עַוִּים (av.vim)
av.vim
Avvim
N:N--L / N:N--LGQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L / N:N--LG
Word Overview
The noun avvim refers to two distinct groups mentioned in the Hebrew Bible: a people inhabiting the southwestern coast near Gaza and a specific city located within the territory of Benjamin. The sources indicate that this name is etymologically linked to the word for "ruins," suggesting a connection to desolation or abandoned settlements. This linguistic root provides a subtle backdrop to their identity as early inhabitants who were displaced by other groups, such as the Caphtorites, before eventually being conquered by the Israelites.
These references appear in only four verses, with notable mentions in Deuteronomy 2:23 and Joshua 13:3. In Deuteronomy, the text describes how the Avvim lived in villages as far as Gaza before being driven out. Later, in Joshua, they are listed among the Canaanite peoples remaining in the land, specifically associated with the city of Benjamin. This sparse but precise usage highlights their role as part of the complex demographic landscape of ancient Palestine, marking them as a small but historically significant group in the biblical narrative of conquest and settlement.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Avvim carries a quiet weight of history, linked etymologically to ruins or desolation. In the biblical narrative, these people appear as inhabitants displaced by others, first driven out by the Caphtorites and later absorbed into the broader landscape of Canaan. Their story is not one of conquest but of transition, marking the shifting borders and complex demographics of the ancient land.
For the modern reader, this word serves as a reminder that history is layered with many voices and nations. The mention of Avvim in Deuteronomy and Joshua highlights how God’s promises unfolded within a real, messy world of existing cultures. It invites us to see the biblical text not just as abstract theology, but as a record of real places and people who lived out their lives before Israel.
Even when groups like the Avvim fade from view, their presence in Scripture affirms the reality of God’s sovereignty over all nations. Their displacement and eventual absorption into the region remind us that human empires rise and fall, yet God remains faithful to His covenant people. This historical detail grounds our faith in a tangible past.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ the/ Avvites2×
- and/ the/ Avvite[s]1×
- and/ <the>/ Avvites1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/הָֽ/עַוִּ֛ים1×
- וְ/הָ/עַוִּֽים\׃1×
- וְ/הָ/עַוִּ֥ים1×
- וְ/הָ/עַוִּ֛ים1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 2:23
Then the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza: the Caphtorim, who came out of Caphtor, destroyed them and lived in their place.)
This verse highlights the Avvim's displacement by the Caphtorites, showing how the region's demographics were shifting before Israel's arrival.
-
Joshua 13:3
from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to the border of Ekron northward, which is counted as Canaanite; the five lords of the Philistines; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avvim,
Here the Avvim are listed among the remaining Canaanite peoples, indicating they were still present in the land during the initial division of territory.
-
II Kings 17:31
and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
This occurrence shows the Avvim's later religious practices after being resettled by Assyria, illustrating the cultural mixing that followed their earlier displacement.