🔼The name Ivvah: Summary
- Meaning
- Overturned, Ruined
- Etymology
- From the verb עוה ('awa), to bend or twist.
🔼The name Ivvah in the Bible
Ivvah is a city under the control of the king of Assyria. The king's spokesman, a loudmouth named Rabshakeh, tries to demoralize king Hezekiah and the citizens of Jerusalem and by stating that the Assyrians conquered several cities (among which Ivvah), and none of their gods came to their rescue (2 Kings 18:34, 19:13 and Isaiah 37:13).
Some scholars (BDB Theological Dictionary) believe that Ivvah and Avva (עוא) are the same city.
🔼Etymology of the name Ivvah
The name Ivvah comes from the verb עוה ('awa), meaning to distort:
עוה
The verb עוה ('awa) means to bend or twist, usually with a bottom line or ruin or perversion. Noun עון ('awon) means iniquity or guilt. Verb עוה ('awa) means to commit iniquity of do wrong. Nouns עוה ('awwa), עי ('i) and מעי (me'i) mean distortion or ruin. Plural noun עועים ('iw'im) means a distorting or warping.
🔼Ivvah meaning
For a meaning of the name Ivvah, Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names reads Overturned. NOBSE Study Bible Name List appears to trace the etymology of our name to some other language and reads Sky, but it wouldn't have meant that to a Hebrew audience. BDB Theological Dictionary does not offer an interpretation of our name but does confirm that it comes from the verb עוה ('awa).