חֶבֶל (H2256) — Hebrew Lexicon

חֶבֶל

𐤇𐤁𐤋

chebel

H2256 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חבל to bind, to tie, to pledge, to destroy

Definition

A length of cord or rope, typically twisted, used for binding, measuring, or marking boundaries. By extension, the term refers to a measured portion of land or region (territorial allotment), and figuratively to the concept of fate or appointed share. It also extends metaphorically to denote pain or suffering (especially labor pains), bands of people, and destructive forces or ruin in poetic contexts.

Semantic Range

rope, cord, measuring line, territorial allotment, region, portion, share, fate, band of people, pang of travail, pain, destruction, ruin, noose, snare, company (as bound together)

Root / Etymology

חֶבֶל derives from the root חבל, which means 'to bind, tie, pledge, act corruptly, destroy.' The core meaning of the root involves twisting or binding, which gives rise to the noun form referring to a rope or cord. The semantic extension to 'territorial portion' comes from the use of ropes/cables to measure or mark boundaries on the land, leading further to the figurative senses of assigned portion, fate, or share of experience. The sense of throes or pangs (especially of labor) seems to derive from the constricting or binding tension of ropes, metaphorically transferred to the experience of pain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early Israelite society, חֶבֶל primarily denoted physical cords or ropes, which had practical uses such as tying, measuring, or marking property. The extension to 'allotted territory' is particularly prominent in descriptions of Israelite tribal inheritance, where land is measured and apportioned (e.g., Joshua, Psalms). Poetic and prophetic texts later develop figurative senses: 'cords of destruction,' 'ropes of death,' or 'bands of the wicked,' often as images of difficulty, suffering, or oppressive forces. The use of חֶבֶל for 'labor pains' arises in later biblical poetry and is closely associated with intense distress, especially in metaphors for national crisis or looming disaster. In translation tradition, the diversity of meanings (rope/territory/pain/band) is often flattened into a single English term, which can obscure the original nuance. Its use to refer to territorial boundaries or lots is distinct from other Hebrew terms for land (such as גְּבוּל 'border' or חֵלֶק 'portion'), emphasizing measured assignment rather than general area. The evolution of חֶבֶל from concrete (rope) to abstract (share, fate, anguish) illustrates a common pattern in biblical Hebrew.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or חֵבֶל; from חָבַל; a rope (as twisted), especially a measuring line; by implication, a district or inheritance (as measured); or a noose (as of cords); figuratively, a company (as if tied together); also a throe (especially of parturition); also ruin; band, coast, company, cord, country, destruction, line, lot, pain, pang, portion, region, rope, snare, sorrow, tackling.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חבל (ḥ-b-l) — to bind, to tie, to pledge, to destroy

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H2248	חֲבוּלָה	injury
H2254	חָבַל	he bound
H2255	חֲבַל	they severely harmed me
H2257	חֲבַל	he harmed
H2258	חֲבֹל	to take in pledge
H2259	חֹבֵל	your rope-handlers
H2260	חִבֵּל	rope-bound mast
H8458	תַּחְבֻּלָה	by his steering-strategies

Word Forms

22 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H2256-11`	חֶ֣בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsc`	region	binding-cord of	16
`H2256-08`	חֲבָלִים֙	chavalim	`HNcbpa`	pangs	binding-cords	7
`H2256-12`	חֶבְלֵ֥י	cheveley	`HNcbpc`	cords of	binding-cords of	6
`H2256-21`	וַ/חֲבָלִ֣ים	vachavalim	`HC/Ncbpa`	and ropes	binding-cords	5
`H2256-04`	בְּ/חַבְלֵ֣י	bechaveley	`HR/Ncbpc`	in the cords	in binding-cords of	4
`H2256-02`	בַּ/חֲבָלִ֑ים	bachavalim	`HR/Ncbpa`	by ropes	in binding-cords	4
`H2256-03`	בַּ/חֶ֖בֶל	bachevel	`HRd/Ncbsa`	by a measuring line	in the cord	3
`H2256-18`	מֵ/חֶ֨בֶל֙	mechevel	`HR/Ncbsc`	from the portion	from a rope-measured portion	2
`H2256-22`	וְ/חֶ֣בֶל	vechevel	`HC/Ncbsa`	and destruction	binding-cord	2
`H2256-01`	בַּ/חֲבָלֶ֑י/הָ	bachavaleyha	`HR/Ncmpc/Sp3fs`	in her labor pains	in her binding-cords	1
`H2256-16`	הַ/חֹֽבְלִ֑ים	hachovelim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	Union	binding cords	1
`H2256-15`	הַ/חֶ֖בֶל	hachevel	`HTd/Ncbsa`	of the line	the binding-cord	1
`H2256-17`	לַ/חֲבָלִ֑ים	lachavalim	`HR/Ncbpa`	the ropes	to the binding-cords	1
`H2256-06`	חֲבָלָ֑יִ/ךְ	chavalayikhe	`HNcbpc/Sp2fs`	your ropes	your cords	1
`H2256-10`	חַבְל֑/וֹ	chavelo	`HNcbsc/Sp3ms`	his rope	his cord	1
`H2256-20`	וּ֝/בְ/חֶ֗בֶל	uvechevel	`HC/R/Ncbsa`	and with a rope	and with a cord	1
`H2256-19`	וּ/בְ/חַבְלֵ֥י	uvechaveley	`HC/R/Ncbpc`	and in the cords of	and in binding-cords of	1
`H2256-14`	חֹֽבְלִ֔ים	chovelim	`HNcmpa`	Union	binding-cords	1
`H2256-07`	חֲבָלָ֖י/ו	chavalayv	`HNcbpc/Sp3ms`	its-cords	his binding-cords	1
`H2256-05`	בְּ/חֶ֣בֶל	bechevel	`HR/Ncbsc`	by-cord	in a binding-cord	1
`H2256-09`	חַבְלֵֽי	chaveley	`HNcbpc`	portions	binding-cords of	1
`H2256-13`	חֶבְלֵי/הֶ֥ם	cheveleyhem	`HNcmpc/Sp3mp`	their labor pains	their binding-cords	1

Occurrences in Scripture

62 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H2256-11`	Deuteronomy 3:4	חֶ֣בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsc`	region	binding-cord of
`H2256-11`	Deuteronomy 3:13	חֶ֤בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsc`	region	binding-cord of
`H2256-11`	Deuteronomy 3:14	חֶ֣בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsc`	region	binding-cord of
`H2256-11`	Deuteronomy 32:9	חֶ֥בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsc`	the lot	binding-cord of
`H2256-03`	Joshua 2:15	בַּ/חֶ֖בֶל	bachevel	`HRd/Ncbsa`	by the rope	in the cord
`H2256-09`	Joshua 17:5	חַבְלֵֽי	chaveley	`HNcbpc`	portions	binding-cords of
`H2256-22`	Joshua 17:14	וְ/חֶ֣בֶל	vechevel	`HC/Ncbsa`	and portion	binding-cord
`H2256-18`	Joshua 19:9	מֵ/חֶ֨בֶל֙	mechevel	`HR/Ncbsc`	from the portion	from a rope-measured portion
`H2256-18`	Joshua 19:29	מֵ/חֶ֥בֶל	mechevel	`HR/Ncbsa`	from the region	from a rope-measured portion
`H2256-11`	1 Samuel 10:5	חֶ֤בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsc`	company	binding-cord of
`H2256-11`	1 Samuel 10:10	חֶֽבֶל	chevel	`HNcbsc`	a band	binding-cord of
`H2256-03`	2 Samuel 8:2	בַּ/חֶ֨בֶל֙	bachevel	`HRd/Ncbsa`	with the line	in the cord
`H2256-08`	2 Samuel 8:2	חֲבָלִים֙	chavalim	`HNcbpa`	lines	binding-cords
`H2256-15`	2 Samuel 8:2	הַ/חֶ֖בֶל	hachevel	`HTd/Ncbsa`	of the line	the binding-cord
`H2256-08`	2 Samuel 17:13	חֲבָלִ֑ים	chavalim	`HNcbpa`	ropes	binding-cords
`H2256-12`	2 Samuel 22:6	חֶבְלֵ֥י	cheveley	`HNcbpc`	cords of	binding-cords of
`H2256-11`	1 Kings 4:13	חֶ֤בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsc`	portion of	binding-cord of
`H2256-21`	1 Kings 20:31	וַ/חֲבָלִ֣ים	vachavalim	`HC/Ncbpa`	and ropes	binding-cords
`H2256-21`	1 Kings 20:32	וַ/חֲבָלִ֣ים	vachavalim	`HC/Ncbpa`	and ropes	binding-cords
`H2256-04`	Isaiah 5:18	בְּ/חַבְלֵ֣י	bechaveley	`HR/Ncbpc`	with cords	in binding-cords of
`H2256-21`	Isaiah 13:8	וַֽ/חֲבָלִים֙	vachavalim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and sorrows	binding-cords
`H2256-01`	Isaiah 26:17	בַּ/חֲבָלֶ֑י/הָ	bachavaleyha	`HR/Ncmpc/Sp3fs`	in her labor pains	in her binding-cords
`H2256-07`	Isaiah 33:20	חֲבָלָ֖י/ו	chavalayv	`HNcbpc/Sp3ms`	its-cords	his binding-cords
`H2256-06`	Isaiah 33:23	חֲבָלָ֑יִ/ךְ	chavalayikhe	`HNcbpc/Sp2fs`	your ropes	your cords
`H2256-11`	Isaiah 66:7	חֵ֛בֶל	chevel	`HNcmsa`	her pain	binding-cord of
`H2256-08`	Jeremiah 13:21	חֲבָלִים֙	chavalim	`HNcmpa`	pangs	binding-cords
`H2256-08`	Jeremiah 22:23	חֲבָלִ֔ים	chavalim	`HNcmpa`	pangs	binding-cords
`H2256-02`	Jeremiah 38:6	בַּ/חֲבָלִ֑ים	bachavalim	`HR/Ncbpa`	with ropes	in binding-cords
`H2256-02`	Jeremiah 38:11	בַּ/חֲבָלִֽים	bachavalim	`HR/Ncbpa`	by ropes	in binding-cords
`H2256-17`	Jeremiah 38:12	לַ/חֲבָלִ֑ים	lachavalim	`HR/Ncbpa`	the ropes	to the binding-cords
`H2256-02`	Jeremiah 38:13	בַּֽ/חֲבָלִ֔ים	bachavalim	`HR/Ncbpa`	with the ropes	in binding-cords
`H2256-21`	Jeremiah 49:24	וַ/חֲבָלִ֛ים	vachavalim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and pangs	binding-cords
`H2256-02`	Ezekiel 27:24	בַּ/חֲבָלִ֧ים	bachavalim	`HR/Ncbpa`	with cords	in binding-cords
`H2256-08`	Ezekiel 47:13	חֲבָלִֽים	chavalim	`HNcbpa`	portions	binding-cords
`H2256-04`	Hosea 11:4	בְּ/חַבְלֵ֨י	bechaveley	`HR/Ncbpc`	with cords of	in binding-cords of
`H2256-12`	Hosea 13:13	חֶבְלֵ֥י	cheveley	`HNcmpc`	pangs of	binding-cords of
`H2256-03`	Amos 7:17	בַּ/חֶ֣בֶל	bachevel	`HRd/Ncbsa`	by a measuring line	in the cord
`H2256-11`	Micah 2:5	חֶ֖בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsa`	a cord	binding-cord of
`H2256-22`	Micah 2:10	וְ/חֶ֥בֶל	vechevel	`HC/Ncmsa`	and destruction	binding-cord
`H2256-11`	Zephaniah 2:5	חֶ֥בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsc`	seacoast	binding-cord of
`H2256-11`	Zephaniah 2:6	חֶ֣בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsc`	a region	binding-cord of
`H2256-11`	Zephaniah 2:7	חֶ֗בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsa`	the coast	binding-cord of
`H2256-11`	Zechariah 2:5	חֶ֥בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsc`	a measuring line	binding-cord of
`H2256-14`	Zechariah 11:7	חֹֽבְלִ֔ים	chovelim	`HNcmpa`	Union	binding-cords
`H2256-16`	Zechariah 11:14	הַ/חֹֽבְלִ֑ים	hachovelim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	Union	binding cords
`H2256-08`	Psalms 16:6	חֲבָלִ֣ים	chavalim	`HNcbpa`	measuring lines	binding-cords
`H2256-12`	Psalms 18:5	חֶבְלֵי	cheveley	`HNcbpc`	cords of	binding-cords of
`H2256-12`	Psalms 18:6	חֶבְלֵ֣י	cheveley	`HNcbpc`	cords of	binding-cords of
`H2256-05`	Psalms 78:55	בְּ/חֶ֣בֶל	bechevel	`HR/Ncbsc`	by-cord	in a binding-cord
`H2256-11`	Psalms 105:11	חֶ֝֗בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsc`	measuring-line	binding-cord of
`H2256-12`	Psalms 116:3	חֶבְלֵי	cheveley	`HNcbpc`	cords of	binding-cords of
`H2256-12`	Psalms 119:61	חֶבְלֵ֣י	cheveley	`HNcbpc`	cords of	binding-cords of
`H2256-21`	Psalms 140:6	וַ/חֲבָלִ֗ים	vachavalim	`HC/Ncbpa`	and cords	binding-cords
`H2256-19`	Proverbs 5:22	וּ/בְ/חַבְלֵ֥י	uvechaveley	`HC/R/Ncbpc`	and in the cords of	and in binding-cords of
`H2256-10`	Job 18:10	חַבְל֑/וֹ	chavelo	`HNcbsc/Sp3ms`	his rope	his cord
`H2256-08`	Job 21:17	חֲ֝בָלִ֗ים	chavalim	`HNcmpa`	pains	binding-cords
`H2256-04`	Job 36:8	בְּ/חַבְלֵי	bechaveley	`HR/Ncbpc`	in the cords	in binding-cords of
`H2256-13`	Job 39:3	חֶבְלֵי/הֶ֥ם	cheveleyhem	`HNcmpc/Sp3mp`	their labor pains	their binding-cords
`H2256-20`	Job 40:25	וּ֝/בְ/חֶ֗בֶל	uvechevel	`HC/R/Ncbsa`	and with a rope	and with a cord
`H2256-11`	Ecclesiastes 12:6	חֶ֣בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsc`	cord	binding-cord of
`H2256-04`	Esther 1:6	בְּ/חַבְלֵי	bechaveley	`HR/Ncbpc`	with-cords-of	in binding-cords of
`H2256-11`	1 Chronicles 16:18	חֶ֖בֶל	chevel	`HNcbsc`	the lot	binding-cord of

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