הֶבֶל
𐤄𐤁𐤋
Hevel
H1893 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name designating 'Hebel,' the second son of Adam and Havvah (Eve), whose narrative is central in Genesis 4. The primary lexical meaning outside the personal name is 'vapor, breath, vanity,' but as a name, its original significance is uncertain and distinct from the common noun. As a proper noun, it does not convey the full semantic range of the common noun but identifies a unique individual in the primordial narrative.
Semantic Range
Hebel as a proper name; outside the personal name: vapor, breath, fleetingness, vanity, transitoriness; but as a name, refers specifically to the individual son of Adam and Havvah in the Genesis account
Root / Etymology
From the root הבל (h-b-l), with the primary sense 'vapor, breath, vanity.' However, as a personal name, the specific motivation for naming is unclear; it is possibly symbolic but may simply be a conventional appellative. Etymology for the name remains uncertain beyond its connection to the root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the biblical narrative, Hebel (Abel) is depicted as a shepherd, distinguished from his brother Qayin (Cain), a farmer. The personal name occurs exclusively in this early genealogical and narrative context (primarily Genesis 4, 1 Chronicles 1:1). While the term הֶבֶל is widely used elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible to mean 'vapor' or 'vanity,' especially in Ecclesiastes, in this context it does not carry those metaphorical or philosophical senses. Later English translations and theological traditions rendered the name as 'Abel,' potentially masking any original play on words or symbolic significance. In the early Israelite period and the Priestly genealogies, Hebel stands as a paradigmatic younger brother, representing the first recorded death. The name does not recur as a personal name elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible. No evidence directly links the use of הֶבֶל as a name to the more developed abstract sense 'vanity' in later writings.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as הֶבֶל; Hebel, the son of Adam; Abel.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
הבל (h-b-l) — vapor, breath, vanity
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1893-02 |
הֶ֨בֶל֙ | hevel | HNp |
Abel | Hebel | 6 |
H1893-03 |
וְ/הֶ֨בֶל | vehevel | HC/Np |
And Abel | and Hebel | 1 |
H1893-01 |
הָ֑בֶל | havel | HNp |
Abel | Hebel | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1893-01 |
Genesis 4:2 | הָ֑בֶל | havel | HNp |
Abel | Hebel |
H1893-02 |
Genesis 4:2 | הֶ֨בֶל֙ | hevel | HNp |
Abel | Hebel |
H1893-03 |
Genesis 4:4 | וְ/הֶ֨בֶל | vehevel | HC/Np |
And Abel | and Hebel |
H1893-02 |
Genesis 4:4 | הֶ֖בֶל | hevel | HNp |
Abel | Hebel |
H1893-02 |
Genesis 4:8 | הֶ֣בֶל | hevel | HNp |
Abel | Hebel |
H1893-02 |
Genesis 4:8 | הֶ֥בֶל | hevel-2 | HNp |
Abel | Hebel |
H1893-02 |
Genesis 4:9 | הֶ֣בֶל | hevel | HNp |
Abel | Hebel |
H1893-02 |
Genesis 4:25 | הֶ֔בֶל | hevel | HNp |
Abel | Hebel |