עִוְעִים (av.eh)
av.eh
distortion
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun av.eh, found only in Isaiah 19:14, describes a state of distortion or perversion. It refers to the act of warping something from its true shape or intended path, suggesting a deliberate twisting rather than a simple error.
In its sole biblical occurrence, the word characterizes the spirit that leads Egypt into confusion. The text portrays this force as causing leaders to misjudge and people to stumble, highlighting how moral and intellectual distortion can paralyze a nation’s decision-making.
The term carries a sense of active deformation. It is not merely about being lost, but about the path itself being bent out of alignment. This imagery underscores the chaos that results when guidance is corrupted, leaving those in its wake unable to find their way.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word av.eh appears only once in Scripture, within Isaiah’s prophecy concerning Egypt. It describes a deep distortion where guidance is twisted from its true path. This was not simple confusion but an active warping of judgment that left leaders stumbling and the nation paralyzed.
When we face decisions that feel unclear or when circumstances seem chaotic, this passage reminds us that true direction comes from God alone. Human wisdom can become distorted by pride or fear, leading us astray in ways we do not intend. Yet even in nations that turn away, God remains sovereign over history and justice.
May you find peace in knowing that God’s truth stands firm against all confusion. His guidance is steady and clear, offering a reliable path when the world around you feels uncertain or bent out of shape.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- confusion<s>1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עִוְעִ֑ים1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 19:14
Yahweh has mixed a spirit of perverseness in the middle of her; and they have caused Egypt to go astray in all of its works, like a drunken man staggers in his vomit.
This verse uses av.eh to describe how God allowed a spirit of distortion to enter Egypt, causing its leaders to misjudge and the nation to stumble in its actions.