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אוּבָל

𐤀𐤅𐤁𐤋

ʼûwbâl

H180 noun

SILEX Entry

Root יבל to bring, to carry, to lead (water)

Definition

A stream or flowing channel, often natural but can refer more generally to a watercourse. 'Ûwbâl designates a current of water, typically larger and more significant than an ephemeral brook (נַחַל), but not necessarily as vast as a major river (נָהָר). The term is used of tributaries or distributaries, sometimes with implicit reference to the fertility or irrigation they provide to the surrounding land. In later texts, it can denote specific rivers or figuratively, abundance or prosperity tied to water flow.

Semantic Range

stream, channel, perennial watercourse, tributary, river, irrigation channel, figurative abundance

Root / Etymology

From the root יבל (Y.B.L.), which means 'to carry, bring, lead.' The term אוּבָל is a noun formation indicating something that carries or brings water—a watercourse. Related forms include יָבַל (yābal, to lead or bring), with the connotation of guiding flow, and the noun אוּבָל ('ûwbâl) as 'stream' or 'river.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

The word אוּבָל is relatively rare, found primarily in later biblical texts such as Ezekiel and Daniel, often in prophetic or poetic contexts. It is distinct from the more common terms נַחַל (naḥal, usually a wadi or seasonal stream) and נָהָר (nahar, large river, e.g., the Euphrates or Nile). In Ezekiel 47, אוּבָל describes the nourishing channels flowing from the temple, carrying symbolic overtones of life and abundance. In post-exilic and later Hebrew, the term designates major water channels, often those involved in irrigation. English translations typically render it as 'stream' or 'river,' but this can obscure the specific nuance that אוּבָל frequently refers to a channel that provides continual water supply, not only during floods or rainy season. In contrast to נַחַל, which may dry up, אוּבָל implies perennial flow, linking it semantically to sustained fertility. There is no direct anachronism in standard translation tradition, but care should be taken not to conflate its meaning with much larger rivers unless contextually warranted.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (shortened) אֻבָל ; from יָבַל (in the sense of יָבָל); a stream; river.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

יבל (y-b-l) — to bring, to carry, to lead (water)

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2981 יְבוּל and her yield
H2986 יָבַל I will conduct them
H2987 יְבַל and to cause to bring
H2988 יָבָל streams of
H2989 יָבָל Flow-Bringer

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H180-01 הָ/אֻבָ֖ל hauval HTd/Ncmsa the canal the water-bearing stream 2
H180-02 אוּבַ֥ל uval HNcmsc the canal and not at all 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H180-02 Daniel 8:2 אוּבַ֥ל uval HNcmsc the canal and not at all
H180-01 Daniel 8:3 הָ/אֻבָ֖ל hauval HTd/Ncmsa the canal the water-bearing stream
H180-01 Daniel 8:6 הָ/אֻבָ֑ל hauval HTd/Ncmsa the canal the water-bearing stream
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