אָבָה

Genesis 24:5 תֹאבֶ֣ה she will be willing

The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”

Here: 'She will (not) be willing.' The word is about consent, a decision of the will. It assumes the woman herself, and not only her family, can refuse to leave. Verse 8 and verses 57–58 confirm this.

Genesis 24:8 תֹאבֶ֤ה she will be willing

And if the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.”

Exodus 10:27 אָבָ֖ה he was willing

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was unwilling to let them go.

Leviticus 26:21 תֹאב֖וּ you will be willing

If you walk in hostility toward Me and refuse to obey Me, I will multiply your plagues seven times, according to your sins.

Here: Points to the will. Israel is not failing to understand; it refuses to want to. In the Hebrew Bible this verb is nearly always used with a negative, for stubborn refusal.

Deuteronomy 1:26 אֲבִיתֶ֖ם you were willing

But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 2:30 אָבָ֗ה he was willing

But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as is the case this day.

Here: 'He was not willing.' This verb nearly always appears with 'not' and describes a refusal of will. Sihon's own will is the first thing named, before any word about God's role.

Deuteronomy 10:10 אָבָ֥ה he was willing

I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights, like the first time, and that time the LORD again listened to me and agreed not to destroy you.

Deuteronomy 13:8 תֹאבֶ֣ה you will yield

you must not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity, and do not spare him or shield him.

Deuteronomy 23:5 אָבָ֞ה he was willing

Yet the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, and the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you.

Here: 'Be willing' or 'consent'. In the Hebrew Bible this verb almost always comes with 'not', so 'was not willing' amounts to 'refused'. It stresses a decision of God's will, not a failure to hear.

Deuteronomy 25:7 אָבָ֖ה he was willing

But if the man does not want to marry his brother’s widow, she is to go to the elders at the city gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel. He is not willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.”

Deuteronomy 29:20 יֹאבֶ֣ה he will be willing

The LORD will never be willing to forgive him. Instead, His anger and jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse written in this book will fall upon him. The LORD will blot out his name from under heaven

Here: 'He will (not) be willing.' The point is not that God cannot forgive but that he will not agree to. This verb nearly always appears with a negative in the Hebrew Bible, the language of someone refusing.

Joshua 24:10 אָבִ֖יתִי I was willing

but I would not listen to Balaam. So he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you from his hand.

Judges 11:17 אָבָ֑ה he was willing

Then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Please let us pass through your land,’ but the king of Edom would not listen. They also sent messengers to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel stayed in Kadesh.

Judges 19:10 אָבָ֤ה he was willing

But the man was unwilling to spend the night. He got up and departed, and arrived opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine.

Judges 19:25 אָב֤וּ they were willing

But the men would not listen to him. So the Levite took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go.

Judges 20:13 אָבוּ֙בְּנֵ֣י they were willing [the] descendants

Hand over the wicked men of Gibeah so we can put them to death and purge Israel of this evil.” But the Benjamites refused to heed the voice of their fellow Israelites.

1 Samuel 15:9 אָב֖וּ they were willing

Saul and his troops spared Agag, along with the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs, and the best of everything else. They were unwilling to devote them to destruction, but they devoted to destruction all that was despised and worthless.

1 Samuel 22:17 אָב֞וּ they were willing

Then the king ordered the guards at his side, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they did not tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.

1 Samuel 26:23 אָבִ֔יתִי I was willing

May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not extend my hand against the LORD’s anointed.

Here: With "not", "I was not willing" means "I refused." The word stresses David's own will: he could have done it and chose not to.

1 Samuel 31:4 אָבָה֙ he was willing

Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me!” But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

Here: With 'not' it means a settled refusal of the will, not a physical inability. He would not do it.

2 Samuel 2:21 אָבָ֣ה he was willing

So Abner told him, “Turn to your right or to your left, seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.

2 Samuel 6:10 אָבָ֣ה he was willing

So he was unwilling to move the ark of the LORD to the City of David; instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

2 Samuel 12:17 אָבָ֔ה he was willing

The elders of his household stood beside him to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.

Here: "He was willing." With 'not,' it means 'he refused / would not.' This verb almost always appears with a negative in Hebrew and describes a settled refusal of will, not a lack of strength.

2 Samuel 13:14 אָבָ֖ה he was willing

But Amnon refused to listen to her, and being stronger, he violated her and lay with her.

2 Samuel 13:16 אָבָ֖ה he was willing

“No,” she replied, “sending me away is worse than this great wrong you have already done to me!” But he refused to listen to her.

2 Samuel 13:25 אָבָ֥ה he was willing

“No, my son,” the king replied, “we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you.” Although Absalom urged him, he was not willing to go, but gave him his blessing.

Here: "He was willing." This verb almost always appears with "not" ("he would not"). The refusal lies in David's will, not in any outside obstacle.

2 Samuel 14:29 אָבָ֖ה אָבָ֖ה he was willing

Then he sent for Joab to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So Absalom sent a second time, but Joab still would not come.

2 Samuel 23:16 אָבָה֙ he was willing

So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD,

2 Samuel 23:17 אָבָ֖ה he was willing

saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

1 Kings 20:8 תֹאבֶֽה׃ you must be willing

And the elders and the people all said, “Do not listen to him or consent to his terms.”

1 Kings 22:49 אָבָ֖ה he was willing

At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants sail with your servants,” but Jehoshaphat refused.

2 Kings 8:19 אָבָ֤ה he was willing

Yet for the sake of His servant David, the LORD was unwilling to destroy Judah, since He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever.

2 Kings 13:23 אָבָה֙ he was willing

But the LORD was gracious to Israel and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day, the LORD has been unwilling to destroy them or cast them from His presence.

Here: 'He was not willing.' This is about will and consent. God would not agree to it, though the people's record (13:2, 11) would have justified it. The same wording appears in Deuteronomy 10:10 and 2 Kings 8:19.

2 Kings 24:4 אָבָ֥ה he was willing

and also for the innocent blood he had shed. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was unwilling to forgive.

Here: "He was willing", negated here: YHWH did not consent. The verb is about will and consent, not ability. Nothing prevented God from pardoning. He refused to.

1 Chronicles 10:4 אָבָה֙ he was willing

Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me!” But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

1 Chronicles 11:18 אָבָ֤ה he was willing

So the Three broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD,

Here: 'He was not willing.' This is a settled refusal of the will, not a passing hesitation. The verb nearly always appears with 'not'.

1 Chronicles 11:19 אָבָ֖ה he was willing

saying, “Far be it from me, my God, to do this! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” Because they had brought it at the risk of their lives, David refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

1 Chronicles 19:19 אָבָ֣ה it was willing

When Hadadezer’s subjects saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were unwilling to help the Ammonites anymore.

2 Chronicles 21:7 אָבָ֣ה he was willing

Yet the LORD was unwilling to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant He had made with David, and since He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever.

Here: A verb of the will: to consent or agree to something. Almost every time it appears it is negated, as here: God 'would not consent' to wipe out the dynasty, even though Jehoram's conduct invited it.

Job 39:9 הֲיֹ֣אבֶה ¿ is it willing

Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will he stay by your manger at night?

Psalm 81:11 אָ֥בָה it yielded

But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me.

Here: The verb of willingness and consent. It nearly always appears with 'not' in the Hebrew Bible. Israel did more than fail to hear. It was unwilling, and refused to agree to what God asked. The problem lies in the will, not the ears.

Proverbs 1:10 תֹּבֵֽא׃ you be willing

My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.

Here: 'Be willing, agree.' In the Hebrew Bible this verb almost always appears with a negative ('was not willing'). The command is aimed at the will itself: the enticers can make their offer, but nothing happens unless the son agrees.

Proverbs 1:25 אֲבִיתֶֽם׃ you yielded to

because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,

Here: "You were willing." With "not," it means "you would not have it" or "you refused to want it." The verb is about where a person's will leans. The problem was not that they failed to understand. They did not want it.

Proverbs 1:30 אָב֥וּ they yielded

They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.

Here: 'They were (not) willing.' The verb is about what a person wants. In the Hebrew Bible it almost always comes with 'not', so it names a refusal of the will, not a failure to understand. The past form sums up their whole response as finished and settled.

Proverbs 6:35 יֹ֝אבֶ֗ה he will be willing

He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.

Here: 'He will consent.' The verb is used almost only with a negative, so 'not consent' is the normal Hebrew way to say 'refuse'. No object is given: he simply will not agree to anything.

Isaiah 1:19 תֹּאב֖וּ you will be willing

If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land.

Here: 'You consent, you agree to it.' It means to give your will to something, to say yes. In the Hebrew Bible this verb almost always shows up with 'not' ('they were not willing'), so hearing it in the positive is unusual. Its opposite comes in verse 20: 'you refuse' (mēʾēn).

Isaiah 28:12 אָב֖וּא they were willing

to whom He has said: “This is the place of rest, let the weary rest; this is the place of repose.” But they would not listen.

Here: “They were willing”, negated: “they were not willing”. It speaks of their will, not their ability. They did not fail to understand; they chose not to. (Spelled with an unusual silent letter at the end.)

Isaiah 30:9 אָב֥וּ they have been willing

These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction.

Here: Perfect tense: a settled refusal shown again and again. It is about will, not ability; they could hear but chose not to. The same phrase appears in Isa 28:12 ("they were not willing to hear").

Isaiah 30:15 אֲבִיתֶֽם׃ you were willing

For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “By repentance and rest you would be saved; your strength would lie in quiet confidence—but you were not willing.”

Here: 'You were (not) willing': a deliberate refusal, not a failure to understand. The same phrase closes 28:12 ('they were not willing to hear') and echoes 30:9 ('children unwilling to hear YHWH's instruction').

Isaiah 42:24 אָב֤וּ they were willing

Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned? They were unwilling to walk in His ways, and they would not obey His law.

Here: 'They were willing.' Combined with 'not', it means they refused, which points to their will and not to ignorance. Note the switch from 'we' to 'they'.

Ezekiel 3:7 יֹאבוּ֙ אֹבִ֖ים they will be willing, [are] willing

But the house of Israel will be unwilling to listen to you, since they are unwilling to listen to Me. For the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted.

Here: The verb of consent or agreeing to something. The form points forward ('they will not agree'), so this is God's prediction of how Ezekiel's ministry will be received.

Ezekiel 20:8 אָבוּ֙ they were willing

But they rebelled against Me and refused to listen. None of them cast away the abominations before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the land of Egypt.

Here: 'They were not willing': in the Hebrew Bible this verb almost always appears with a negative and means a flat refusal. The problem was their will, not ignorance.