342. ebah

Lexicon

ebah: Enmity, hostility, hatred

Original Word: אֵיבָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: eybah
Pronunciation: ay-VAH
Phonetic Spelling: (ay-baw')
Definition: Enmity, hostility, hatred
Meaning: hostility

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

emnity, hatred

From 'ayab; hostility -- emnity, hatred.

see HEBREW 'ayab

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from ayab
Definition
enmity
NASB Translation
enmity (5).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

אֵיבָה noun feminine enmity — ׳י Genesis 3:15 2t.; construct אֵיבַת Ezekiel 25:15; Ezekiel 35:5 — enmity, personal hostility, between men Numbers 35:21,22 (P), between serpent & woman Genesis 3:15 (J), between peoples אֵיבַת עוֺלָם Ezekiel 25:15; Ezekiel 35:5.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root אָיַב (ayab), meaning "to be hostile" or "to be an enemy."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G2189: ἔχθρα (echthra) • enmity, hostility. This Greek term is used in the New Testament to describe the state of enmity between humanity and God due to sin, as well as interpersonal hostility.
• G2190: ἐχθρός (echthros) • enemy. This term is used to denote an adversary or one who is hostile, often in the context of spiritual or moral opposition.

These Greek terms reflect the continuation of the theme of enmity and hostility found in the Hebrew Scriptures, emphasizing the need for reconciliation and peace through Christ.

Usage: The term אֵיבָה is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote a state of hostility or enmity between individuals or groups. It is often used to describe the animosity that exists as a result of sin or conflict.

Context: אֵיבָה (eybah) appears in the Hebrew Bible to describe a deep-seated animosity or enmity. This term is notably used in Genesis 3:15, where God declares to the serpent, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." This passage is often interpreted as the first messianic prophecy, indicating the perpetual struggle between good and evil, culminating in the ultimate victory of the Messiah over Satan.

The concept of אֵיבָה is also found in other contexts, such as in Ezekiel 25:15, where it describes the hostility of the Philistines towards Israel: "This is what the Lord GOD says: 'Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice in their hearts, seeking to destroy Judah with ancient hostility.'" Here, אֵיבָה underscores the longstanding enmity and the desire for revenge that characterized the relationship between these nations.

In Numbers 35:21-22, the term is used in the context of legal proceedings concerning manslaughter, distinguishing between acts committed with hostility and those without: "Or if in hostility he strikes him with his hand so that he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him."

The use of אֵיבָה in these passages highlights the destructive nature of enmity and the need for divine intervention to resolve such deep-seated conflicts.

Forms and Transliterations

אֵיבַ֣ת אֵיבַ֥ת אֵיבָ֖ה איבה איבת בְאֵיבָ֞ה באיבה וְאֵיבָ֣ה ׀ ואיבה ’ê·ḇāh ’ê·ḇaṯ ’êḇāh ’êḇaṯ ḇə’êḇāh ḇə·’ê·ḇāh eiVah eiVat veeiVah wə’êḇāh wə·’ê·ḇāh

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 3:15
HEB: וְאֵיבָ֣ה ׀ אָשִׁ֗ית בֵּֽינְךָ֙
NAS: And I will put enmity Between
KJV: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman,
INT: enmity will put Between

Numbers 35:21
HEB: א֣וֹ בְאֵיבָ֞ה הִכָּ֤הוּ בְיָדוֹ֙
NAS: with his hand in enmity, and [as a result] he died,
KJV: Or in enmity smite him with his hand,
INT: or enmity struck his hand

Numbers 35:22
HEB: בְּפֶ֥תַע בְּלֹא־ אֵיבָ֖ה הֲדָפ֑וֹ אוֹ־
NAS: him suddenly without enmity, or threw
KJV: without enmity, or have cast
INT: suddenly without enmity pushed or

Ezekiel 25:15
HEB: בְּנֶ֔פֶשׁ לְמַשְׁחִ֖ית אֵיבַ֥ת עוֹלָֽם׃
NAS: to destroy with everlasting enmity,
KJV: to destroy [it] for the old hatred;
INT: of soul to destroy enmity everlasting

Ezekiel 35:5
HEB: הֱי֤וֹת לְךָ֙ אֵיבַ֣ת עוֹלָ֔ם וַתַּגֵּ֥ר
NAS: everlasting enmity and have delivered
KJV: Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed
INT: Because have had enmity everlasting delivered

5 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 342
5 Occurrences

’ê·ḇāh — 1 Occ.
’ê·ḇaṯ — 2 Occ.
wə·’ê·ḇāh — 2 Occ.