Avvim in the Bible — Hidden Meaning & Symbolism

Avvim (A. V., Avim, Avims, Avites), av'-vlm (Heb.)-- the Avites; ruins; perversions; iniquities. a A rude, uncultivated people descended from Canaan, a people who for a long while lived in a portion of Palestine (Deut. 2:23; Josh. 13:3). b A city of Benjamin (Josh. 18:23). c The people that the king of Assyria sent from Avva to live in Samaria in place of the Israelites, whom he had taken away (II Kings 17:31, Avvites). Meta. The most primitive, unenlightened ideas of the carnal man regarding his life forces and functions. These ideas cause man to look upon himself as purely physical and to place himself on a plane with animals--the dog and the ass, symbolized by the gods Nibhaz and Tartak, whose worship the Avvim, or Avvites, introduced into Samaria (II Kings 17:31). It is needless to point out that such thoughts (people) are very erroneous in their character (iniquities, perversions) and are decidedly inimical (ruins) to the spiritual good of the individual. They work against Truth, which alone can set man free from materiality and bring him into his true birthright of abiding life and good.