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The Hebrew word אָבָה (ʾāvâh) is a primitive verbal root that essentially means "to be willing" or "to consent."
Primary root; to breathe with, i.e. (figuratively) to show assent: - to want, to do (what is asked of you), to consent.
Several shades of meaning are derived from this root, including:
To want: To have the will or desire to do something. To consent: To accede to or agree with a proposal or action. To yield: To surrender or submit to the will of another. To accept: To receive or take something voluntarily. To crave: To yearn for or have a strong feeling about something. In the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), the word אָבָה appears about 54 times and is translated variously depending on the context, such as "willed," "will," "willing," "willingness," "consent," or "pleased."
A noun derived from this root is תַּאֲבָה (ta'avah), which means "desire," "longing," or "covetousness," often with a negative connotation of a strong or immoderate desire.
In short, אָבָה (ʾāvâh) focuses on the idea of having the will or disposition for something, with implications of wanting, consenting, and, in its derived noun form, intensely desiring. |
