Or raheb {aw-habe'}; a primitive root; to have affection for (sexually or otherwise) -- (be-)love(-d, -ly, -r), like, friend.
H157. aheb
אָהֵב216 verb love —
Qal Perfect אָהֵ֑ב Genesis 27:9 7t; אָשֵהבּ 27:14; אָהַב 37:3 3t.; אֲֵהבָךָ Deuteronomy 15:16; 3feminine singular אָֽהֲבָה Song of Solomon 1:7 +, etc.; Imperfect יֶאֱהַב (הָֿ֑ב) Proverbs 3:12 +; 1 singular אֵהָ֑ב 8:17 (compare Ew§ 192 d Ges§ 68. 1); וָָֽאֹהַ֖ב Malachi 1:2; וָאֹהֲבֵהוּ Hosea 11:1; אֹהֲבֵם 14:5; וָאֹהֲבֵם Psalm 119:167; 2masculine plural תְּאֵהֲבוּ Proverbs 1:22 (compare KöI p. 394 Ges§ 63 R 2); תֶּאֱהָ֑בוּ Zechariah 8:17; תָּאֱהָבוּן Psalm 4:3; Imperative אֱהַבֿ 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 26t.; 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); 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 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; 25:28; 37:3-4, 44:20 (JE) Proverbs 13:24; so also 2 Samuel 13:21 ᵐ5 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; 29:20, 30 (compare 29:18):32 (JE), also Deuteronomy 21:15 (twice in verse); 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 11:2; Hosea 3:1; ׳א רֵעַ loving a paramour, see BaNB 176; woman's love to man 1 Samuel 18:20 (so 18:28 ᵑ0, but read ᵐ5 אֹתוֺ אֹהֵב כָליִֿשְׂרָאֵל וְבִי We Dr) Song of Solomon 1:3-4, 7; 3:1-2, 3, 4 (5 t. 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 18:16; love to neighbour Leviticus 19:18 (כָּמוֺ֑ךָ לְרֵעֲךָ וְאָהַבְתָּ), partic to stranger 19:34 (both P), Deuteronomy 10:18-19, love of friend to friend 1 Samuel 16:21; 18:1, 3; 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; 16:13; compare 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; 8:17, 21; 12:1; 22:11; 29:3; Amos 5:15; Micah 6:8 (infinitive "" infinitives) Zechariah 8:19, compare Proverbs 19:8 נַפְשׁוֺ אֹהֵב לֵב קֹנֶה; object folly, evil, etc., Micah 3:2; 4:3; Psalm 11:5; 52:5; 52:6; 109:17; Proverbs 1:22; 8:36; 17:19 (twice in verse), compare 18:21; Zechariah 8:17, compare ׳א כֵּן 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; 6:5; 7:9 9t. Deuteronomy + Joshua 22:5; 23:11; also Judges 5:31; 1 Kings 3:3; Nehemiah 1:5; Daniel 9:4; especially in (late) Psalm 31:24; 116:1; 145:20, but usually followed by name, law, etc. of ׳י 5:12; 26:8; 40:17; Psalm 69:37; 70:5; 97:10; 119:47 11t. Psalm 119; compare Isaiah 56:6; compare also of love to Jerusalem 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; 6:13; Psalm 38:12 ("" רֵעַ) so Psalm 88:19, Proverbs 14:20; also 18:24; 27:6; Abraham of God Isaiah 41:8; 2 Chronicles 20:7.
5 of divine love (a) to individual men Deuteronomy 4:37; 2 Samuel 12:24; Proverbs 3:12; 15:9; Psalm 146:8; Nehemiah 13:26; (b) to people Israel, etc. Deuteronomy 7:8, 13; 23:6; Hosea 3:1; 9:15; 11:1; 14:5; 1 Kings 10:9; 2 Chronicles 2:10; 9:8; Isaiah 43:4; 48:14; Jeremiah 31:3; Malachi 1:2 (3 t. in verse); Psalm 47:5; to Jerusalem 78:68; 87:2; (c) to righteousness, etc. 11:7; 33:5; 37:28; 45:8; 99:4; Isaiah 61:8; Malachi 2:11.
Niph`al Participle plural הַנֶּאֱהָבִים 2 Samuel 1:23 lovely, loveable of Saul & Jonath. ("" הַנְּעִימִם).
Pi`el Participle plural suffix מְאַהֲבַי (בָֿ֑י) Hosea 2:7 3t.; מְאַהֲבַיִח (בָֿ֑יִח) Jeremiah 22:20 6t.; מְאַהֲבֶיהָ Hosea 2:9 4t.
1 friends Zechariah 13:6;
2 lovers in figure of adulterous Israel Hosea 2:7; 2:9; 2:12; 2:14; 2:15; Ezekiel 23:5, 9; Judah Jeremiah 22:20, 22; 30:14; Lamentations 1:19; Ezekiel 16:33, 36, 37; 23:22.