Aven is a term found in the Bible that is often associated with idolatry and wickedness. It is used as a synonym for the city of On, also known as Heliopolis, which was a prominent city in ancient Egypt. The name "Aven" itself carries connotations of vanity or iniquity, reflecting the biblical perspective on the idolatrous practices associated with the city.

Biblical References:

1. Ezekiel 30:17 : "The young men of On and Pi-beseth will fall by the sword, and those cities will go into captivity." In this passage, On is mentioned as a city destined for judgment. The use of "Aven" in other contexts highlights the city's association with idolatry, as On was a center for the worship of the Egyptian sun god Ra.

2. Hosea 10:8 : "The high places of Aven will be destroyed—it is the sin of Israel. Thorns and thistles will grow over their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, 'Cover us!' and to the hills, 'Fall on us!'" Here, Aven is used metaphorically to describe the sinful high places of Israel, drawing a parallel to the idolatrous practices of On.

Historical and Cultural Context:

On, or Heliopolis, was one of the oldest cities in ancient Egypt and served as a major religious center. It was renowned for its temple dedicated to Ra, the sun god, and was a hub of Egyptian religious and cultural life. The city's priests were influential, and its religious practices were well-known throughout the ancient world.

In the biblical narrative, the use of "Aven" to refer to On underscores the biblical authors' condemnation of idolatry. The prophets often used the term to highlight the futility and moral corruption associated with idol worship, contrasting it with the worship of the one true God of Israel.

Theological Significance:

From a theological perspective, the use of "Aven" as a name for On serves as a reminder of the biblical theme of judgment against idolatry. It reflects the consistent message found throughout Scripture that idolatry leads to spiritual and moral decay. The prophets' warnings against the high places of Aven serve as a call to repentance and a return to the worship of Yahweh.

In summary, Aven, as another name for On, is emblematic of the biblical critique of idolatry and the call to faithfulness to God. The city's historical and religious significance in Egypt is juxtaposed with its symbolic representation of iniquity in the biblical text.Ezekiel 30:17
The young men of Aven and of Pibeseth shall fall by the sword: and these cities shall go into captivity.
Nave's Topical Index

Beth-El. Beth-Aven.
... 10:5,8. Not that there was not another town, named Beth-aven (see Joshua 18:12,13):
but that Beth-el too deservedly bore the reproach of that name, in the same ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 20 beth-el beth-aven.htm

'Fruit which is Death'
... Beth-aven' or the ... off to Assyria, and given as a present to 'king Jareb'"a name for
the ... But shame is one thing and repentance another; and many a man will say ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/fruit which is death.htm

Friendship; Or, David and Jonathan
... been in the great battle of Beth-aven, which followed ... they kissed one another, and
wept one with another, until David ... have sworn both of us in the name of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/david/sermon v friendship or david.htm

Concerning the Sacrament of Penance
... princes of Babylon and bishops of Beth-aven to abstain ... and days and persons, that
the name of brother is ... One runs hither, another thither; one to Rome, another ...
/.../first principles of the reformation/concerning the sacrament of penance.htm

Of Orders.
... a kind of living images, having the name of priests ... as those whom Jeroboam ordained
in Beth-aven, taken from ... be called afresh to this by another calling besides ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/luther/first principles of the reformation/of orders.htm

On the Life and Poetic Genius of Edward Young.
... by the knowledge that his name and great ... its voluminous waves of glory, like another
Red Sea ... Infidelity"Immortality"Death"Judgment"He aven"Hell"the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/young/youngs night thoughts/on the life and poetic.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... x.5), where Bethel is called Beth-aven; as to ... the Nabonassar who afterwards gave
his name to the ... He visited, one after another, Sippar, Nipur, Babylon, Borsippa ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

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