The Misleading Nature of "Love" and "Hate" in Biblical Translation

Scholars have long shown that the Hebrew roots אהב ('ahab) and שׂנא (śana') exhibit a range of active associations that extend beyond the default translations of "love" and "hate." Depending on the context and agent, אהב can connote loyalty, protection, favor, attraction, or the act of sexual intercourse itself. The antonym שׂנא is then frequently employed in legal contexts, where it triggers the dissolution of formal bonds. Nonetheless, lexemes deriving from אהב and שׂנא continue to be translated almost exclusively in emotional terms, even when the context demands otherwise. This tendency has resulted in the misinterpretation of a number of texts, including the Jacob/Rachel/Leah saga in Genesis 29-30 and the law featuring a man with two wives and two sons in Deut 21:15-17. This article demonstrates what is gained when we translate אהב and שׂנא in accordance with their semantic range, active nature, and specialized functions.