2968. yaab

Lexical Summary

yaab: To desire, to long for

Original Word: יָאַב
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: ya'ab
Pronunciation: yah-av'
Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-ab')
KJV: long
NASB: longed
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to desire

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

long

A primitive root; to desire -- long.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to long, desire
NASB Translation
longed (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[יָאַב] verb long, desire (Aramaic , and especially Ethpa`al and derivatives) —

Qal Perfect1singular לְמִצְוֺתֶיךָ יָ˜א֑בְתִּי Psalm 119:131, late Aramaism.

Topical Lexicon

Essential Concept

יָאַב conveys an intense physiological reaction—panting or gasping—that images an equally intense inward craving. In Psalm 119:131 the psalmist writes, “I open my mouth and pant, longing for Your commandments”. The single Old Testament occurrence elevates the verb from a mere description of labored breathing to a picture of passionate, life-dependent yearning for the Word of God.

Biblical Setting

• Psalm 119 is an alphabetic acrostic celebrating Torah. Verse 131 falls within the פ (Pe) stanza, whose initial letter resembles an open mouth—an apt visual aid for the verb’s action.
• The psalmist’s “panting” follows a chain of expressed desires (verses 129–130) and precedes petitions for divine mercy (verses 132–135), situating יָאַב at the hinge between contemplation and supplication.

Spiritual Theology of Longing

1. Vital Breath: Panting is what a creature does when oxygen is scarce. Scripture presents the Word of God as spiritual oxygen; separation from it threatens life itself (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4).
2. Thirst Motif: The imagery aligns with other metaphors of desperate desire—“My soul thirsts for You” (Psalm 63:1), “As the deer pants for streams of water” (Psalm 42:1). Collectively these texts portray the believer’s pursuit of God as a survival instinct rather than a casual preference.
3. Covenant Fidelity: Longing for commandments is not legalism but covenant commitment. The panting mouth signals a heart eager to obey, fulfilling Deuteronomy’s charge to “love the LORD your God with all your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:5).

Historical and Cultural Background

Ancient Near Eastern literature often equates heavy breathing with exhaustion after battle or travel. By appropriating the image for Torah devotion, the psalmist elevates the study of God’s law to the highest exertion known to humanity. In post-exilic Judaism, Psalm 119’s vocabulary fostered a culture in which scribes and students cherished Scripture with palpable emotion, shaping the synagogue’s emphasis on public reading and exposition.

Intertextual Echoes and Fulfillment

While יָאַב appears only once, its theology ripples through Scripture:

• The Servant of Isaiah is given “a well-instructed tongue” (Isaiah 50:4), answering the longing hinted at in Psalm 119:131.
• Jesus Christ personifies the Word (John 1:1) and offers rest to those “weary and burdened” (Matthew 11:28), meeting the need of every panting soul.
• The Spirit, who “intercedes for us with groans too deep for words” (Romans 8:26), transforms sighs of deficiency into breaths filled with divine life.

Ministry and Devotional Application

• Preaching: Use Psalm 119:131 to illustrate the posture of receptivity—mouth open, heart expanded—for expositional ministry.
• Prayer: Encourage believers to turn physical sensations of fatigue or stress into reminders to “pant” after God’s commands.
• Discipleship: Frame Bible intake disciplines (reading, memorizing, meditating) not as duties but as breaths that sustain the inner person.
• Worship: Songs and liturgy that express holy longing resonate with the psalmist’s vocabulary, helping congregations voice dependence on Scripture.

Practical Counsel for Modern Believers

1. Recognize Symptoms: Spiritual lethargy often surfaces when Scripture is neglected. Monitor the soul’s respiratory rate.
2. Schedule Breathing Spaces: Integrate pauses in daily routines for unhurried engagement with the Word.
3. Pair Obedience with Intake: Longing is satisfied only when commandments are heeded (James 1:22–25).
4. Cultivate Community: Small groups that study and apply Scripture together create an environment where corporate panting becomes collective praise.

Conclusion

יָאַב may appear but once, yet its single gasp resounds across redemptive history, reminding every generation that true life is found in ardent pursuit of the living Word.

Forms and Transliterations

יָאָֽבְתִּי׃ יאבתי׃ yā’āḇətî yā·’ā·ḇə·tî yaAveti

Englishman's Concordance

Psalm 119:131
HEB: כִּ֖י לְמִצְוֹתֶ֣יךָ יָאָֽבְתִּי׃
NAS: and panted, For I longed for Your commandments.
KJV: and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.
INT: for your commandments longed

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 2968
1 Occurrence

yā·’ā·ḇə·tî — 1 Occ.