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Hebrew

אָהֵב a·hav

“to love” · 211 times in the Old Testament

Through the Bible

Genesis: 14 timesExodus: 2 timesLeviticus: 2 timesNumbers: 0 timesDeuteronomy: 22 timesJoshua: 2 timesJudges: 4 timesRuth: once1 Samuel: 8 times2 Samuel: 7 times1 Kings: 4 times2 Kings: 0 times1 Chronicles: 0 times2 Chronicles: 5 timesEzra: 0 timesNehemiah: 2 timesEsther: 4 timesJob: oncePsalms: 39 timesProverbs: 27 timesEcclesiastes: 4 timesSong of Songs: 7 timesIsaiah: 9 timesJeremiah: 10 timesLamentations: 2 timesEzekiel: 7 timesDaniel: onceHosea: 16 timesJoel: 0 timesAmos: 2 timesObadiah: 0 timesJonah: 0 timesMicah: 2 timesNahum: 0 timesHabakkuk: 0 timesZephaniah: 0 timesHaggai: 0 timesZechariah: 3 timesMalachi: 4 timesMatthew: 8 timesMark: 5 timesLuke: 13 timesJohn: 37 timesActs: 0 timesRomans: 8 times1 Corinthians: 2 times2 Corinthians: 4 timesGalatians: 2 timesEphesians: 10 timesPhilippians: 0 timesColossians: 2 times1 Thessalonians: 2 times2 Thessalonians: 2 times1 Timothy: 0 times2 Timothy: 2 timesTitus: 0 timesPhilemon: 0 timesHebrews: 2 timesJames: 3 times1 Peter: 4 times2 Peter: once1 John: 28 times2 John: 2 times3 John: onceJude: onceRevelation: 4 timesLawHistoryWisdomProphetsGospelsLetters
  • “love” 52
  • “loved” 48
  • “lovers” 18
  • “friends” 11
  • “beloved” 7
  • other ways 75
  • agapaō, the Greek the New Testament uses for it 143

In the New Testament it continues as agapaō: Matthew 22:39 quotes Leviticus 19:18, and puts this word in Greek.

As a table, book by book
BookTimes
Genesis14
Exodus2
Leviticus2
Deuteronomy22
Joshua2
Judges4
Ruth1
1 Samuel8
2 Samuel7
1 Kings4
2 Chronicles5
Nehemiah2
Esther4
Job1
Psalms39
Proverbs27
Ecclesiastes4
Song of Songs7
Isaiah9
Jeremiah10
Lamentations2
Ezekiel7
Daniel1
Hosea16
Amos2
Micah2
Zechariah3
Malachi4
Matthew8
Mark5
Luke13
John37
Romans8
1 Corinthians2
2 Corinthians4
Galatians2
Ephesians10
Colossians2
1 Thessalonians2
2 Thessalonians2
2 Timothy2
Hebrews2
James3
1 Peter4
2 Peter1
1 John28
2 John2
3 John1
Jude1
Revelation4

How the BSB translates it

Each way the Berean Standard Bible puts it into English, and how often.

  1. love52
  2. loved48
  3. lovers18
  4. friends11
  5. beloved7
  6. who love7
  7. love you5
  8. who loves5
  9. who love him4
  10. who love me4
  11. love them3
  12. loved him3
  13. 39 other ways44
Its meanings, as STEP Bible divides them
  • lover 198
  • friend 13

With a pronoun joined

Hebrew joins “me”, “you”, “him” and the like to the end of a word.

Where it occurs

Grouped by how it’s translated, then by book. Each reference opens the verse.

“love” 52

  • Genesis 2

    • 22:2 …only son Isaac whom you love and go to the…
    • 27:4 …a tasty dish that I love and bring it to…

  • Exodus 1

    • 21:5 …if the servant declares I love my master and my…

  • Leviticus 2

    • 19:18 …any of your people but love your neighbor as yourself…
    • 19:34 …you as native born and love him as yourself for…

  • Deuteronomy 7

    • 6:5 And you shall love the LORD your God…
    • 11:13 …am giving you today to love the LORD your God…
    • 11:22 …giving you to follow to love the LORD your God…
    • 13:3 …to find out whether you love Him with all your…
    • 30:6 …hearts of your descendants and you will love Him with all your…
    • 30:16 …am commanding you today to love the LORD your God…
    • 30:20 and that you may love the LORD your God…

  • Joshua 2

    • 22:5 …the LORD gave you to love the LORD your God…
    • 23:11 …Therefore watch yourselves carefully that you love the LORD your God…

  • 2 Samuel 2

    • 13:4 …Amnon replied I am in love with Tamar my brother…
    • 19:6 You love those who hate you…

  • 1 Kings 1

    • 10:9 …of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel He has…

  • 2 Chronicles 1

    • 19:2 …you help the wicked and love those who hate the…

  • Job 1

    • 19:19 …despise me and those I love have turned against me…

  • Psalms 12

    • 26:8 …O LORD I love the house where You…
    • 31:23 Love the LORD all His…
    • 52:3 You love evil more than good…
    • 52:4 You love every word that devours…
    • 116:1 I love the LORD for He…
    • 119:48 …to Your commandments which I love and I meditate on…
    • 119:97 …Oh how I love Your law All day…
    • 119:113 …despise but Your law I love
    • 119:119 …discard like dross therefore I love Your testimonies…
    • 119:127 …Therefore I love Your commandments more than…
    • 119:159 …Consider how I love Your precepts O LORD…
    • 119:163 …falsehood but Your law I love

  • Proverbs 5

    • 1:22 …long O simple ones will you love your simple ways How…
    • 8:17 …I love those who love me…
    • 8:36 …all who hate me love death…
    • 15:12 …A mocker does not love to be reproved nor…
    • 20:13 …Do not love sleep or you will…

  • Ecclesiastes 1

    • 3:8 …a time to love and a time to…

  • Song of Songs 5

    • 1:7 …me O one I love where do you pasture…
    • 3:1 …sought the one I love I sought him but…
    • 3:2 …seek the one I love So I sought him…
    • 3:3 …seen the one I love
    • 3:4 …found the one I love I held him and…

  • Isaiah 3

    • 1:23 …of thieves They all love bribes and chasing after…
    • 56:6 …to minister to Him to love the name of the…
    • 61:8 …For I the LORD love justice I hate robbery…

  • Jeremiah 3

    • 2:25 …It is hopeless For I love foreign gods and I…
    • 5:31 …own authority My people love it so but what…
    • 14:10 …about this people Truly they love to wander they have…

  • Amos 1

    • 5:15 …Hate evil and love good establish justice in…

  • Micah 2

    • 3:2 …You hate good and love evil You tear the…
    • 6:8 …but to act justly to love mercy and to walk…

  • Zechariah 1

    • 8:17 …neighbor and do not love to swear falsely for…
“loved” 48

  • Genesis 9

    • 25:28 …taste for wild game he loved Esau but Rebekah loved…
    • 25:28 …loved Esau but Rebekah loved Jacob…
    • 27:9 …your father the kind he loves
    • 27:14 …tasty food his father loved
    • 29:18 …Since Jacob loved Rachel he answered I…
    • 29:30 …as well and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah…
    • 34:3 …the daughter of Jacob He loved the young girl and…
    • 37:3 …Now Israel loved Joseph more than his…
    • 37:4 …saw that their father loved him more than any…

  • Deuteronomy 5

    • 4:37 …Because He loved your fathers He chose…
    • 10:15 …affection on your fathers and loved them And He has…
    • 10:18 …the fatherless and widow and He loves the foreigner giving him…
    • 15:16 …to leave you because he loves you and your household…
    • 19:9 …am giving you today loving the LORD your God…

  • Ruth 1

    • 4:15 …daughter in law who loves you and is better…

  • 1 Samuel 3

    • 1:5 …a double portion for he loved her even though the…
    • 18:16 …all Israel and Judah loved David because he was…
    • 18:20 …Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David and when this…

  • 1 Kings 2

    • 3:3 …And Solomon loved the LORD and walked…
    • 11:1 …King Solomon however loved many foreign women along…

  • 2 Chronicles 2

    • 9:8 …God Because your God loved Israel enough to establish…
    • 11:21 …Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom…

  • Nehemiah 1

    • 13:26 …nations and he was loved by his God who…

  • Esther 1

    • 2:17 …And the king loved Esther more than all…

  • Psalms 9

    • 11:7 …the LORD is righteous He loves justice The upright will…
    • 37:28 …For the LORD loves justice and will not…
    • 45:7 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness…
    • 47:4 …pride of Jacob whom He loves Selah…
    • 78:68 …Judah Mount Zion which He loved
    • 87:2 …The LORD loves the gates of Zion…
    • 99:4 …The mighty King loves justice You have established…
    • 109:17 …The cursing that he loved may it fall on…
    • 146:8 …weighed down the LORD loves the righteous…

  • Proverbs 6

    • 3:12 …LORD disciplines the one He loves as does a father…
    • 12:1 …Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge but he who…
    • 15:9 …way of the wicked but He loves those who pursue righteousness…
    • 17:17 …A friend loves at all times and…
    • 17:19 …He who loves transgression loves strife he who builds…
    • 19:8 …He who acquires wisdom loves himself one who safeguards…

  • Ecclesiastes 1

    • 5:10 …money and he who loves wealth is never satisfied…

  • Isaiah 2

    • 56:10 …are dreamers lying around loving to slumber…
    • 57:8 …with those whose bed you have loved you have gazed upon…

  • Jeremiah 2

    • 8:2 …host of heaven which they have loved served followed consulted and…
    • 31:3 …in the past saying I have loved you with an everlasting…

  • Ezekiel 1

    • 16:37 …found pleasure all those you loved and all those you…

  • Hosea 2

    • 10:11 …a well trained heifer that loves to thresh but I…
    • 12:7 …A merchant loves to defraud with dishonest…

  • Malachi 1

    • 1:2 …the LORD Yet Jacob I have loved
“lovers” 18

  • 2 Chronicles 1

    • 26:10 …And since he was a lover of the soil he…

  • Psalms 1

    • 11:5 …wicked His soul hates the lover of violence…

  • Jeremiah 3

    • 22:20 …from Abarim for all your lovers have been crushed…
    • 22:22 …away all your shepherds and your lovers will go into captivity…
    • 30:14 …All your lovers have forgotten you they…

  • Lamentations 2

    • 1:2 …her cheeks Among all her lovers there is no one…
    • 1:19 …I called out to my lovers but they have betrayed…

  • Ezekiel 6

    • 16:33 …gave gifts to all your lovers You bribed them to…
    • 16:36 …in your promiscuity with your lovers and with all your…
    • 16:37 …will surely gather all the lovers with whom you found…
    • 23:5 …Mine She lusted after her lovers the Assyrians warriors…
    • 23:9 …her into the hands of her lovers the Assyrians for whom…
    • 23:22 …says I will incite your lovers against you those from…

  • Hosea 5

    • 2:5 …I will go after my lovers who give me bread…
    • 2:7 …She will pursue her lovers but not catch them…
    • 2:10 …lewdness in the sight of her lovers and no one will…
    • 2:12 …are the wages paid by her lovers So I will make…
    • 2:13 …jewelry and went after her lovers But Me she forgot…
“friends” 11

  • 1 Kings 1

    • 5:1 …Hiram had always been a friend of David…

  • 2 Chronicles 1

    • 20:7 …the descendants of Abraham Your friend

  • Esther 3

    • 5:10 …home And calling for his friends and his wife Zeresh…
    • 5:14 …wife Zeresh and all his friends told him Have them…
    • 6:13 …wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened…

  • Proverbs 2

    • 18:24 …ruin but there is a friend who stays closer than…
    • 27:6 …The wounds of a friend are faithful but the…

  • Isaiah 1

    • 41:8 …chosen descendant of Abraham My friend

  • Jeremiah 2

    • 20:4 …yourself and to all your friends They will fall by…
    • 20:6 …buried you and all your friends to whom you have…

  • Zechariah 1

    • 13:6 …received in the house of my friends
“beloved” 7

  • Deuteronomy 1

    • 21:15 …has two wives one beloved and the other unloved…

  • 2 Samuel 1

    • 1:23 …Saul and Jonathan beloved and delightful in life…

  • Psalms 2

    • 38:11 My beloved and friends shun my…
    • 88:18 …You have removed my beloved and my friend darkness…

  • Proverbs 1

    • 16:13 …he who speaks honestly is beloved

  • Ecclesiastes 1

    • 9:9 …Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days…

  • Malachi 1

    • 2:11 …has profaned the LORD’s beloved sanctuary by marrying the…
“who love” 7

  • Psalms 6

    • 5:11 …May You shelter them that those who love Your name may rejoice…
    • 40:16 …be glad in You may those who love Your salvation always say…
    • 69:36 …servants will inherit it and those who love His name will settle…
    • 70:4 …be glad in You may those who love Your salvation always say…
    • 119:132 …mercy as You do to those who love Your name…
    • 119:165 …Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your law nothing can…

  • Proverbs 1

    • 14:20 …but many are those who love the rich…
“love you” 5

  • Deuteronomy 1

    • 7:13 He will love you and bless you and…

  • Judges 1

    • 16:15 …How can you say I love you she asked when your…

  • 1 Samuel 1

    • 18:22 …and all his servants love you Now therefore become his…

  • Proverbs 1

    • 9:8 …rebuke a wise man and he will love you

  • Isaiah 1

    • 43:4 …sight and because I love you I will give men…
“who loves” 5

  • Proverbs 4

    • 17:19 He who loves transgression loves strife he…
    • 21:17 He who loves pleasure will become poor…
    • 22:11 He who loves a pure heart and…
    • 29:3 …A man who loves wisdom brings joy to…

  • Ecclesiastes 1

    • 5:10 He who loves money is never satisfied…
“who love me” 4

  • Exodus 1

    • 20:6 …to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments…

  • Deuteronomy 1

    • 5:10 …to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments…

  • Proverbs 2

    • 8:17 …I love those who love me and those who seek…
    • 8:21 …bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries…
“who love him” 4

  • Deuteronomy 1

    • 7:9 …for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments…

  • Nehemiah 1

    • 1:5 …covenant of loving devotion with those who love Him and keep His commandments…

  • Psalms 1

    • 145:20 …The LORD preserves all who love Him but all the wicked…

  • Daniel 1

    • 9:4 …covenant of loving devotion to those who love Him and keep His commandments…
“loved him” 3

  • Genesis 1

    • 44:20 …left and his father loves him

  • 1 Samuel 1

    • 18:1 …knit together and Jonathan loved him as himself…

  • Hosea 1

    • 11:1 …Israel was a child I loved him and out of Egypt…
“who love you” 3

  • Judges 1

    • 5:31 …enemies perish O LORD But may those who love You shine like the sun…

  • 2 Samuel 1

    • 19:6 …hate you and hate those who love you For you have made…

  • Psalms 1

    • 122:6 …the peace of Jerusalem May those who love you prosper…
“love them” 3

  • Psalms 2

    • 119:47 …in Your commandments because I love them
    • 119:167 …I obey Your testimonies and love them greatly…

  • Hosea 1

    • 14:4 …apostasy I will freely love them for My anger has…
“love me” 2

  • Genesis 1

    • 29:32 …affliction Surely my husband will love me now…

  • Judges 1

    • 14:16 …You do not really love me You have posed to…
“loves you” 2

  • Deuteronomy 1

    • 23:5 …the LORD your God loves you

  • Malachi 1

    • 1:2 I have loved you says the LORD But…
“adore you” 2

  • Song of Songs 2

    • 1:3 …No wonder the maidens adore you
    • 1:4 …It is only right that they adore you
“loved her” 1

  • Genesis 1

    • 24:67 …his wife And Isaac loved her and was comforted after…
“love him” 1

  • Deuteronomy 1

    • 10:12 …in all His ways to love Him to serve the LORD…
“also must love” 1

  • Deuteronomy 1

    • 10:19 So you also must love the foreigner since you…
“therefore love” 1

  • Deuteronomy 1

    • 11:1 You shall therefore love the LORD your God…
“both” 1

  • Deuteronomy 1

    • 21:15 …and the other unloved and both bear him sons but…
“beloved wife” 1

  • Deuteronomy 1

    • 21:16 …not appoint the son of the beloved wife as the firstborn over…
“samson fell in love with” 1

  • Judges 1

    • 16:4 …Some time later Samson fell in love with a woman in the…
“saul loved him” 1

  • 1 Samuel 1

    • 16:21 …and entered his service Saul loved him very much and David…
“loved david” 1

  • 1 Samuel 1

    • 18:28 …that his daughter Michal loved David
“jonathan loved david” 1

  • 1 Samuel 1

    • 20:17 …love for him for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself…
“loved the child” 1

  • 2 Samuel 1

    • 12:24 …Solomon Now the LORD loved the child
“fell in love” 1

  • 2 Samuel 1

    • 13:1 …time David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar the beautiful…
“previously had” 1

  • 2 Samuel 1

    • 13:15 …greater than the love he previously had Get up he said…
“how long will you love” 1

  • Psalms 1

    • 4:2 …my honor be maligned How long will you love vanity and seek after…
“LORD loves” 1

  • Psalms 1

    • 33:5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice the…
“who desires” 1

  • Psalms 1

    • 34:12 …who delights in life who desires to see good days…
“o you who love” 1

  • Psalms 1

    • 97:10 …Hate evil O you who love the LORD He preserves…
“loves it” 1

  • Psalms 1

    • 119:140 …pure therefore Your servant loves it
“love her” 1

  • Proverbs 1

    • 4:6 …she will preserve you love her and she will guard…
“whoever loves” 1

  • Proverbs 1

    • 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge but…
“who loves him” 1

  • Proverbs 1

    • 13:24 …rod hates his son but he who loves him disciplines him diligently…
“who love it” 1

  • Proverbs 1

    • 18:21 …power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit…
“one who loves” 1

  • Proverbs 1

    • 21:17 …pleasure will become poor the one who loves wine and oil will…
“chosen ally” 1

  • Isaiah 1

    • 48:14 …these things The LORD’s chosen ally will carry out His…
“who love her” 1

  • Isaiah 1

    • 66:10 …rejoice over her all who love her Rejoice greatly with her…
“show love” 1

  • Hosea 1

    • 3:1 …said to me Go show love to your wife again…
“though she is loved” 1

  • Hosea 1

    • 3:1 …to your wife again though she is loved by another and is…
“love to offer” 1

  • Hosea 1

    • 3:1 …turn to other gods and love to offer raisin cakes to idols…
“dearly love” 1

  • Hosea 1

    • 4:18 …to prostitution their rulers dearly love disgrace…
“rulers” 1

  • Hosea 1

    • 4:18 …they turn to prostitution their rulers dearly love disgrace…
“made love” 1

  • Hosea 1

    • 9:1 …harlot against your God you have made love for hire on every…
“as the thing they loved” 1

  • Hosea 1

    • 9:10 …they became as detestable as the thing they loved
“love to do” 1

  • Amos 1

    • 4:5 …you children of Israel love to do declares the Lord GOD…
“therefore you are to love” 1

  • Zechariah 1

    • 8:19 …the house of Judah Therefore you are to love both truth and peace…
“loved us” 1

  • Malachi 1

    • 1:2 …But you ask How have You loved us Was not Esau Jacob’s…

The Hebrew and Greek words, their glosses and grammar: STEP Bible (CC BY 4.0). The English: the Berean Standard Bible, which also gives which English words render which. Counts are ours.