English · KJV
H3

אֵב

ʼêb /abe/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom the same as אָבִיב
Meaninga green plant
KJV usagegreenness, fruit.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼêb — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word 'êb, represented by H3, refers to a green plant or greenness, and also fruit. It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible, indicating its specific application within scripture.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H3 is found in contexts describing natural growth and its characteristics. In Song of Solomon 6:11, it denotes the fruits of the valley, observed alongside the flourishing of vines and the budding of pomegranates. Conversely, Job 8:12 uses H3 to describe something in its greenness that withers quickly if not cut down, highlighting the transient nature of plant life.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide further context for the concept of natural vegetation and its states:

  • H1594 ginnâh (a garden): This term appears directly with H3 in Song of Solomon 6:11, setting the scene for observing green plants and fruits.
  • H1612 gephen (a vine): Also present in Song of Solomon 6:11, the vine is described as flourishing, linking to the vitality associated with H3.
  • H2682 châtsîyr (grass, herb): In Job 8:12, H3's greenness is contrasted with how quickly it withers compared to other herbs, emphasizing its ephemeral quality.
  • H3001 yâbêsh (to dry up, wither): This word is directly connected to H3 in Job 8:12, where the greenness withers, underscoring the impermanence of plant life.
  • H6524 pârach (to blossom, to flourish): Found in Song of Solomon 6:11, this word describes the flourishing of the vine, reinforcing the vibrant aspect of green plants and fruits.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3 is primarily associated with natural imagery, reflecting themes of vitality and impermanence:

  • Natural Vitality: The use of H3 to describe "fruits" and "greenness" in a garden setting Song of Solomon 6:11 portrays a sense of flourishing, growth, and natural abundance.
  • Fragility of Life: The mention of 'greenness' that quickly "withereth" Job 8:12 introduces a concept of the transient and delicate nature of life, which can quickly fade if not sustained.

Summary

In summary, H3 represents the fundamental concept of a green plant, its greenness, and fruit. Its usage in scripture, though limited to two verses, effectively illustrates the contrasting aspects of natural vitality and the inherent fragility of life, tying its meaning to the cycles of growth and decay observed in the natural world.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

  • Plural Masculine Construct 1×
  • Singular Masculine Construct 1×
Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
Construct
Bound to a following noun — "the X of…".

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H1594 גִּנָּה another form for גַּנָּה; {a garden}; garden. H1612 גֶּפֶן from an unused root meaning to bend; a vine (as twining), especially the grape; vine, tree. H2682 חָצִיר perhaps originally the same as חָצִיר, from the greenness of a courtyard; grass; also a leek (collectively); grass, hay, H3001 יָבֵשׁ a primitive root; to be ashamed, confused or disappointed; also (as failing) to dry up (as water) or wither (as herbage) H6524 פָּרַח a primitive root; to break forth as a bud, i.e. bloom; generally, to spread; specifically, to fly (as extending the wing

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Job and Song of Solomon (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
Job
1
Song of Solomon

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.