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H8581

תַּעָב

taʻâb /taw-ab'/ Ask about this word
a primitive root
to loathe, i.e. (morally) detest
(make to be) abhor(-red), (be, commit more, do) abominable(-y)
idiom utterly.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of taʻâb — 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 taʻâb, represented by H8581, is a primitive root meaning to loathe or morally detest. It appears 22 times across 20 unique verses in the Bible. The term conveys a powerful sense of abhorrence and is used to describe actions, people, or objects that are considered abominable from a moral or spiritual standpoint.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, H8581 is used to express abhorrence from both divine and human perspectives. The LORD is said to abhor the "bloody and deceitful man" Psalms 5:6 and His own people, Israel, when they provoke His wrath Psalms 106:40. Conversely, humans are shown to abhor those who speak with integrity Amos 5:10 or, in the case of Job, are themselves abhorred by their closest friends Job 19:19. The word also functions as a command, instructing the Israelites to "utterly abhor" any cursed thing Deuteronomy 7:26 but forbidding them from abhorring an Edomite or an Egyptian Deuteronomy 23:7.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the actions and objects that provoke such strong detestation:

  • H8441 tôwʻêbah (abomination): The noun form of H8581, this word describes something morally disgusting. It is used for things like a "false balance" Proverbs 11:1, the "sacrifice of the wicked" Proverbs 15:8, and is specifically what must not be brought into the house lest one become a cursed thing Deuteronomy 7:26.
  • H8130 sânêʼ (to hate): This term often appears alongside H8581 to express a complete rejection of evil. It is used in the command, "Ye that love the LORD, hate evil" Psalms 97:10 and by the psalmist who declares, "I hate and abhor lying" Psalms 119:163.
  • H2764 chêrem (cursed thing): This word defines an object that is doomed or devoted to utter destruction, which Israel was commanded to utterly abhor Deuteronomy 7:26. Bringing such an object into the camp of Israel would make the camp itself a curse Joshua 6:18.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H8581 is centered on defining absolute moral and spiritual boundaries.

  • Divine Standard of Morality: The term establishes what is unacceptable to God. The LORD's abhorrence is directed at specific sins, such as idolatry 1 Kings 21:26, deceit Psalms 5:6, and Israel's spiritual "whoredoms" Ezekiel 16:25. This reveals a divine character that actively detests moral corruption.
  • Consequences of Abominable Behavior: Engaging in actions described as abominable leads to severe consequences. The Amorites were "cast out" for their abominable idolatry 1 Kings 21:26. The king in Isaiah is "cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch" Isaiah 14:19, signifying ultimate rejection and dishonor.
  • The Rejection of Idolatry: A primary focus of abhorrence is idolatry. King Ahab "did very abominably in following idols" 1 Kings 21:26, and Ezekiel describes Jerusalem as having "made thy beauty to be abhorred" through its multiplied spiritual "whoredoms" Ezekiel 16:25.

Summary

In summary, H8581 taʻâb is a potent term that goes beyond simple dislike to express a profound moral loathing. It functions as a key descriptor for the divine reaction to sin, particularly idolatry and injustice, and as a command for God's people to detest what is spiritually corrupt. The word draws a sharp line between the holy and the profane, illustrating the gravity of sin and the absolute moral standard set by God in scripture.

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 verb across 22 occurrences, inflected in 17 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • תְתַעֵב
  • הִתְעִיבוּ
  • נִתְעָב
  • תִּעֲבוּ
  • יַּתְעֵב
  • הִתְעַבְתְּ
  • נִתְעַב
  • תְּתַעֲבִי
  • יְתָעֵב
  • תִעֲבוּ
  • אֲתַעֵבָה
  • יְתָעֵבוּ
  • תְּתַעֵב
  • יְתָעֵב
  • תַעֵב
  • מֲתַעֲבִים
  • מְתָעֵב

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.

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 20 verses across 9 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms (6 verses); never once in the other 30.

2
Deuteronomy
1
1 Kings
1
1 Chronicles
4
Job
6
Psalms
2
Isaiah
2
Ezekiel
1
Amos
1
Micah

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, by grammatical form, 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.