Hebrew word · H3051

יָהַב

havu

to give

"Give, grant, provide." In Biblical Hebrew the verb shows up almost only as a command. Often it means simply "give!" (Gen 29:21; 30:1). Sometimes it is a rallying cry, "come on!" (Gen 11:3–4). In worship language it means attribute or credit something to someone.

Appears 33 times in 29 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to give, provide, ascribe, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to give

1a2) to set, place

1a3) to provide (with reflexive)

1a4) to ascribe (glory)

1a5) to grant, permit, come now

Aramaic equivalent: ye.hav (יְהַב "to give" H3052)

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Psalm 29:2

Range of meaning

"Give, grant, provide." In Biblical Hebrew the verb shows up almost only as a command. Often it means simply "give!" (Gen 29:21; 30:1). Sometimes it is a rallying cry, "come on!" (Gen 11:3–4). In worship language it means attribute or credit something to someone. In Aramaic (Daniel, Ezra) it is the ordinary word for "give".

Against the English

KJV "Give unto the LORD" is literal, but today it can suggest donating or making an offering. "Ascribe" (BSB, WEB, YLT, ESV, NIV) catches the real sense: you credit God with something. You do not add anything to him.

Used elsewhere in the period

The same formula appears in Deut 32:3 ("ascribe greatness to our God"), in Ps 96:7–8 and in 1 Chr 16:28–29. Those two later passages reuse Ps 29:1–2 almost word for word but address "families of the peoples" instead of heavenly beings.

From the study of Psalm 29:1

Range of meaning

'To give, grant, hand over, put'. In Biblical Hebrew it occurs almost only as a command ('give!', 'come on!'). In Aramaic it is the everyday verb for 'give'. It can be a request ('give me my wife', Gen 29:21; 'give me children', Gen 30:1), a call to act ('come, let us make bricks', Gen 11:3), or a call to render honour ('give greatness to our God', Deut 32:3).

Against the English

KJV 'give unto' keeps the concrete verb. Most modern versions use 'ascribe', meaning to credit or attribute. 'Ascribe' rightly shows that nothing is added to God. But it makes the act purely mental, while the Hebrew is a physical, public act of handing over, like presenting tribute before a throne. NLT's 'honor' is a fair paraphrase that loses the 'giving'.

How it drifted

'Ascribe' became standard in modern translations (RSV and later) to avoid suggesting God receives something he lacks. That is accurate, but it adds an abstraction the plain verb does not carry.

Used elsewhere in the period

Deut 32:3; Ps 96:7–8 and 1 Chr 16:28–29 repeat this exact formula ('havu la-YHWH ... kavod va-oz'), but there the audience is 'families of the peoples', the earthly nations. The verb is very common in Biblical Aramaic (Daniel, Ezra) and in the Aramaic papyri from Elephantine.

From the study of Proverbs 30:15

Range of meaning

The verb yāhab means 'give'. It is common in Aramaic but in Biblical Hebrew appears mostly as the command 'give!' / 'come on!'. It is blunt and urgent, sometimes desperate.

Against the English

BSB and ESV-type versions present 'Give' and 'Give' as names. KJV and NIV-type versions treat it as a cry ('crying, Give, give'). The NLT turns it into 'More, more!', which keeps the tone but drops the word 'give'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Genesis 29:21 (Jacob: 'Give me my wife'), Genesis 30:1 (Rachel: 'Give me children, or I die'), Genesis 47:15–16 ('Give us bread'). In each case the speaker is pressing an urgent demand.

Where it appears

Genesis · 8

  1. Genesis 11:3 הָ֚בָה give !

    And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” So they used brick instead of stone, and tar instead of mortar.

    Here: In form it is the command 'give!', but it has hardened into a rallying cry: 'Come on!' The same word opens the people's next plan in verse 4 and God's answer in verse 7.

  2. Genesis 11:4 הָ֣בָה׀ give !

    “Come,” they said, “let us build for ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens, that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of all the earth.”

    Here: Literally 'give!', but frozen into a rallying cry: 'Come on!' It is the same word that started the brick-making in v.3. God uses it again in v.7 ('Come, let us go down'), turning their slogan back on them.

  3. Genesis 11:7 הָ֚בָה give !

    Come, let Us go down and confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.”

    Here: In form it is the command 'give!', but by this time it had hardened into a call to action: 'Come on!' or 'Let's go!'. The builders said exactly this word twice ('Come, let us make bricks', v. 3; 'Come, let us build', v. 4). Now God says it back to them, and the reader hears God answering their plans in their own words.

  4. Genesis 29:21 הָבָ֣ה give !

    Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”

  5. Genesis 30:1 הָֽבָה־ give !

    When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.

    Here: A blunt, urgent command, 'Give!', in a lengthened form that adds insistence, like 'Come on, give!'. It is not the polite 'please'. The same verb opens Babel's 'Come, let us…' (11:3–4) and is used for brusque demands.

  6. Genesis 38:16 הָֽבָה־ give !

    Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.” “What will you give me for sleeping with you?” she inquired.

  7. Genesis 47:15 הָֽבָה־ give !

    When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our funds have run out!”

  8. Genesis 47:16 הָב֣וּ give

    “Then bring me your livestock,” said Joseph. “Since the money is gone, I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock.”

Exodus · 1

  1. Exodus 1:10 הָ֥בָה give !

    Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.”

    Here: Strictly the imperative 'give!', but frozen into an interjection, 'Come on!', that kicks off a group plan. It is the same word that opens the Babel schemes in Genesis 11:3–4 ('Come, let us make bricks… let us build').

Deuteronomy · 2

  1. Deuteronomy 1:13 הָב֣וּ provide

    Choose for yourselves wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders.”

  2. Deuteronomy 32:3 הָב֥וּ ascribe

    For I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Ascribe greatness to our God!

Joshua · 1

  1. Joshua 18:4 הָב֥וּ provide

    Appoint three men from each tribe, and I will send them out to survey the land and map it out, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me

Judges · 2

  1. Judges 1:15 הָֽבָה־ give !

    “Give me a blessing,” she answered. “Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs of water as well.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.

  2. Judges 20:7 הָב֥וּ give

    Behold, all you Israelites, give your advice and verdict here and now.”

Ruth · 1

  1. Ruth 3:15 הָ֠בִי give

    And he told her, “Bring the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured in six measures of barley and placed it on her. Then he went into the city.

1 Samuel · 1

  1. 1 Samuel 14:41 הָ֣בָה give !

    So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the fault is with the men of Israel, respond with Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge.

2 Samuel · 2

  1. 2 Samuel 11:15 הָב֣וּ set

    In the letter he wrote: “Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest battle; then withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and killed.”

  2. 2 Samuel 16:20 הָב֥וּ give

    Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me counsel. What should we do?”

1 Chronicles · 3

  1. 1 Chronicles 16:28 הָב֤וּ הָב֥וּ ascribe

    Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

    Here: A plural command, "Give!", from an ordinary verb for handing something over ("give me my wife", Gen 29:21; "give your livestock", Gen 47:16). Said to God, it means handing over to him the recognition that is his, the way a subject hands tribute to a king.

  2. 1 Chronicles 16:29 הָב֥וּ ascribe

    Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering and come before Him. Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness;

    Here: A plural command, 'Give!' In the stock liturgical formula 'Give to the LORD…' (Ps 29:1–2; 96:7–8; Deut 32:3) it means hand over honor out loud, the way a court acclaims a king. Here it repeats the double 'give' of v. 28, so the line hammers on three times.

Job · 1

  1. Job 6:22 הָ֣בוּ give

    Have I ever said, ‘Give me something; offer me a bribe from your wealth;

Psalms · 8

  1. Psalm 29:1 הָב֣וּ הָב֥וּ ascribe

    A Psalm of David. Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

    Here: A plural command, 'give!', used like a summons: hand it over, render it, grant it. The heavenly audience is ordered to give YHWH the recognition that is his due, much as a vassal formally hands tribute and honour to an overlord.

  2. Psalm 29:2 הָב֣וּ ascribe

    Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness.

    Here: The third "Give!" in two verses, a plural command still spoken to the "sons of God" (heavenly beings) named in verse 1. In this formula it means acknowledge or credit: say out loud what is already true of Yahweh.

  3. Psalm 60:11 הָֽבָה־ give !

    Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.

  4. Psalm 96:7 הָב֣וּ הָב֥וּ ascribe

    Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

    Here: An urgent plural command, 'Give!' or 'Hand over!', spoken to a whole crowd. Here it means openly rendering to God the honor that is his due, like subjects bringing tribute to a king.

  5. Psalm 96:8 הָב֣וּ ascribe

    Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering and enter His courts.

    Here: A plural command: "Give!" In Hebrew this verb shows up almost only as a command, often with a ring of urgency ("Come on, hand it over!"). Here it is the third time in two verses (vv. 7–8), and the repetition builds a liturgical drumbeat aimed at the nations.

  6. Psalm 108:12 הָֽבָה־ give !

    Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.

Proverbs · 2

  1. Proverbs 30:15 הַ֤ב׀ הַ֥ב give

    The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:

    Here: A short command, "Give!" The verb in Hebrew is almost always used as a blunt demand ("Hand it over!"). It works either as the first daughter's name or as the first half of their cry.

Zechariah · 1

  1. Zechariah 11:12 הָב֥וּ give

    Then I told them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed out my wages, thirty pieces of silver.

    Here: A short, blunt command ('hand over!'). It is the same verb as the call to 'ascribe' (hābû) glory to the LORD in Psalm 29:1–2, so it carries a note of rendering what is due.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.