Ew De Che and others, but chirping might be of necromancer, as Isaiah 8:19).
4. necromancy אֵשֶׁת בַּעֲלַת־אוֺב a woman who was mistress of necromancy 1 Samuel 28:7 (twice in verse); (> RSJPh xiv, 127 f makes אוֺב primarily a subterranean spirit, and significant. 2 only an abbreviation of בעלתא׳ etc.); קסם בּאוֺב divine by necromancy 1 Samuel 28:8, which seems to be interpretation of 1 Chronicles 10:13 שׁאל בא׳ inquire by necromancy. (In these three examples אוֺב is usually interpreted as ghost or familiar spirit conceived as dwelling in necromancer; but this apparently not the ancient conception.)
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, Unabridged, Electronic Database.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc.
All rights reserved. Used by permission. BibleSoft.com

BLB Scripture Index of Brown-Driver-Briggs

Leviticus

19:31; 19:31; 20:6; 20:27; 20:27

Deuteronomy

18:11

1 Samuel

28:3; 28:7; 28:8; 28:9

2 Kings

21:6; 23:24

1 Chronicles

10:13

2 Chronicles

33:6

Job

32:19; 32:19

Isaiah

8:19; 8:19; 19:3; 29:4

H178

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Word / Phrase / Strong's Search

Strong's Number H178 matches the Hebrew אוֹב ('ôḇ),
which occurs 17 times in 16 verses in the WLC Hebrew.

Tools

Unchecked Copy Box Lev 19:31

Unchecked Copy BoxLev 19:31 - Regard not them that have familiar spirits, H178 neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

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Unchecked Copy Box Lev 20:6

Unchecked Copy BoxLev 20:6 - And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, H178 and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

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Unchecked Copy Box Lev 20:27

Unchecked Copy BoxLev 20:27 - A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, H178 or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.

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Unchecked Copy Box Deu 18:11

Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 18:11 - Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, H178 or a wizard, or a necromancer.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 28:3

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 28:3 - Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, H178 and the wizards, out of the land.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 28:7

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 28:7 - Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, H178 that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit H178 at Endor.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 28:8

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 28:8 - And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, H178 and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 28:9

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 28:9 - And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, H178 and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Ki 21:6

Unchecked Copy Box2Ki 21:6 - And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits H178 and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Ki 23:24

Unchecked Copy Box2Ki 23:24 - Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, H178 and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Ch 10:13

Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 10:13 - So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, H178 to enquire of it;

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Ch 33:6

Unchecked Copy Box2Ch 33:6 - And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, H178 and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

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Unchecked Copy Box Job 32:19

Unchecked Copy BoxJob 32:19 - Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles. H178

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Unchecked Copy Box Isa 8:19

Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 8:19 - And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, H178 and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

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Unchecked Copy Box Isa 19:3

Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 19:3 - And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, H178 and to the wizards.

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Unchecked Copy Box Isa 29:4

Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 29:4 - And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, H178 out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.
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