NLT

NLT

Click to Change

Return to Top

Return to Top

Printer Icon

Print

Copy
Copy Options
Strong's
Red Letter
The Blue Letter Bible

Lexicon :: Strong's H157 - 'āhaḇ

Choose a new font size and typeface
אָהַב
Transliteration
'āhaḇ
Pronunciation
aw-hav'
Listen
Part of Speech
verb
Root Word (Etymology)
A primitive root
Dictionary Aids

TWOT Reference: 29

Strong’s Definitions

אָהַב ʼâhab, aw-hab'; or אָהֵב ʼâhêb ; a primitive root; to have affection for (sexually or otherwise):—(be-) love(-d, -ly, -r), like, friend.


KJV Translation Count — Total: 208x

The KJV translates Strong's H157 in the following manner: love (169x), lover(s) (19x), friend(s) (12x), beloved (5x), liketh (1x), lovely (1x), loving (1x).

KJV Translation Count — Total: 208x
The KJV translates Strong's H157 in the following manner: love (169x), lover(s) (19x), friend(s) (12x), beloved (5x), liketh (1x), lovely (1x), loving (1x).
  1. to love

    1. (Qal)

      1. human love for another, includes family, and sexual

      2. human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

      3. human love for or to God

      4. act of being a friend

        1. lover (participle)

        2. friend (participle)

      5. God's love toward man

        1. to individual men

        2. to people Israel

        3. to righteousness

    2. (Niphal)

      1. lovely (participle)

      2. loveable (participle)

    3. (Piel)

      1. friends

      2. lovers (fig. of adulterers)

  2. to like

Strong’s Definitions [?](Strong’s Definitions Legend)
אָהַב ʼâhab, aw-hab'; or אָהֵב ʼâhêb ; a primitive root; to have affection for (sexually or otherwise):—(be-) love(-d, -ly, -r), like, friend.
STRONGS H157: Abbreviations
אָהֵב 216 verb love
Qal Perfect אָהֵ֑ב Genesis 27:9 + 7 times; אָשֵהבּ Genesis 27:14; אָהַב Genesis 37:3 + 3 times; אֲֵֽֽֽהבָךָ Deuteronomy 15:16; 3rd person feminine singular אָֽהֲבָה Songs 1:7 +, etc.; Imperfect (־הָ֑ב) יֶאֱהַב Proverbs 3:12 +; 1st person singular אֵהָ֑ב Proverbs 8:17 (compare Ew§ 192 d Ges§ 68. 1); וָֽאֹהַב Malachi 1:2; וָאֹהֲבֵהוּ Hosea 11:1; אֹהֲבֵם Hosea 14:5; וָאֹהֲבֵם Psalm 119:167; 2nd person masculine plural תְּאֵהֲבוּ Proverbs 1:22 (compare KöI p. 394 Ges§ 63 R 2); תֶּאֱהָ֑בוּ Zechariah 8:17; תָּאֱהָבוּן Psalm 4:3; Imperative אֱהַב־ Hosea 3:1; אֱהָבֶהָ Proverbs 4:6; אֶהֱבוּ Psalm 31:24; Amos 5:15; אֱהָ֑בוּ Zechariah 8:19; Infinitive construct אֱהֹב Ecclesiastes 3:8; אַהֲבָה Deuteronomy 10:12 +; אֲהֲבַת Micah 6:8 + etc.; compare also below n. אהבה below; Participle אֹהֵב (אוֺהֵב) Deuteronomy 10:18 + 26 times; feminine construct אֲהֻבַת Hosea 3:1 is probably active compare BaNB 174 ff; suffix אֹהֲבִי Isaiah 41:8 etc.; feminine אֹהֶ֫בֶת Genesis 25:28; אֹהַ֫בְתִּי Hosea 10:11 etc.; Passive participle אָהוּב Nehemiah 13:26; אֲהוּבָה Deuteronomy 21:15 (twice in verse); Deuteronomy 21:16. — love (mostly with accusative, followed by לְ + object Leviticus 19:18, 34; 2 Chronicles 19:2 (late), followed by בְּ Ecclesiastes 5:9; absolute Ecclesiastes 3:8 & see below), (affection both pure & impure, divine & human); —
1. human love to human object; absolute, opposed to hate שָׂנֵא Ecclesiastes 3:8; of love to son Genesis 22:2; Genesis 25:28; Genesis 37:3, 4; Genesis 44:20 (JE) Proverbs 13:24; so also 2 Samuel 13:21 Greek Version of the LXX Ew Th We, compare Dr, of David's loving Amnon; never to parent, but mother-in-law Ruth 4:15; of man's love to woman; wife Genesis 24:67; Genesis 29:20, 30 (compare Genesis 29:18):32 (JE), also Deuteronomy 21:15 (twice in verse); Deuteronomy 21:16; Judges 14:16; 1 Samuel 1:5; 2 Chronicles 11:21; Esther 2:17; Hosea 3:1; Ecclesiastes 9:9; but also Genesis 34:3 (J) Judges 16:4, 15; 2 Samuel 13:1, 4, 15 (where of carnal desire) 1 Kings 11:1 compare 1 Kings 11:2; Hosea 3:1; רֵעַ א׳ loving a paramour, see BaNB 176; woman's love to man 1 Samuel 18:20 (so 1 Samuel 18:28 MT, but read וְבִי כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֹהֵב אֹתוֺ Greek Version of the LXX We Dr) Songs 1:3, 4, 7; Songs 3:1, 2, 3, 4 (5 times subject נַפְשִׁי); compare also figurative of adulterous Judah Jeremiah 2:25; Isaiah 57:8; Ezekiel 16:37; of love of slave to master Exodus 21:5 (JE) Deuteronomy 15:16; inferior to superior 1 Samuel 18:22 compare 1 Samuel 18:16; love to neighbour Leviticus 19:18 (וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֺ֑ךָ), particularly to stranger Leviticus 19:34 (both P), Deuteronomy 10:18, 19; love of friend to friend 1 Samuel 16:21; 1 Samuel 18:1, 3; 1 Samuel 20:17 (twice in verse); Job 19:19; Proverbs 17:1 compare 2 Samuel 19:7 (twice in verse); 2 Chronicles 19:2; see also Proverbs 9:8; Proverbs 16:13; compare Proverbs 15:12; see especially Participle below.
2. less often of appetite, object food, Genesis 27:7, 9, 14 (JE); drink Hosea 3:1; Proverbs 21:17; husbandry 2 Chronicles 26:10; compare figurative of Ephraim Hosea 10:11 followed by infinitive; length of life Psalm 34:13; of cupidity Hosea 9:1; 1 Samuel 1:23; Ecclesiastes 5:9 (twice in verse); of love of sleep Proverbs 20:13 compare figurative of sluggish watchmen (followed by infinitive) Isaiah 56:10; also with object abstract wisdom (personified), knowledge, righteousness, etc. Proverbs 4:6; Proverbs 8:17, 21; Proverbs 12:1; Proverbs 22:11; Proverbs 29:3; Amos 5:15; Micah 6:8 (infinitive || infinitives) Zechariah 8:19, compare Proverbs 19:8 קֹנֶה לֵב אֹהֵב נַפְשׁוֺ; object folly, evil, etc., Micah 3:2; Micah 4:3; Psalm 11:5; Psalm 52:5; Psalm 52:6; Psalm 109:17; Proverbs 1:22; Proverbs 8:36; Proverbs 17:19 (twice in verse), compare Proverbs 18:21; Zechariah 8:17, compare כֵּן א׳ Amos 4:5; Jeremiah 5:3, followed by Infinitive Hosea 12:8; Jeremiah 14:10, especially of idolatry Hosea 4:13 (where strike out הֵבוּ compare Kö1. p. 395) Jeremiah 8:2.
3. love to God Exodus 20:6 (JE) elsewhere Hexateuch only Deuteronomy 5:10; Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 7:9 + 9 times Deuteronomy + Joshua 22:5; Joshua 23:11; also Judges 5:31; 1 Kings 3:3; Nehemiah 1:5; Daniel 9:4; especially in (late) Psalm 31:24; Psalm 116:1; Psalm 145:20, but usually followed by name, law, etc. of י׳ Psalm 5:12; Psalm 26:8; Psalm 40:17; Psalm 69:37; Psalm 70:5; Psalm 97:10; Psalm 119:47 + 11 times Psalm 119; compare Isaiah 56:6; compare also of love to Jerusalem Isaiah 66:10; Psalm 122:6.
4. especially Participle אֹהֵב =
(a) lover, Lamentations 1:2 (figurative of Jerusalem);
(b) friend Hiram of David 1 Kings 5:15, compare Jeremiah 20:4, 6; Esther 5:10, 14; Esther 6:13; Psalm 38:12 (|| רֵעַ) so Psalm 88:19 [Psalm 88:18], Proverbs 14:20; also Proverbs 18:24; Proverbs 27:6; Abraham of God Isaiah 41:8; 2 Chronicles 20:7.
5. of divine love...
Niph. Participle plural הַנֶּאֱהָבִים 2 Samuel 1:23 lovely, loveable of Saul & Jonath. (|| הַנְּעִימִם).
Pi. Participle plural suffix (־בָ֑י) מְאַהֲבַי Hosea 2:7 + 3 times; (־בָ֑יִח) מְאַהֲבַיִח Jeremiah 22:20 + 6 times; מְאַהֲבֶיהָ Hosea 2:9 + 4 times
1. friends Zechariah 13:6;
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

Genesis

22:2; 24:67; 25:28; 25:28; 27:7; 27:9; 27:9; 27:14; 27:14; 29:18; 29:20; 29:30; 34:3; 37:3; 37:3; 37:4; 44:20

Exodus

20:6; 21:5

Leviticus

19:18; 19:18; 19:34; 19:34

Deuteronomy

4:37; 5:10; 6:5; 7:8; 7:9; 7:13; 10:12; 10:18; 10:18; 10:19; 15:16; 15:16; 21:15; 21:15; 21:16; 21:16; 23:6

Joshua

22:5; 23:11

Judges

5:31; 14:16; 16:4; 16:15

Ruth

4:15

1 Samuel

1:5; 1:23; 16:21; 18:1; 18:3; 18:16; 18:20; 18:22; 18:28; 20:17

2 Samuel

1:23; 12:24; 13:1; 13:4; 13:15; 13:21; 19:7

1 Kings

3:3; 5:15; 10:9; 11:1; 11:2

2 Chronicles

2:10; 9:8; 11:21; 19:2; 19:2; 20:7; 26:10

Nehemiah

1:5; 13:26; 13:26

Esther

2:17; 5:10; 5:14; 6:13

Job

19:19

Psalms

4:3; 5:12; 11:5; 11:7; 26:8; 31:24; 31:24; 33:5; 34:13; 37:28; 38:12; 40:17; 45:8; 47:5; 52:5; 52:6; 70:5; 78:68; 87:2; 88:18; 97:10; 99:4; 109:17; 116:1; 119; 119:47; 119:167; 122:6; 145:20; 146:8

Proverbs

1:22; 1:22; 3:12; 3:12; 4:6; 4:6; 8:17; 8:17; 8:21; 8:36; 9:8; 12:1; 13:24; 14:20; 15:9; 15:12; 16:13; 17:1; 17:19; 18:21; 18:24; 19:8; 20:13; 21:17; 22:11; 27:6; 29:3

Ecclesiastes

3:8; 3:8; 3:8; 5:9; 5:9; 9:9

Song of Songs

1:3; 1:4; 1:7; 1:7; 3:1; 3:2; 3:3; 3:4

Isaiah

41:8; 41:8; 43:4; 48:14; 56:6; 56:10; 57:8; 61:8; 66:10

Jeremiah

2:25; 5:3; 8:2; 14:10; 20:4; 20:6; 22:20; 22:20; 22:22; 30:14; 31:3

Lamentations

1:2; 1:19

Ezekiel

16:33; 16:36; 16:37; 16:37; 23:5; 23:9; 23:22

Daniel

9:4

Hosea

2:7; 2:7; 2:9; 2:9; 2:12; 2:14; 2:15; 3:1; 3:1; 3:1; 3:1; 3:1; 3:1; 4:13; 9:1; 9:15; 10:11; 10:11; 11:1; 11:1; 12:8; 14:5; 14:5

Amos

4:5; 5:15; 5:15

Micah

3:2; 4:3; 6:8; 6:8

Zechariah

8:17; 8:17; 8:19; 8:19; 13:6

Malachi

1:2; 1:2; 2:11

Word / Phrase / Strong's Search

Strong's Number H157 matches the Hebrew אָהַב ('āhaḇ),
which occurs 211 times in 195 verses in the WLC Hebrew.

Page 1 / 4 (Gen 22:2–1Sa 18:16)

Unchecked Copy BoxGen 22:2 - “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 24:67 - And Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 25:28 - Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating the wild game Esau brought home, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 27:4 - Prepare my favorite dish, and bring it here for me to eat. Then I will pronounce the blessing that belongs to you, my firstborn son, before I die.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 27:9 - Go out to the flocks, and bring me two fine young goats. I’ll use them to prepare your father’s favorite dish.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 27:14 - So Jacob went out and got the young goats for his mother. Rebekah took them and prepared a delicious meal, just the way Isaac liked it.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:18 - Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, “I’ll work for you for seven years if you’ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:20 - So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:30 - So Jacob slept with Rachel, too, and he loved her much more than Leah. He then stayed and worked for Laban the additional seven years.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:32 - So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben,[fn] for she said, “The LORD has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 34:3 - But then he fell in love with her, and he tried to win her affection with tender words.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 37:3 - Jacob[fn] loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe.[fn]
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 37:4 - But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 44:20 - And we responded, ‘Yes, my lord, we have a father who is an old man, and his youngest son is a child of his old age. His full brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him very much.’
Unchecked Copy BoxExo 20:6 - But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those[fn] who love me and obey my commands.
Unchecked Copy BoxExo 21:5 - But the slave may declare, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I don’t want to go free.’
Unchecked Copy BoxLev 19:18 - “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
Unchecked Copy BoxLev 19:34 - Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 4:37 - Because he loved your ancestors, he chose to bless their descendants, and he personally brought you out of Egypt with a great display of power.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 5:10 - But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those[fn] who love me and obey my commands.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 6:5 - And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 7:9 - Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 7:13 - He will love you and bless you, and he will give you many children. He will give fertility to your land and your animals. When you arrive in the land he swore to give your ancestors, you will have large harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and great herds of cattle, sheep, and goats.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 10:12 - “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the LORD your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 10:15 - Yet the LORD chose your ancestors as the objects of his love. And he chose you, their descendants, above all other nations, as is evident today.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 10:18 - He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 10:19 - So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 11:1 - “You must love the LORD your God and obey all his requirements, decrees, regulations, and commands.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 11:13 - “If you carefully obey all the commands I am giving you today, and if you love the LORD your God and serve him with all your heart and soul,
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 11:22 - “Be careful to obey all these commands I am giving you. Show love to the LORD your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 13:3 - do not listen to them. The LORD your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 15:16 - “But suppose your servant says, ‘I will not leave you,’ because he loves you and your family, and he has done well with you.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 19:9 - you must designate three additional cities of refuge. (He will give you this land if you are careful to obey all the commands I have given you—if you always love the LORD your God and walk in his ways.)
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 21:15 - “Suppose a man has two wives, but he loves one and not the other, and both have given him sons. And suppose the firstborn son is the son of the wife he does not love.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 21:16 - When the man divides his inheritance, he may not give the larger inheritance to his younger son, the son of the wife he loves, as if he were the firstborn son.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 23:5 - But the LORD your God refused to listen to Balaam. He turned the intended curse into a blessing because the LORD your God loves you.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 30:6 - “The LORD your God will change your heart[fn] and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 30:16 - For I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.
Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 30:20 - You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This[fn] is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 22:5 - But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the LORD your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.”
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 23:11 - So be very careful to love the LORD your God.
Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 5:31 - “LORD, may all your enemies die like Sisera!
But may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power!” Then there was peace in the land for forty years.
Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 14:16 - So Samson’s wife came to him in tears and said, “You don’t love me; you hate me! You have given my people a riddle, but you haven’t told me the answer.”
“I haven’t even given the answer to my father or mother,” he replied. “Why should I tell you?”
Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 16:4 - Some time later Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the valley of Sorek.
Unchecked Copy BoxJdg 16:15 - Then Delilah pouted, “How can you tell me, ‘I love you,’ when you don’t share your secrets with me? You’ve made fun of me three times now, and you still haven’t told me what makes you so strong!”
Unchecked Copy BoxRth 4:15 - May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!”
Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 1:5 - And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion[fn] because the LORD had given her no children.
Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 16:21 - So David went to Saul and began serving him. Saul loved David very much, and David became his armor bearer.
Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:1 - After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David.
Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 18:16 - But all Israel and Judah loved David because he was so successful at leading his troops into battle.

Search Results Continued...

1. Currently on page 1/4 (Gen 22:2–1Sa 18:16) Gen 22:2–1Sa 18:16

2. LOAD PAGE 2 1Sa 18:20–Psa 119:48

BLB Searches
Search the Bible
NLT
 [?]

Advanced Options

Other Searches

Multi-Verse Retrieval
x
NLT

Daily Devotionals
x

Blue Letter Bible offers several daily devotional readings in order to help you refocus on Christ and the Gospel of His peace and righteousness.

Daily Bible Reading Plans
x

Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year.

One-Year Plans

Two-Year Plan