אֲבִי (a.vi)
a.vi
Abi
N:N-F-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-F-P
Word Overview
The name Avi, meaning "my father," identifies a woman who lived during the era of the Divided Monarchy in Israel. She is recorded as the daughter of Zechariah and the wife of King Ahaz of Judah. The primary biblical reference to her appears in 2 Kings 18:2, where she is noted for being the mother of Hezekiah.
While the name Avi is a shortened form, it corresponds to the fuller name Abijah (or Abijahu), which includes a theophoric element referring to God. This connection highlights how personal names in this period often carried theological weight, even when abbreviated in royal genealogies. Her role as the queen mother places her within the specific lineage that led into the reign of Hezekiah.
Although she is not a central figure in the narrative flow of the books of Kings or Chronicles, her mention serves an important historical function. It establishes the maternal line of King Hezekiah, one of Judah’s most significant reformers. The brevity of her biblical record reflects the typical focus on male rulers, yet her identity remains preserved as part of the royal ancestry.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Avi means "my father," a title that carries deep weight in the biblical world. In 2 Kings 18:2, we see this name attached to the mother of King Hezekiah. Though she appears only briefly in Scripture, her identity anchors the lineage of one of Judah’s most faithful kings.
Her presence reminds us that faithfulness often flows through quiet generations. Hezekiah’s reforms did not begin with him alone; they were rooted in a family history preserved by God. Even when names are shortened or records seem sparse, every detail serves a purpose in revealing how God works through ordinary people to accomplish His plans.
This brief mention invites us to trust that our own lives, however small they may seem, are part of a larger story. Just as Avi’s name was kept for future generations, your steps are known and valued by the Lord who holds history in His hands.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [was] Abi1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אֲבִ֖י1×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 18:2
He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.
This verse identifies Abi as the mother of King Hezekiah, establishing her role in the royal lineage that preceded one of Judah’s greatest spiritual reforms.