ʼôwb — H178

Definition

masculine noun

properly, a mumble, i.e. a water skin (from its hollow sound); hence a necromancer (ventriloquist, as from a jar)

1. water skin bottle
2. necromancer
1. necromancer, one who evokes the dead
2. ghost, spirit of a dead one
3. practice of necromancy
3. one that has a familiar spirit

Usually translated as

familiar spirit, bottle

Origin

from the same as H1 (apparently through the idea of prattling a father's name)

• Same as ʼâb (H1)

Greek equivalents

• gē (G1093)

Occurrences

ʼôwb occurs 17 times in 16 verses of the King James.

Distribution of the word across the Bible: Leviticus (3), Deuteronomy (1), 1 Samuel (4), 2 Kings (2), 1 Chronicles (1), 2 Chronicles (1), Job (1), Isaiah (3)

• Leviticus 19:31 — Regard not them that have familiar spirits (הָאֹבֹת֙), neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
• Leviticus 20:6 — And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits (הָֽאֹבֹת֙), and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
• Leviticus 20:27 — A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit (א֛וֹב), or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
• Deuteronomy 18:11 — Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits (אוֹב֙), or a wizard, or a necromancer.
• 1 Samuel 28:3 — Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits (הָאֹב֥וֹת), and the wizards, out of the land.
• 1 Samuel 28:7 — Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit (א֔וֹב), that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.
• 1 Samuel 28:7 — Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit (א֖וֹב) at Endor.
• 1 Samuel 28:8 — And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit (בָּא֔וֹב), and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
• 1 Samuel 28:9 — And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits (הָאֹב֥וֹת), and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
• 2 Kings 21:6 — And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits (א֖וֹב) and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
• 2 Kings 23:24 — Moreover the workers with familiar spirits (הָאֹב֣וֹת), and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.
• 1 Chronicles 10:13 — So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit (בָּא֖וֹב), to enquire of it;
• 2 Chronicles 33:6 — And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit (א֖וֹב), and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
• Job 32:19 — Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles (כְּאֹב֥וֹת).
• Isaiah 8:19 — And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits (הָאֹבוֹת֙), and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
• Isaiah 19:3 — And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits (הָאֹב֖וֹת), and to the wizards.
• Isaiah 29:4 — And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit (כְּא֤וֹב), out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.