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)

Tense Person Singular Plural
Past 1st חִבַּבְתִּי חִבַּבְנוּ
2nd חִבַּבְתָּ (m)
חִבַּבְתְּ (f)
חִבַּבְתֶּם (m)
חִבַּבְתֶּן (f)
3rd חִבֵּב (m)
חִבְּבָה (f)
חִבְּבוּ
Present 1st חוֹבֵב (m)
חוֹבֶבֶת (f)
2nd חוֹבֵב (m)
חוֹבֶבֶת (f)
3rd חוֹבְבִים (m)
חוֹבְבוֹת (f)
Future 1st אֲחַבֵּב נַחַבֵּב
2nd תַּחַבֵּב (m)
תַּחַבְּבִי (f)
תַּחַבְּבוּ (m)
תַּחַבֵּבְנָה (f)
3rd יַחַבֵּב (m)
תַּחַבֵּב (f)
יַחַבְּבוּ (m)
תַּחַבֵּבְנָה (f)
Imperative 2nd חַבֵּב (m)
חַבְּבִי (f)
חַבְּבוּ (m)
חַבֵּבְנָה (f)

Niphal Conjugation (Passive/Reflexive)

Form Example
Infinitive הִחָבֵב
Participle נֶחֱבָב — “being loved”
Perfect 3ms נֶחֱבַב
Imperfect 3ms יִחָבֵב

Piel Conjugation (Intensive Action)

Form Example
Infinitive חִבֵּב
Participle מְחַבֵּב — “one who cherishes”
Perfect 3ms חִבֵּב
Imperfect 3ms יְחַבֵּב

Hiphil Conjugation (Causative)

Form Example
Infinitive הַחֲבִיב — “to make cherished”
Participle מַחֲבִיב
Perfect 3ms הֶחֱבִיב
Imperfect 3ms יַחֲבִיב

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.

About Biblical Hebrew

Learn Biblical Hebrew Online. Studying Biblical Hebrew online opens a direct window into the sacred texts of the Hebrew Bible, allowing readers to engage with Scripture in its original linguistic and cultural context. By learning the language in which much of the Tanakh was written, students can move beyond translations and discover the nuanced meanings, poetic structures, and theological depth embedded in the Hebrew text. Online learning provides flexible and accessible avenues to build these skills, whether through self-paced modules, guided instruction, or interactive resources. As one grows in proficiency, the richness of biblical narratives, laws, prayers, and prophetic visions comes to life with renewed clarity, making the study of Biblical Hebrew not only an intellectual pursuit but a deeply rewarding spiritual and cultural journey.
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