Hebrew word · H887

בָּאַשׁ

yav'ish

to stink

Basic sense: "to stink, smell foul", used of rotting fish (Exod 7:18) and spoiled manna (Exod 16:20). In the reflexive or passive form used here (niphal) and in the causative form (hiphil), it becomes a social idiom: "to make oneself odious / be made odious to someone".

Appears 17 times in 16 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to have a bad smell, stink, smell bad

1a) (Qal) to stink, smell bad

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to become odious

1b2) to make oneself odious

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to stink, emit a stinking odour

1c2) to cause to stink

1c3) of wickedness (fig.)

1d) (Hithpael) to make oneself odious

2) (TWOT) to abhor

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 2 Samuel 16:21

Range of meaning

Basic sense: "to stink, smell foul", used of rotting fish (Exod 7:18) and spoiled manna (Exod 16:20). In the reflexive or passive form used here (niphal) and in the causative form (hiphil), it becomes a social idiom: "to make oneself odious / be made odious to someone". It describes a relationship gone so sour it cannot be fixed.

Against the English

KJV and WEB: "abhorred of / by your father". This sounds like a feeling inside David, and it loses both the smell image and the sense that Absalom brings it on himself. BSB and ESV keep "stench". NASB has "odious" and NIV "obnoxious", which keep the meaning but drop the smell picture.

How it drifted

"Abhorred" has become an archaic, emotional word. A modern reader hears "his father will hate him" and misses the political point: there is now no way back.

Used elsewhere in the period

1 Sam 13:4: Israel "became odious to the Philistines" after Saul's attack, so war was now certain. 2 Sam 10:6: the Ammonites "had made themselves odious to David" and responded by hiring Aramean mercenaries. 1 Sam 27:12: Achish thinks David "has made himself utterly odious to his people". Gen 34:30: Jacob says, "You have made me stink among the inhabitants of the land." Exod 5:21: "you have made our smell stink in Pharaoh's eyes." In each case the word marks a point of no return between parties, followed by hostility.

From the study of Genesis 34:30

Range of meaning

In its basic form, to stink or rot (spoiled manna, Exodus 16:20; dead fish, Exodus 7:18). In the causative form used here, 'to make (someone) stink.' It works as a political expression: to make a person or group hateful to another, so that relations break down and hostility follows.

Against the English

KJV: 'to make me to stink.' ESV: 'stink.' WEB and NASB: 'odious.' NIV: 'obnoxious.' BSB: 'a stench.' 'Stink' keeps the vivid picture. 'Odious' and 'obnoxious' keep the meaning but lose the picture, and 'obnoxious' sounds like mere social annoyance.

Used elsewhere in the period

Exodus 5:21: Israel's foremen tell Moses and Aaron, 'you have made our smell stink in Pharaoh's eyes,' meaning you have made him hostile to us. 1 Samuel 13:4: Israel 'had become a stench to the Philistines' after Saul struck their garrison, and war follows. 2 Samuel 10:6: the Ammonites see they 'had become a stench to David' and hire Aramean troops. 2 Samuel 16:21: Absalom taking his father's concubines makes him 'a stench' to David, an act that cannot be undone. 1 Samuel 27:12: Achish thinks David has made himself a stench to Israel.

From the study of Isaiah 50:2

Range of meaning

To stink, smell foul; figuratively, to become odious or hateful (Gen 34:30; 1 Sam 13:4).

Against the English

KJV/WEB 'stink'; BSB 'rot'. 'Rot' gives the cause, 'stink' the sensation. The Hebrew names the smell, which is the link to Exodus.

Used elsewhere in the period

Exod 7:18, 21: 'the fish in the Nile shall die and the Nile shall stink'. The Septuagint and the Qumran Isaiah Scroll here apparently read 'dry up' instead (see textual notes).

Where it appears

Genesis · 1

  1. Genesis 34:30 לְהַבְאִישֵׁ֙נִי֙ by making odious me

    Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble upon me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people of this land. We are few in number; if they unite against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.”

    Here: 'By making me reek.' A fixed Hebrew expression for becoming hateful to another group, to the point where they become your enemies (compare Exodus 5:21; 1 Samuel 13:4; 2 Samuel 10:6).

Exodus · 6

  1. Exodus 5:21 הִבְאַשְׁתֶּ֣ם you have made stink

    “May the LORD look upon you and judge you,” the foremen said, “for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”

  2. Exodus 7:18 וּבָאַ֣שׁ and it will stink

    The fish in the Nile will die, the river will stink, and the Egyptians will be unable to drink its water.’”

  3. Exodus 7:21 וַיִּבְאַ֣שׁ and it stank

    The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. And there was blood throughout the land of Egypt.

  4. Exodus 8:14 וַתִּבְאַ֖שׁ and it stank

    They were piled into countless heaps, and there was a terrible stench in the land.

  5. Exodus 16:20 וַיִּבְאַ֑שׁ and it stank

    But they did not listen to Moses; some people left part of it until morning, and it became infested with maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.

  6. Exodus 16:24 הִבְאִ֔ישׁ it stank

    So they set it aside until morning as Moses had commanded, and it did not smell or contain any maggots.

1 Samuel · 3

  1. 1 Samuel 13:4 נִבְאַשׁ it has made itself odious

    And all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked an outpost of the Philistines, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines!” Then the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

  2. 1 Samuel 27:12 הַבְאֵ֤שׁ הִבְאִישׁ֙ certainly <to become odious>, he has become odious

    So Achish trusted David, thinking, “Since he has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever.”

2 Samuel · 2

  1. 2 Samuel 10:6 נִבְאֲשׁ֖וּ they had made themselves odious

    When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zoba, as well as a thousand men from the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from Tob.

    Here: Literally 'they had become stinking'. A fixed Hebrew idiom for becoming repulsive to someone, so that the relationship is broken and hostility is now certain. The verb form shows a condition they brought on themselves.

  2. 2 Samuel 16:21 נִבְאַ֣שְׁתָּ you have made yourself odious

    Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”

    Here: "You have made yourself stink." This is the Hebrew idiom for becoming hateful to someone, so that relations are ruined beyond repair (1 Sam 13:4; 2 Sam 10:6). The image is smell, and the sense is an irreversible break.

1 Chronicles · 1

  1. 1 Chronicles 19:6 הִֽתְבָּאֲשׁ֖וּ they had made themselves odious

    When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah.

Psalms · 1

  1. Psalm 38:5 הִבְאִ֣ישׁוּ they stink

    My wounds are foul and festering because of my sinful folly.

Proverbs · 1

  1. Proverbs 13:5 יַבְאִ֥ישׁ he acts odiously

    The righteous hate falsehood, but the wicked bring shame and disgrace.

    Here: Literally 'makes a stink.' The wicked person becomes, or causes, something socially foul. The image is a smell that drives people away. It also sounds like bosh, 'to be ashamed,' which sets up the next verb.

Ecclesiastes · 1

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:1 יַבְאִ֥ישׁ it causes to stink

    As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

Isaiah · 1

  1. Isaiah 50:2 תִּבְאַ֤שׁ it will stink

    Why was no one there when I arrived? Why did no one answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem you? Or do I lack the strength to deliver you? Behold, My rebuke dries up the sea; I turn the rivers into a desert; the fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst.

    Here: 'It stinks'. The same verb is used of the Nile plague: 'the fish died and the Nile stank' (Exod 7:18, 21). It is a deliberate Exodus echo.

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