Lover

Lover - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

LOV'ER, n.

1. One who loves; one who has a tender affection, particularly for a female.

Love is blind, and lovers cannot see -

2. A friend; one who regards with kindness.

Your brother and his lover have embraced.

3. One who likes or is pleased with any thing; as a lover of books or of science; a lover of wine; a lover of religion.

Lover and loover. [See Louver.]

luv'-er ('ohebh, 'ahebh): In the Old Testament 'ohebh, from 'ahebh, "to love," is sometimes "lover" in the sense of "friend," in the older English sense of the word (1Ki 5:1, "Hiram was ever a lover of David"; Ps 38:11; 88:18; La 1:2); more frequently it has the meaning of "lover" in the special sense, sometimes in the evil sense of the word (Jer 22:20,22; 30:14; Eze 16:33,36 f, etc.; Ho 2:5,7,10, etc.); `aghabh, "to love" (Jer 4:30), rea`, "companion" (Jer 3:1), and ahabhim, "loves" (Ho 8:9), are also translated "lovers" in this sense.

In the New Testament the simple word "lover" does not occur, but we have various compound words, philotheos "lover of God" (2Ti 3:4); philagathos, "lover of good," and philoxenos, "lover of hospitality" (Tit 1:8); philautos, "lover of self" (2Ti 3:2); philedonos, "lover of pleasure" (2Ti 3:4).

In the Revised Version (British and American) we have, for "a lover of hospitality" (Tit 1:8), "given to"; for "covetous" (Lu 16:14; 2Ti 3:2), "lovers of money"; for "not covetous" (1Ti 3:3), "no lover of money"; for "despisers of them that are good" (2Ti 3:3), "no lovers of good."

W. L. Walker

Definition

The term “lover” literally means “person who loves.” Usually this refers to people who are in a sexual relationship with each other.

• When the term “lover” is used in the Bible, it usually refers to a person who is involved in a sexual relationship with someone he or she is not married to.
• This wrong sexual relationship is often used in the Bible to refer to Israel’s disobedience to God in worshiping idols. So the term “lovers” is also used in a figurative way to refer to the idols that the people of Israel worshiped. In these contexts, this term could possibly be translated by “immoral partners” or “partners in adultery” or “idols.” [See Metaphor]
• A “lover” of money is someone who puts too much importance on getting money and being rich.
• In the Old Testament book Song of Songs, the term “lover” is used in a positive way.

(See also: adultery, false god, false god, love)

Bible References

• Hosea 2:5
• Jeremiah 3:2
• Lamentations 1:2
• Luke 16:14

Word Data

• Strong’s: H0157, H0158, H0868, H5689, H7453, H8566, G08650, G08660, G53660, G53670, G53690, G53770