The Hebrew Verb חָבַב — To Love, To Cherish

Overview

The verb חָבַב (ḥāvav) means “to love,” “to cherish,” or “to hold dear.” It conveys a more intimate or affectionate sense of love, often implying tender affection or personal attachment. Though this verb is rare, it does appear in poetic and theological contexts. A notable occurrence is in Deuteronomy 33:3, where it expresses YHWH’s loving favor: אַ֚ף חֹבֵ֣ב עַמִּ֔ים — “Indeed, He loves the peoples.”

Root and Binyan

The root is ח־ב־ב. It occurs primarily in the Qal stem, but is theoretically conjugable in other stems. Below are full conjugation tables for study purposes, styled for WordPress (Twenty Ten theme) with high readability.

Qal Conjugation (Active Voice)

Niphal Conjugation (Passive/Reflexive)

Piel Conjugation (Intensive Action)

Hiphil Conjugation (Causative)

Usage Example from the Tanakh

דְּבָרִים ל״ג:ג: אַף חֹבֵב עַמִּים — “Indeed, He loves the peoples.”
Here, the verb חֹבֵב expresses deep affection or covenantal love between YHWH and His people.

Summary

The Hebrew verb חָבַב embodies the concept of love and affection with a sense of closeness. Though its usage in the Tanakh is rare, it carries theological weight in contexts such as Deuteronomy 33:3. This verb illustrates the richness of Hebrew’s emotional vocabulary and offers useful forms for expressing cherished relationships in biblical and liturgical Hebrew.