Lexical Definition

‎אַהֲבָה‎ ʼahăbâh (a-hab-aw) love ^H:N-F
feminine of ‎אַהַב‎ and meaning the same

love.

• {affection (in a good or a bad sense)}

1) love
1a) human love for human object
1a1) of man toward man
1a2) of man toward himself
1a3) between man and woman
1a4) sexual desire
2) God's love to His people

See Greek: ἀγάπη · εὐφροσύνη · φιλία

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎אַהֲבָה‎ noun feminine love (= Infinitive of ‎אהב‎ q. v.) — absolute ‎׳‎‎א‎ Prov 10:12 + 18 t.; construct ‎אַהֲבַת‎ Jer 2:2 + 3 t.; suffix ‎אַהֲבָתִי‎ Ps 109:4; Ps 109:5 ‎אַהֲבָֽתְךָ‎ 2Sam 1:26 ‎אַהֲבָתוֺ‎ Isa 63:9; Zeph 3:17 ‎אַהֲבָתָהּ‎ Prov 5:19 ‎אַהֲבָתָם‎ Eccl 9:6 — love, especially Wisdom Literature & late.

1. human (to human object) absolute Eccl 9:1; Eccl 9:6 (both || ‎שִׂנְאָה‎) so Prov 10:12; Prov 15:17 compare Prov 27:5 see also Prov 17:9 of man toward man Ps 109:4; Ps 109:5 love for one's self (‎נַפְשׁוֺ‎) 1Sam 20:17 between man & woman Song 2:4; Song 2:5; Song 5:8; Song 8:6; Song 8:7 (twice in verse); Prov 5:19 compare also 2Sam 1:26 (‎נָשִׁים‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎); personified Song 2:7; Song 3:5; Song 7:7*; Song 8:4 compare figurative use Song 3:10 of mere sexual desire 2Sam 13:15 figurative of Jerusalem's love to ‎׳‎‎י‎ Jer 2:2 (‎כְּלוּלֹתַיִח‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎), & of love of adulter. Jesus. vJer 2:33.

2. God's love to his people Hos 11:4 (‎׳‎‎עֲבֹתוֺת א‎) Jer 31:3; Isa 63:9; Zeph 3:17.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References