Lexical Summary ahab: Love Original Word: אַהַב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance lover From 'ahab; affection (in a good or a bad sense) -- love(-r). see HEBREW 'ahab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom aheb Definition love (noun) NASB Translation lovers (1), loving (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [אַ֫הַב] noun [masculine] love only plural אֲהָבִים, loves, amours; bad sense Hosea 8:9, but ׳אַיֶּלֶת א loving hind Proverbs 5:19 (figurative of wife "" יַעֲלַת חֵן). Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Nuances The masculine noun under consideration denotes “lover” or “one loved.” It is relational and concrete, always pointing to a person rather than an abstract emotion. In Scripture the term surfaces in two sharply contrasting settings, highlighting both the beauty of covenantal intimacy and the peril of unfaithful alliances. Canonical Occurrences 1. Proverbs 5:19 – “A loving doe, a graceful fawn—let her breasts satisfy you always; may you be captivated by her love forever.” Contexts and Themes • Marital Delight (Proverbs 5) – The word adorns Solomon’s exhortation to rejoice in the wife of one’s youth. It accents tenderness, exclusivity, and the God-given goodness of physical union inside marriage. – In ancient Hebrew poetry, the imagery of deer and fawn evokes grace and beauty; pairing it with this noun heightens the positive, lifelong nature of covenant love. • Spiritual Infidelity (Hosea 8) – Hosea employs the same noun in a charge of national unfaithfulness. Israel’s “hired lovers” are political allies (Assyria, Egypt) sought in place of trusting the LORD. – The juxtaposition of passionate terminology with idolatrous policy dramatizes how covenant breach grieves God, reducing faithlessness to sordid prostitution. Historical Background Proverbs emerged in the unified monarchy’s wisdom culture, where orderly family life was prized as a societal foundation. Hosea prophesied in the eighth century B.C. amid northern Israel’s instability; the lure of imperial powers cast “lovers” as transactional patrons, an image instantly understood by contemporaries familiar with vassal treaties and cultic prostitution. Theological Significance • Sanctity of Exclusive Love – By using the same noun in radically different ways, Scripture upholds a single moral standard: genuine love flourishes only within divinely sanctioned covenants—marriage with one’s spouse, worship with one’s God. • Covenant as Marriage Motif – The marital metaphor recurs from Sinai to Revelation. The Hosea passage anchors this motif, portraying Yahweh as a faithful Husband whose heart is wounded by His people’s pursuit of other “lovers.” The noun therefore contributes to unfolding redemptive history, foreshadowing Christ’s sacrificial pursuit of His Bride, the Church (Ephesians 5:25-27). Pastoral and Practical Applications • Marriage Enrichment – Proverbs 5:19 encourages spouses to cultivate ongoing affection—emotional, spiritual, and physical. Counseling and premarital teaching can draw on this verse to underscore lifelong passion governed by covenant commitment. • Warning against Idolatry and Syncretism – Hosea 8:9 challenges believers to examine political, financial, or ideological dependencies that may function as modern “hired lovers.” Pastors can leverage this imagery to confront divided loyalties and call for wholehearted trust in the Lord. • Gospel Invitation – The contrast between pure marital love and prostituted alliances points to humanity’s need for a Redeemer. Just as Hosea redeemed Gomer, Christ rescues sinners who have squandered themselves on false loves (Titus 2:14). Intertextual Echoes • Song of Songs 1:2-4 celebrates mutual yearning with similar vocabulary, reinforcing the blessedness of covenant intimacy. Summary Although this noun appears only twice, its strategic placement paints a vivid portrait of love’s two paths—one that enriches and sanctifies, and one that corrupts and enslaves. The wise reader is summoned to cherish covenantal devotion and to flee every counterfeit “lover” that would draw the heart away from the God who first loved us. Forms and Transliterations אֲהָבִ֗ים אֲהָבִֽים׃ אהבים אהבים׃ ’ă·hā·ḇîm ’ăhāḇîm ahaVimLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Proverbs 5:19 HEB: אַיֶּ֥לֶת אֲהָבִ֗ים וְֽיַעֲלַ֫ת־ חֵ֥ן NAS: [As] a loving hind and a graceful KJV: [Let her be as] the loving hind INT: hind a loving doe graceful Hosea 8:9 2 Occurrences |
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