ahava Summary and Overview

water, the river (Ezra 8:21) by the banks of which the Jewish exiles assembled under Ezra when about to return to Jerusalem from Babylon. In all probability this was one of the streams of Mesopotamia which flowed into the Euphrates somewhere in the north-west of Babylonia. It has, however, been supposed to be the name of a place (Ezra 8:15) now called Hit, on the Euphrates, east of Damascus.

(water), a place, #Ezr 8:15| or a river, Ezra 8:21 on the banks of which Ezra collected the second expedition which returned with him from Babylon to Jerusalem. Perhaps it is the modern Hit, on the Euphrates due east of Damascus.

AHA'VA (water), a place or river where Ezra collected the returning exiles and proclaimed a fast. Ezr 8:15, Ezr 8:21, 1 Chr 24:31. Rawlinson suggests that Ahava was identical with Ava and Ivah, the modern Hit, on the Euphrates, east of Damascus.

A place (Ezra 8:15); a river (Ezra 8:21) where Ezra assembled the second band of returning captives, for prayer to God as he says "to seek of Him a right way for us, for our little ones, and for all our substance." The modern Hit, on the Euphrates, E. of Damascus; Ihi-dakira, "the spring of bitumen," was its name subsequently to Ezra's times. Perhaps the Joab of 2 Kings 17:24.