A primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application) -- chief, (fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names in "Abi-".
H1. ab
אָב1191 noun masculine father (Phoenician אב, Assyrian abu, Arabic , Sabean אב CISiv, 1, 37 1. 2 and others, Ethiopic Aramaic אַבָּא, — absolute אָב Genesis 44:19 47t.; construct אַב 17:4-5, (compare in אַבְרָהָם ib. & elsewhere in proper names. On Hal's proposed אֲבִר see אברהם); אֲבִי (compare Ge§§ 90, 3b, 96) 4:20 +; suffix אָבִי 19:34 + (MI אבי); אָבִיךָ 12:1 +; אָבִיו 2:24 +; אָבִ֫יהוּ Judges 14:10 + 6t.; plural אָבוֺת Exodus 12:3 +; construct אֲבוֺת 6:25 7t.; suffix אֲבוֺתַי (אֲבוֺתָ֑י אֲבֹתַי,) Genesis 47:9 15t.; אֲבוֺתֵיהֶם 1 Chronicles 4:38 32t. (late); אֲבוֺתָם Exodus 4:5 106t. etc.; —
1 father of individual Genesis 2:24 (+ אֵם) 11:28-29, (twice in verse); 19:31-32, 33, + often (mostly J E D); of father as commanding 50:16 (J) Jeremiah 35:6 f Proverbs 6:20 (compare Genesis 18:19; J 28:1, 6 P 1 Samuel 17:20; 1 Kings 2:1); instructing מוסר Proverbs 1:8; 4:1 (compare Deuteronomy 8:5); specifically as begetter, genitor Proverbs 23:22; Zechariah 13:3 (twice in verse) (+ אֵם) Isaiah 45:10; compare Genesis 49:4 (J) Leviticus 18:7-8, 11 (P); rebuking Genesis 37:10; loving 37:4; 44:20 (J E; compare 22:2; 25:28; 37:3; 2 Samuel 14:1); pitying Psalm 103:13 (in simile compare 2 Samuel 18:5); blessing Genesis 27:41 (J E compare 27:4; also 28:1 P +); as glad Proverbs 10:1; 15:20; compare 29:3; grieving Genesis 37:35 (J E; compare 2 Samuel 12:22; 19:1; 19:2 f) etc. Also as object of honour, obedience, love Exodus 20:12 (E) = Deuteronomy 5:16; Exodus 21:15, 17 (E) Deuteronomy 21:18-19, Genesis 28:7 (P) 1 Kings 19:20 (all + אֵם), 1Ki 50:1; 1Ki 50:5 (J) Malachi 1:6 etc. Hence metaphor of intimate connection Job 17:14 to corruption I cry, My father art thou ("" לָֽרִמָּה וַאֲחֹתִי אִמִּי).
2 of God as father of his people (see RSSem 42), who constituted, controls, guides and lovingly watches over it: Deuteronomy 32:6; Jeremiah 3:4, 19; 31:9; Isaiah 63:16 (twice in verse); 64:7; Malachi 1:6; 2:10 (compare Exodus 4:22; 19:4 (JE) Deuteronomy 32:11; Hosea 11:1); compare Jeremiah 2:27 (of idolatrous Israel) ילדתני׃ אַתְּ וְלָאֶבֶן אַתָּה אָבִי לָעֵץ אֹמְרִים; especially God as father of Davidic line 2 Samuel 7:14; Psalm 89:27; f. of needy (late) 68:6 (compare 103:13) (in proper name, f. of individual, compare below)
3 head of household, family or clan; אָבִי בֵּית as abode Genesis 38:11 (twice in verse); Leviticus 22:13 +; = family Genesis 24:40 ("" מִשְׁמַּחְתִּי) 41:51; 46:31 +? Numbers 18:1-2, Joshua 2:12, 18; 6:25; especially techn. of divisions of Israel לְמִשְׁמָּחוֺת אָב בֵּית Numbers 3:30, 35 = a father's house, i.e. a family or clan; more often plural (אבותיו אבותם,) אָבוֺת בֵית = father's houses = families, clans (compare Di on Exodus 6:14) 6:14; 12:3; Numbers 1:2, 18 ff (often in Numbers) Joshua 14:1; 19:51; 21:1 (twice in verse); 22:14 (twice in verse) (always P in Hexateuch); also 1 Chronicles 5:13, 15 + often in Chronicles; compare הלוים אבות רָאשֵׁי (= ׳ר א ׳בית) Exodus 6:25 compare 1 Kings 8:1; 1 Chronicles 6:4; 7:11 +? Ezra Nehemiah.
4 ancestor (a) of individual; grandfather (instead of precise term) Genesis 28:13; 32:10 (J; where used by Jacob of Abraham & then of Isaac); greatgrandfather 1 Kings 15:13; great-greatgrandfather 15:11 etc.; oft plural (= fathers, forefathers) Genesis 15:15; 46:34 (JE) 1 Kings 19:4; 21:3-4, 2 Kings 19:12; 20:17 +; particularly אבותיו עם שׁכב 1 Kings 1:21; 2:10; 11:21; 22:40 +; joined with אב עם ׳ויקבר 14:31; 15:24; 22:51; 2 Kings 8:24; 15:38 compare 15:7, 16:20 + (all of kings of Judah); intensive, אֲבֹתֶיךָ וַאֲבוֺת אֲבֹתֶיךָ Exodus 10:6 compare Daniel 11:24; (b) of people Genesis 10:21 (J) 17:4-5, (P) 19:37-38, (J) 36:9, 43 (P) Deuteronomy 26:5; Isaiah 51:2; 43:27 (where הראשׁון אביך thy first father, see Che) compare also Ezekiel 16:3, 45 + often; plural Exodus 3:13, 15, 16 (E) Deuteronomy 1:8; Joshua 1:6; Judges 2:1; 1 Samuel 12:6 +; 12:15 near the end read ᵐ5 וּבְמַלְכְּכֶם We Dr.
5 originator or patron of a class, profession, or art Genesis 4:20-21,.
6 figurative of producer, Generator Job 38:28 אָ֑ב לַמָּטָר הֲיֵשׁ ("" מִיֿ אֶגְלֵיטָֽֿל׃ הוֺלִיד).
7 figurative of benevolence & protection Job 29:6 לָֽאֶבְיוֺנִים אָֽנֹכִי אָב, compare 31:18; of Eliakim Isaiah 22:21; perhaps also of gracious Messianic king עַד אֲבִי 9:5 everlasting father (Ge Ew De Che Brd Di) — others divider of spoil (Abarb Hi Kn Kue BrMP).
8 term of respect & honour (Abbas, Pater, Papa, Pope); applied to master 2 Kings 5:13; priest Judges 17:10; 18:19; prophet 2 Kings 2:12 (twice in verse); 6:21; 13:14 (twice in verse); compare 8:9; counsellor Genesis 45:8 (E; compare δευτέρου πατρός ᵐ5 add. Esther 3:13; τῷ πατρί1Mac Esth 11:32); king 1 Samuel 24:12; artificer 2 Chronicles 2:12; 4:16.
9 specifically, ruler, chief (late) 1 Chronicles 2:24, 42 (twice in verse); etc. (compare Ew§ 273 b) see also EwGeschichte. i. 524. H i. 365. On the force of אָב in proper names (in many probably a divine title), see CheEncy. Bib., ABI, NAMES WITH Nöib., NAMES, §§ 44, 45.
א, Aleph, first letter; in post Biblical Hebrew = numeral 1 (and so in margin of printed MT); א֟ = 1000; no evidence of this usage in OT times.
אָב see II. אבה.
אבב (fresh, bright, Assyrian abâbu Dlw, AGI.)