הֶ֥בֶל

𐤄𐤁𐤋

hevel

vapor

or (rarely in the abs.) הֲבֵל; from הָבַל; emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb; [idiom] altogether, vain, vanity.

H1892

Proverbs 21:6 · Word #5

Lexicon H1892

Lemmaהֶבֶל
Lemma (Paleo)𐤄𐤁𐤋
Transliterationhebel
Strong'sH1892
In-contextvapor

Morphology HNcmsa All morphology codes

Part of Speech N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea
Subtype c — Common — Common noun
Gender m — Masculine — Masculine
Number s — Singular — Singular
State a — Absolute — The noun stands independently

SIBI-P1 H1892-07

a vapor-breath

Rootהבל (h-b-l)
Core Meaningsbreath, vapor, emptiness, transience, futility
Semantic Rangebreath, vapor, fleeting mist, emptiness, vanity, futility, worthlessness, that which is transient or insubstantial
Conceptual Significanceהֶבֶל is central to biblical wisdom literature, especially Ecclesiastes, where it characterizes human endeavors and life under the sun as fleeting and insubstantial. It underscores the contrast between human transience and divine permanence, highlighting the ephemeral nature of worldly pursuits apart from reverence for God.
Morphological NotesMasculine singular noun in the absolute state (HNp). No article or suffix; used both substantivally and adverbially in various contexts.
Rendering RationaleThe noun הֶבֶל is a masculine singular absolute form derived from the root הבל, conveying the idea of breath or vapor—something insubstantial and fleeting. Rendering it as "a vapor-breath" preserves the concrete image of exhaled breath while communicating its figurative sense of transience and futility, and it reflects the singular masculine morphology of the form.

AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)

Words from Root הבל (breath, vapor, emptiness, transience, futility)

SILEX Code Transliteration SIBI-P1
H1892-01 behaveley in vanities of
H1892-02 behaveleyhem with their vapors
H1892-03 hahevel the vapor-breath
H1892-04 havalim vapors
H1892-05 havel a fleeting vapor
H1892-06 haveley vapors of
H1892-08 hevelekha your vapor-emptiness
H1892-09 mehevel from vapor-emptiness
H1891-01 tehebalu you all act emptily
H1892-10 vahavalim vapors
H1891-02 vayehebalu and they became empty
H1892-11 vehevel and vapor

Word Usage (73 occurrences of H1892)

Location Form Transliteration Meaning
Deuteronomy 32:21 בְּ/הַבְלֵי/הֶ֑ם behaveleyhem with-their-vain-idols
1 Kings 16:13 בְּ/הַבְלֵי/הֶֽם behaveleyhem with their vanities
1 Kings 16:26 בְּ/הַבְלֵי/הֶֽם behaveleyhem with their vanities