content: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/ownership" xmlns:com="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">
    <headerData>
      <submissionType>144</submissionType>
      <filerInfo>
        <filer>
          <filerCredentials>
            <cik>0001652712</cik>
            <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
          </filerCredentials>
        </filer>
        <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
  
  
  
      </filerInfo>
    </headerData>
    <formData>
      <issuerInfo>
        <issuerCik>0000708955</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP /OH/</issuerName>
        <secFileNumber>001-34762</secFileNumber>
        <issuerAddress>
          <com:street1>255 EAST FIFTH STREET</com:street1>
          <com:street2>SUITE 800</com:street2>
          <com:city>CINCINNATI</com:city>
          <com:stateOrCountry>OH</com:stateOrCountry>
          <com:zipCode>45202</com:zipCode>
        </issuerAddress>
        <issuerContactPhone>8773229530</issuerContactPhone>
        <nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>Dennen Richard S</nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>
        <relationshipsToIssuer>
          <relationshipToIssuer>Officer</relationshipToIssuer>
        </relationshipsToIssuer>
      </issuerInfo>
      <securitiesInformation>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
          <name>Merrill</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>8890 Lyra Dr 5th Flr</com:street1>
            <com:city>Columbus</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>OH</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>43240</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
        <noOfUnitsSold>11640</noOfUnitsSold>
        <aggregateMarketValue>250022.00</aggregateMarketValue>
        <noOfUnitsOutstanding>95124547</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
        <approxSaleDate>08/18/2023</approxSaleDate>
        <securitiesExchangeName>NASDAQ</securitiesExchangeName>
      </securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>01/31/2017</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>restricted stock vest</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>First Financial Bancorp</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>3975</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>01/31/2017</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>na</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/17/2017</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>restricted stock vest</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>First Financial Bancorp</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1056</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/17/2017</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>na</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>03/08/2017</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>restricted stock vest</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>First Financial Bancorp</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1828</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>03/08/2017</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>na</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>08/14/2017</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>restricted stock vest</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>First Financial Bancorp</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>4781</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>08/14/2017</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>na</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>Y</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <noticeSignature>
        <noticeDate>08/18/2023</noticeDate>
        <signature>Richard Dennen</signature>
      </noticeSignature>
    </formData>
  </edgarSubmission>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "144", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "secsgml_size_bytes": 4383}]
text: 144
  0001652712
  XXXXXXXX
  LIVE
  0000708955
  FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP /OH/
  001-34762
  255 EAST FIFTH STREET
  SUITE 800
  CINCINNATI
  OH
  45202
  8773229530
  Dennen Richard S
  Officer
  Common
  Merrill
  8890 Lyra Dr 5th Flr
  Columbus
  OH
  43240
  11640
  250022.00
  95124547
  08/18/2023
  NASDAQ
  common
  01/31/2017
  restricted stock vest
  First Financial Bancorp
  N
  3975
  01/31/2017
  na
  common
  02/17/2017
  restricted stock vest
  First Financial Bancorp
  N
  1056
  02/17/2017
  na
  common
  03/08/2017
  restricted stock vest
  First Financial Bancorp
  N
  1828
  03/08/2017
  na
  common
  08/14/2017
  restricted stock vest
  First Financial Bancorp
  N
  4781
  08/14/2017
  na
  Y
  08/18/2023
  Richard Dennen