הבה

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Hebrew

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]
Root
י־ה־ב (y-h-b)

Compare Aramaic יְהַב (to give).

Verb

[edit]

הָבָה (hávam sg (pa'al construction, feminine singular הָבִי, masculine plural הָבוּ)

  1. Let's: used before first-person plural future-tense verbs to invite someone to join in an action
    • Tanach, Genesis 11:14, with translation of the King James Version:
      הבה נבנה לנו עיר
      Go to, let us build us a city
    • Exodus 1:10, with translation of the King James Version:
      הָבָה נִּתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ
      Come on, let us deal wisely with them
    • c. 1918, Hava nagila:
      הבה נגילה ונשמחה
      Let's rejoice and be happy
  2. Used before first-person singular future-tense verbs to indicate an intent to perform an action soon
  3. give
    • Tanach, Genesis 30:1:
      הָבָה לִּי בָנִים
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    • Tanach, Genesis 29:21, with translation of the New International Version:
      וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב אֶל־לָבָן הָבָה אֶת־אִשְׁתִּי כִּי מָלְאוּ יָמָי וְאָבֹואָה אֵלֶֽיהָ׃
      Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.”
    • Judges 1:15:
      הָבָה לִּי בְרָכָה
      Give me a blessing

Usage notes

[edit]
  • This is a defective irregular verb found only in the imperative (and for the masculine singular, especially the long imperative). The rare masculine singular short imperative form is הַב.
  • In the Bible, the stress in the bisyllabic forms varies between ultimate and penultimate. In modern usage, it is nearly always penultimate.