עָבַת (a.vat)
a.vat
to weave
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb avat appears only once in the Old Testament, in Micah 1:11. In this specific instance, it describes a process of weaving or winding threads together. The context involves the lament over the destruction of cities, where the imagery suggests something being tightly bound or constructed through interlacing strands.
Although rare, the word provides a concrete visual for how ancient craftsmers worked with materials. It is not used metaphorically in Scripture to describe spiritual weaving, but rather points to the physical act of creating fabric or rope. This singular occurrence highlights the tangible nature of daily life and labor even within prophetic warnings.
Translators typically render this word as "weave" or "wind," depending on the surrounding noun. Its scarcity makes it a unique lexical marker in Micah, emphasizing the suddenness with which ordinary activities are interrupted by divine judgment. The word itself carries no additional theological weight beyond its literal meaning of interlacing fibers.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word avat appears only once in the Old Testament, found in Micah 1:11. It describes the physical act of weaving or winding threads together. In its original context, this image highlights the sudden interruption of daily life by divine judgment. The destruction of cities meant that ordinary routines, like crafting fabric, were halted abruptly.
While this verb does not carry a direct metaphorical meaning for spiritual growth in Scripture, it reminds us of the tangible nature of human labor. Our daily tasks and creations are real and valuable, yet they exist within God's sovereign timeline. When circumstances change unexpectedly, we can trust that our work is seen, even when plans are disrupted.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ they weave/ it1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַֽ/יְעַבְּתֽוּ/הָ\׃1×