H0183 H0183
To desire, crave, or yearn; ranging from neutral wish to sinful covetousness to deep longing
The Hebrew root avah captures the full spectrum of human wanting. In its Piel stem it expresses ordinary desire -- a soul wishing to eat meat (Deut 12:20) or God choosing Zion as His dwelling (Ps 132:13-14). The Hitpael intensifies the verb into visceral craving: at Kibroth-hattaavah the people 'craved a craving' for meat (Num 11:4, 34), while the Decalogue forbids coveting a neighbor's possessions (Deut 5:21). Yet the same Hitpael can voice tender yearning, as when David longed for water from Bethlehem's well (2 Sam 23:15) or the psalmist invited a king to desire the bride's beauty (Ps 45:11).
Senses
1. desire, wish for — Neutral or positive desire, predominantly in the Piel stem: wishing for food (Deut 12:20, 14:26), a king's authority (2 Sam 3:21; 1 Kgs 11:37), or God desiring Zion (Ps 132:13). Spanish 'desea' and the straightforward English 'desire' match this temperate register. The subject's nephesh (soul/appetite) typically governs the verb. 13×
AR["أَشْتَهِ", "اشْتَاقَتْ-إِلَيْكَ", "اشْتَاقَهَا", "اشْتَقَيْتُهَا", "اشْتَهَتْ", "اشْتَهَتْهَا", "تَشْتَهِي", "تَشْتَهِي-", "مُشْتَهٍ", "يَشْتَهِيهِ"]·ben["ইচ্ছা-করে", "কামনা-করে", "কামনা-করেছি", "কামনা-করেছি-তা।", "কামনা-করেছে-আপনার", "কামনা-করেছেন-তাকে", "চায়", "চেয়েছে", "যে-কামনা-করে"]·DE["[אויתיך]", "[אותה]", "[התאויתי]", "[יתאוה]", "desires", "er-desired-es", "ich-haben-desired-es", "von-Verlangen"]·EN["I-desire-You", "I-desired", "I-have-desired-it", "craves", "desires", "he-desired-it", "he-desires"]·FR["[אוה]", "[אויתיך]", "[אותיה]", "[התאויתי]", "desires", "désire", "désirer"]·heb["איווה", "איוויתיה", "איוויתיך", "איוותה", "התאוויתי", "התאוותה-", "יתאווה", "מתאווה", "תאווה"]·HI["उसने-चाहा-है", "चाहती-है", "चाहती-है-", "चाहती-है-तुझे", "चाहा-मैंने", "मैंने-चाहा-है-इसे", "लालसा-करता-है", "वह-चाहता-है"]·ID["Aku-menginginkannya", "Ia-menginginkannya", "Menginginkan", "aku-mengharapkan", "dia-inginkan", "diinginkan", "menginginkan", "merindukan-Mu", "yang-diinginkan"]·IT["[אויתיך]", "[אותה]", "[התאויתי]", "desiderare", "desideri", "desidero'", "desires"]·jav["Kawula-ngersakaken-piyambakipun", "Panjenenganipun-ngersakaken-piyambakipun", "dipun-kajengi", "dipunpengini", "kawula-kapang-dhateng-Panjenengan", "kawula-pepinginan;", "kepengin", "kepingin", "kepéngin", "melik", "ngepénginaken", "piyambakipun-kepengin"]·KO["내가-원하지", "바라나", "소원하리라", "소원하였으니", "원하느니라-", "원하는-바", "원하셨나니", "원하셨도다-그것-을", "원하였다", "원하였도다-그것-을", "원한다"]·PT["Desejando", "Te-desejou", "a-desejei", "a-desejou", "deseja", "deseja-", "desejar", "desejei;", "desejou"]·RU["возжелал-его", "желает", "желает,", "желает-", "желал", "желала-Тебя", "желающая"]·ES["Desea", "desea", "desea-", "desee", "deseé", "la-deseó", "la-he-deseado", "te-anheló"]·SW["ameitamani", "anachotamani", "hutamani", "inaitamani", "inakutamani", "inataka", "inatamani", "nafsi-yako-inatamani", "nilitamani", "nimeitamani"]·TR["arzu-eden", "arzu-ettim", "arzuladim-seni", "arzuladı", "arzuladım-onu", "arzular", "arzular-", "arzuluyorsa", "istedi", "ister"]·urd["چاہا", "چاہا-میں-نے-اسے", "چاہت-رکھتی-ہے", "چاہتی ہے", "چاہتی-ہو", "چاہتی-ہے", "چاہتی-ہے-", "چاہتی-ہے-تجھے", "چاہے"]
Deut 12:20, Deut 14:26, 2 Sam 3:21, 1 Kgs 11:37, Job 23:13, Ps 132:13, Ps 132:14, Prov 13:4, Prov 21:10, Eccl 6:2, Isa 26:9, Jer 17:16 (+1 more)
2. crave, covet, lust after — Intense craving with negative moral overtones, characteristic of the Hitpael in prohibition contexts. The rabble's meat-craving at Kibroth-hattaavah (Num 11:4, 34) and the Tenth Commandment's 'you shall not covet' (Deut 5:21) anchor this sense. Proverbs 21:26 warns that the sluggard craves all day long. Spanish 'codiciar' and the connotation-heavy English 'covet' reflect the moral weight. 10×
AR["(تَشْتَهِ)", "[تشته]", "الْمُشْتَهِينَ", "اِشْتَهَوْا", "تَشْتَهِ", "وَ-اشتَهَوا", "يَشْتَهِي"]·ben["(আকাঙ্ক্ষা-করো)", "-লালসাকারীদের।", "[আকাঙ্ক্ষা-করো]", "[কেতীব]", "ইচ্ছা-করে", "এবং-তারা-লালসা-করল", "তুমি-কামনা-করবে", "লালসা-করেছিল", "লালসা-করো"]·DE["[(תתאיו)]", "[[תתאו]]", "[תתאו]", "craved", "der-Verlangen", "der-cravers", "du-soll-desire", "und-sie-craved"]·EN["[desire]", "and-they-craved", "craved", "craves", "desire", "the-cravers", "you-shall-desire"]·FR["[ויתאוו]", "craved", "désirer", "le-cravers", "tu-devra-desire"]·heb["(תתאיו)", "[תתאו]", "ה-מתאוים", "התאוו", "התאווה", "ו-יתאוו", "תתאווה"]·HI["(लालच-कर)", "[लालच-कर]", "इच्छा-करेगा", "और-उन्होंने-लालसा-किया", "ललचाई-करने-लगी", "ललचाने-वाले", "लालच-कर", "लालच-करता-है"]·ID["(menginginkan)", "[menginginkan]", "berahi-dengan-keberahan", "dan-mereka-menginginkan", "ia-menginginkan", "menginginkan", "yang-berahi"]·IT["craved", "desiderare", "e-desidero'", "il-cravers", "tu-dovra-desire"]·jav["Lan-sami-kepengin", "ingkang-kepingin", "ngepénginaken", "ngepéninginaken", "panjenengan-kepéngin", "piyambakipun-kepingin"]·KO["(탐하지)", "[탐하지]", "그-탐하는자들", "그리고-탐하였나이다", "욕망하느니라", "욕심내라", "탐하지", "탐했다"]·PT["E-cobiçaram", "[desejes]", "desejando", "desejaram", "desejarás", "desejes", "o-que-desejava"]·RU["[ктив:желай]", "И-возжелали", "вожделевший", "возжелал", "жаждет", "жажди", "желай"]·ES["(codicies)", "Y-desearon", "[codicies]", "codicies", "desea", "desearon", "desearás", "el-que-deseaba:"]·SW["(tamani)", "(usitamani)", "[tamani]", "[usitamani]", "hutamani", "na-wakatamani", "usitamani", "waliotamani", "walitamani"]·TR["(arzu-et)", "[arzu-et]", "arzu-eden", "arzu-et", "arzu-ettiler", "arzular", "hevesleneceksin", "ve-arzuladılar"]·urd["اور-وہ-لالچی-ہوئے", "جو-للچاتے-تھے", "خواہش-کر", "للچا", "للچائے", "چاہتا-ہے"]
3. long for, yearn — Deep emotional yearning or longing, also Hitpael but without negative judgment. David's soldiers risked their lives because he longed for water from the Bethlehem cistern (2 Sam 23:15; 1 Chr 11:17). The royal psalm invites the king to 'desire' the bride's beauty (Ps 45:11). Spanish '(y-deseo)' and German translations preserve the affective warmth distinct from both neutral wishing and sinful craving. 5×
AR["(وَاشْتَهَى)", "[وَاشْتَاقَ]", "فَاشْتَاقَ", "لِ-المُشْتاقينَ", "وَيَشْتاقُ"]·ben["(এবং-আকাঙ্ক্ষা-করলেন)", "[এবং-আকাঙ্ক্ষা-করলেন]", "এবং-ইচ্ছা-করলেন", "ও-কামনা-করবে", "যারা-কামনা-করে"]·DE["[המתאוים]", "[ויתאו]", "[ויתאיו]", "und-er-longed", "und-wird-Verlangen"]·EN["(and-longed)", "[and-longed]", "and-he-longed", "and-will-desire", "to-the-ones-desiring"]·FR["[ויתאו]", "[ויתאיו]", "désirer", "et-il-longed"]·heb["ה-מתאוים", "ו-(ויתאיו)", "ו-[ויתאו]", "ו-יתאוה", "ו-יתאווה"]·HI["(और-चाहा)", "[और-चाहा]", "और-आकर्षित-होगा", "और-इच्छा-की", "जो-चाहते-हैं"]·ID["[ketiv]", "dan-merindukan", "dan-rindu", "yang-menginginkan"]·IT["[המתאוים]", "[ויתאו]", "[ויתאיו]", "e-desidero'", "e-egli-longed"]·jav["(lan-kapengin)", "Lan-badhe-kepengin", "Lan-ngersakaken", "[lan-kapengin]", "kang-kepengin"]·KO["[그리고-갈망하였다]", "그리고-갈망하리이다", "그리고-갈망하였다", "그리고-갈망했다", "사모하는-자들아"]·PT["(e-desejou)", "E-desejará", "E-desejou", "[e-desejou]", "os-que-desejam"]·RU["(и-возжелал)", "[и-возжелал]", "желающим", "и-возжелает", "и-возжелал"]·ES["(y-deseó)", "Y-deseará", "Y-deseó", "[y-deseó]", "los-que-desean"]·SW["(na-akatamani)", "Na-atatamani", "[na-akatamani]", "na-akatamani", "wanaotamani"]·TR["(ve-arzuladı)", "Ve-arzulayacak", "[ve-arzuladı]", "arzulayanlar", "ve-can-attı"]·urd["(اور-ترسا)", "-چاہنے-والے", "[اور-ترسا]", "اور-آرزو-کی", "اور-چاہے-گا"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. [אָוָה] vb. incline, desire (cf. Stem 2). Pi. Pf. אִוָּה ψ 132:13; אִוְּתָה Mi 7:1 +, etc.; Impf. 3 fs. תְּאַוֶּה Dt 12:20 + 4 times—desire subj. usually נֶפֶשׁ, obj. fruit Mi 7:1 (in metaph.); flesh (to eat) 1 S 2:16, cf. Dt 12:20 (sq. inf. לֶאֱכֹל בָּשָׂר); food & drink Dt 14:26; of king desiring rule, וּמָלַכְתָּ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־תְּאַוֶּה נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ 2 S 3:21; 1 K 11:37; obj. evil (רַע) Pr…