Original Word: אַב
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: ab
Pronunciation: ahv
Phonetic Spelling: (ab)
NASB: father, fathers
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H1 (אָב - father)]

1. father

father

(Aramaic) corresponding to 'ab -- father.

see HEBREW 'ab

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to ab
Definition
father
NASB Translation
father (6), fathers (3).

[אַב D^{§ 40.4}, אַבָּא Id^ib Mei^{Chr 165}]

noun masculine father (Biblical Hebrew אָב); —

1 literally father suffix אֲבוּ֫הִי Daniel 5:13 (see Behrm Marti), אֲבוךְ (K^{§ 53, 2 a}) Daniel 5:11; Daniel 5:11; Daniel 5:11; Daniel 5:18 אֲבוּ֫הִי Daniel 5:2.

2 plural fathers, ancestors , [אֲבָהָן D^l.c.], suffix אֲבָהָתי Daniel 2:33 (Baer תַי-, but see K^{§ 53, 1}), אֲבָהָתָךְ Ezra 4:15, תָ֫נָא- (Str. תַ֫נָא—) Ezra 5:12.

Scope of Term

The Aramaic noun אַב (ʾab, H2) appears nine times in the Old Testament, all within the Aramaic portions of Ezra and Daniel. In these contexts it designates a physical father, a direct ancestor one or more generations removed, or a predecessor in royal office. The term thus functions as a bridge between personal family relationships and national or royal identity.

Occurrences in Scripture

Ezra 4:15; 5:12

Daniel 2:23; 5:2; 5:11 (three occurrences); 5:13; 5:18

Historical Background

• Ezra 4–5 records Persian-era correspondence concerning the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple. The Aramaic letters reference the “book of the records of your fathers” (Ezra 4:15) and confess that “our fathers angered the God of heaven” (Ezra 5:12), illustrating how the memory of previous generations shaped imperial policy and Israel’s own repentance.
• Daniel 2 and 5 belong to the Neo-Babylonian period. Daniel praises the “God of my fathers” (Daniel 2:23), affirming continuity with Israel’s patriarchal faith while living in exile. Later, the term is used repeatedly of Nebuchadnezzar in relation to Belshazzar (Daniel 5), underscoring dynastic succession as well as inherited accountability before God.

Thematic Emphases

1. Continuity of Covenant Memory

Ezra and Daniel emphasize that present generations stand within an unbroken chain of accountability. Daniel’s doxology—“I praise You, O God of my fathers” (Daniel 2:23)—links his personal faith to that of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob even while he serves a foreign court. The covenantal God remains the same across generations, and His people are called to remember both His faithfulness and their ancestors’ failures.

2. Royal Lineage and Legitimate Authority

In Daniel 5 the repeated description of Nebuchadnezzar as Belshazzar’s “father” legitimizes Belshazzar’s rule in Babylonian eyes while simultaneously magnifying his guilt. “The Most High God gave sovereignty, greatness, glory, and honor to your father Nebuchadnezzar” (Daniel 5:18). By recalling Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling, the narrative warns that privilege inherited from a predecessor can never substitute for personal humility before God.

3. Generational Sin and Corporate Responsibility

Ezra 5:12 confesses that “our fathers angered the God of heaven,” resulting in exile. The verse exemplifies biblical teaching that sin’s consequences ripple through generations, yet each generation must confront its own need for repentance (cf. Deuteronomy 24:16; Ezekiel 18). The restoration community’s willingness to acknowledge ancestral guilt proved essential for renewed fellowship with the Lord.

4. Pedagogical Transmission of Faith

References to the “records of your fathers” (Ezra 4:15) reveal the importance of archival memory. Written chronicles functioned as teaching tools, preserving both positive and negative lessons. The repeated Aramaic use of ʾab places emphasis on deliberate instruction across generations, echoing the Mosaic mandate to “teach them diligently to your children” (Deuteronomy 6:7).

Implications for Ministry and Discipleship

• Spiritual Heritage: Believers are encouraged to honor faithful forebears while recognizing that true inheritance is spiritual, not merely biological (Romans 9:6-8).
• Accountability: Privilege, whether familial, ecclesial, or cultural, intensifies responsibility before God. Leadership today must heed the warning of Belshazzar, whose disregard for his “father’s” lessons precipitated judgment.
• Intercessory Prayer: Daniel’s appeal to the God of his fathers demonstrates how remembrance of past mercies fuels bold petition in the present.
• Corporate Repentance: Ezra’s generation models collective confession that realistically acknowledges ancestral sin without fatalism, embracing God’s promise of restoration.

Christological Trajectory

The Old Testament use of ʾab prepares the way for the fuller revelation of divine Fatherhood in the New Testament. Jesus’ frequent address to God as “Father” (for example, John 17:1) and the apostolic teaching of adoption (Galatians 4:4-7) expand the familial theme beyond ethnic Israel to all who believe. Thus the Aramaic term in Ezra and Daniel foreshadows the universal family of God gathered in Christ.

אֲב֔וּהִי אֲב֔וּךְ אֲב֗וּךְ אֲב֥וּךְ אֲבָהֳתַ֙נָא֙ אֲבָהָתִ֗י אֲבָהָתָ֗ךְ אֲבֽוּךְ׃ אַ֖בִי אבהתי אבהתך אבהתנא אבוהי אבוך אבוך׃ אבי ’ă·ḇā·hā·ṯāḵ ’ă·ḇā·hā·ṯî ’ă·ḇā·ho·ṯa·nā ’a·ḇî ’ă·ḇū·hî ’ă·ḇūḵ ’ăḇāhāṯāḵ ’ăḇāhāṯî ’ăḇāhoṯanā ’aḇî ’ăḇūhî ’ăḇūḵ avahaTach avahaTi Avi avohoTana aVuch aVuhiInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts