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H1939 · Hebrew · Old Testament
הַוָּה
Havvah
Noun, feminine
Calamity, desire, craving

Definition

The Hebrew noun havvah means disaster, calamity, or ruinous craving. It comes from a root suggesting falling or destruction. In several passages it describes the word of a wicked person as a trap or destructive force. The related form Chavvah (Eve) may share this root, though the meaning differs by context.

Usage & Theological Significance

Havvah appears in wisdom literature to describe the destructive power of wicked speech and ungodly desire. The "desire" (havvah) of the lips of the wicked brings destruction (Proverbs 10:3). This word stands as a warning: when the heart is corrupt, even its desires become catastrophic. The contrast with godly wisdom, whose words bring life, highlights the moral stakes of every utterance and every longing.

Key Bible Verses

Proverbs 10:3 The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
Proverbs 11:6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their desires.
Micah 7:3 Both their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul.
Psalm 5:9 For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction.
Proverbs 17:4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

Related Words

External Resources

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