BDB166 [H178]

1. skin-bottle, only plural אֹבוֺת חֲדָשִׁים new (wine-) skins Job 32:19.

2. necromancer, in phrase אוֺב אוֺ יִדְּעֹנִי necromancer or wizard Lev 20:27 (H; usually translated 'a man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit or that is a wizard' RV; but better a man or a woman, if there should be among them, a necromancer or wizard; no sufficient reason for exceptional use of phrase here); וְיִדְּעֹנִי ׳א Deut 18:11; 2Chr 33:6 = 2Kgs 21:6 (where וידענים ׳א); הָאֹבוֺת וְהַיִּדְּעֹנִים Lev 19:31; Lev 20:6 (H) 1Sam 28:3; 1Sam 28:9; 2Kgs 23:24; Isa 8:19 (where repres. as chirping & muttering, in practice of their art of seeking dead for instruction, probably ventriloquism, & so ᵐ5) Isa 19:3.

3. ghost, Isa 29:4 וְהָיָה כְּאוֺב מֵאֶרֶץ קוֺלֵח וּמֵעָפָר אִמְרָתֵח תְּצַפְצֵף and thy voice shall be as a ghost from the ground and from the dust thy speech shall chirp (so Ge MV Ew De Che and others, but chirping might be of necromancer, as Isa 8:19).

4. necromancy אֵשֶׁת בַּעֲלַתאֿוֺב a woman who was mistress of necromancy 1Sam 28:7 (twice in verse); (> RS^{JPh xiv, 127 f makes} אוֺב primarily a subterranean spirit, and significant.

2. only an abbreviation of ׳בעלתא etc.); קסם בּאוֺב divine by necromancy 1Sam 28:8, which seems to be interpretation of 1Chr 10:13 ׳שׁאל בא inquire by necromancy. (In these three examples אוֺב is usually interpreted as ghost or familiar spirit conceived as dwelling in necromancer; but this apparently not the ancient conception.)