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The Blue Letter Bible

Lexicon :: Strong's H178 - 'ôḇ

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אוֹב
Transliteration
'ôḇ
Pronunciation
obe
Listen
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.

Tools

Unchecked Copy Box Lev 19:31

Unchecked Copy BoxLev 19:31 - Turn ye not unto them that have familiar spirits, nor unto the wizards; seek them not out, to be defiled by them: I am Jehovah your God.

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Unchecked Copy Box Lev 20:6

Unchecked Copy BoxLev 20:6 - And the soul that turneth unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto the wizards, to play the harlot after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

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Unchecked Copy Box Lev 20:27

Unchecked Copy BoxLev 20:27 - A man also or a woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them.

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Unchecked Copy Box Deu 18:11

Unchecked Copy BoxDeu 18:11 - or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 28:3

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 28:3 - Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 28:7

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 28:7 - Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 28:8

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 28:8 - And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, Divine unto me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomsoever I shall name unto thee.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 28:9

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 28:9 - And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Ki 21:6

Unchecked Copy Box2Ki 21:6 - And he made his son to pass through the fire, and practised augury, and used enchantments, and dealt with them that had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Ki 23:24

Unchecked Copy Box2Ki 23:24 - Moreover them that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the teraphim, and the idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of Jehovah.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Ch 10:13

Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 10:13 - So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against Jehovah, because of the word of Jehovah, which he kept not; and also for that he asked counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire thereby,

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Ch 33:6

Unchecked Copy Box2Ch 33:6 - He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; and he practised augury, and used enchantments, and practised sorcery, and dealt with them that had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger.

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Unchecked Copy Box Job 32:19

Unchecked Copy BoxJob 32:19 -
Behold, my breast is as wine which hath no vent;
Like new wine-skins it is ready to burst.

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Unchecked Copy Box Isa 8:19

Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 8:19 - And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards, that chirp and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead?

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Unchecked Copy Box Isa 19:3

Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 19:3 - And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek unto the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

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Unchecked Copy Box Isa 29:4

Unchecked Copy BoxIsa 29:4 - And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust; and thy voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.
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