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The Blue Letter Bible

Lexicon :: Strong's H178 - 'ôḇ

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אוֹב
Transliteration
'ôḇ
Pronunciation
obe
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Part of Speech
masculine noun
Root Word (Etymology)
From the same as אָב (H1) (apparently through the idea of prattling a father's name)
Dictionary Aids

TWOT Reference: 37a

Strong’s Definitions

אוֹב ʼôwb, obe; from the same as H1 (apparently through the idea of prattling a father's name); properly, a mumble, i.e. a water-skin (from its hollow sound); hence a necromancer (ventriloquist, as from a jar):—bottle, familiar spirit.

KJV Translation Count — Total: 17x

The KJV translates Strong's H178 in the following manner: familiar spirit(s) (16x), bottles (1x).

KJV Translation Count — Total: 17x
The KJV translates Strong's H178 in the following manner: familiar spirit(s) (16x), bottles (1x).

  1. water skin bottle

  2. necromancer

    1. necromancer, one who evokes the dead

    2. ghost, spirit of a dead one

    3. practice of necromancy

  3. one that has a familiar spirit

Strong’s Definitions [?](Strong’s Definitions Legend)
אוֹב ʼôwb, obe; from the same as H1 (apparently through the idea of prattling a father's name); properly, a mumble, i.e. a water-skin (from its hollow sound); hence a necromancer (ventriloquist, as from a jar):—bottle, familiar spirit.
STRONGS H178: Abbreviations
אוֺב noun masculineJob 32:19 skin-bottle, necromancer, etc. — absolute א׳ Leviticus 20:27 + 8 times; plural אֹבוֺת Leviticus 19:31 + 7 times —
1. skin-bottle, only plural אֹבוֺת חֲדָשִׁים new (wine-) skins Job 32:19.
2. necromancer, in phrase אוֺב אוֺ יִדְּעֹנִי necromancer or wizard Leviticus 20:27 (H; usually translated 'a man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit or that is a wizard' RV; but better a man or a woman, if there should be among them, a necromancer or wizard; no sufficient reason for exceptional use of phrase here); וְיִדְּעֹנִי א׳ Deuteronomy 18:11; 2 Chronicles 33:6 = 2 Kings 21:6 (where וידענים א׳); הָאֹבוֺת וְהַיִּדְּעֹנִים Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:6 (H) 1 Samuel 28:3, 9; 2 Kings 23:24; Isaiah 8:19 (where repres. as chirping & muttering, in practice of their art of seeking dead for instruction, probably ventriloquism, & so Greek Version of the LXX) Isaiah 19:3.
3. ghost, Isaiah 29:4 וְהָיָה כְּאוֺב מֵאֶרֶץ קוֺלֵח וּמֵעָפָר אִמְרָתֵח תְּצַפְצֵף and thy voice shall be as a ghost from the ground and from the dust thy speech shall chirp (so Ge MV Ew De Che and others, but chirping might be of necromancer, as Isaiah 8:19).
4. necromancy אֵשֶׁת בַּעֲלַת־אוֺב a woman who was mistress of necromancy 1 Samuel 28:7 (twice in verse); (> RSJPh xiv, 127 f makes אוֺב primarily a subterranean spirit, and significant. 2 only an abbreviation of בעלתא׳ etc.); קסם בּאוֺב divine by necromancy 1 Samuel 28:8, which seems to be interpretation of 1 Chronicles 10:13 שׁאל בא׳ inquire by necromancy. (In these three examples אוֺב is usually interpreted as ghost or familiar spirit conceived as dwelling in necromancer; but this apparently not the ancient conception.)
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, Unabridged, Electronic Database.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc.
All rights reserved. Used by permission. BibleSoft.com

BLB Scripture Index of Brown-Driver-Briggs

Leviticus

19:31; 19:31; 20:6; 20:27; 20:27

Deuteronomy

18:11

1 Samuel

28:3; 28:7; 28:8; 28:9

2 Kings

21:6; 23:24

1 Chronicles

10:13

2 Chronicles

33:6

Job

32:19; 32:19

Isaiah

8:19; 8:19; 19:3; 29:4

H178

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Word / Phrase / Strong's Search

Strong's Number H178 matches the Hebrew אוֹב ('ôḇ),
which occurs 17 times in 16 verses in the WLC Hebrew.

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Unchecked Copy Box Lev 19:31

Unchecked Copy BoxLev 19:31 -

‘Do not turn to [fn]mediums H178 or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am Yahweh your God.

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Unchecked Copy Box Lev 20:6

Unchecked Copy BoxLev 20:6 -

‘As for the person who turns to [fn]mediums H178 and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.

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Unchecked Copy Box Lev 20:27

Unchecked Copy BoxLev 20:27 -

‘Now a man or a woman who is a medium H178 or a [fn]spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.’”

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Unchecked Copy Box Deu 18:11

Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 18:11 - or one who is an enchanter or a medium H178 or a spiritist or one who inquires of the dead.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 28:3

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 28:3 -

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums H178 and spiritists.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 28:7

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 28:7 - So Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium H178, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a woman who is a medium H178 at En-dor.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 28:8

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 28:8 -

Then Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, “Divine for me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall say to you.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 28:9

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 28:9 - But the woman said to him, “Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums H178 and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Ki 21:6

Unchecked Copy Box2Ki 21:6 - He even made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying and interpreted omens, and dealt with mediums H178 and spiritists. He did much that was evil in the sight of Yahweh provoking Him to anger.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Ki 23:24

Unchecked Copy Box2Ki 23:24 -

Moreover, the mediums H178 and the spiritists and the teraphim and the idols and all the detestable things that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, Josiah purged in order that he might [fn]establish the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of Yahweh.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Ch 10:13

Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 10:13 -

Thus Saul died for his unfaithfulness, which he committed against Yahweh, because of the word of Yahweh which he did not keep; and also because he asked counsel of a medium H178, making inquiry of it,

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Ch 33:6

Unchecked Copy Box2Ch 33:6 - He even made his sons pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced soothsaying, interpreted omens, practiced sorcery, and dealt with mediums H178 and spiritists. He did much that was evil in the sight of Yahweh, provoking Him to anger.

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Unchecked Copy Box Job 32:19

Unchecked Copy BoxJob 32:19 -

“Behold, my belly is like unvented wine, not opened;

Like new wineskins H178 it is about to burst.

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Unchecked Copy Box Isa 8:19

Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 8:19 -

Now when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums H178 and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?

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Unchecked Copy Box Isa 19:3

Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 19:3 -

“Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied to destruction within them;

And I will confuse their counsel,

So that they will seek idols and ghosts of the dead

And to [fn]mediums H178 and spiritists.

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Unchecked Copy Box Isa 29:4

Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 29:4 -

Then you will be brought low;

From the earth you will speak,

And from the dust where you are prostrate

Your words will come.

Your voice will also be like that of a [fn]spirit H178 from the ground,

And your speech will whisper from the dust.

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