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חִבֵּל

𐤇𐤁𐤋

chibbêl

H2260 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חבל to bind, to pledge, to secure, to wrap with rope

Definition

A mast or pole on a ship, typically used for supporting sails. In the Hebrew Bible, חִבֵּל (chibbêl) signifies the upright structure made of wood that forms the main support for rigging and sails in a seafaring vessel.

Semantic Range

mast (ship), pole (maritime context)

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root חבל, primarily meaning 'to bind, pledge, take as security,' but here likely developed via the sense 'to tie with rope' (as ships' masts are rigged and secured with ropes). The morphological form denotes an implement or object associated with tying or securing, specifically the mast of a ship.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חִבֵּל occurs only in Ezekiel 27:5, within Ezekiel's lament over Tyre. The context reflects familiarity with maritime technology, probably influenced by Phoenician seafaring culture. Unlike most uses of the root חבל (which refer to pledging or binding), this feminine noun is associated with ships' construction and rigging. The connection is through the function of the mast — always entwined with ropes and rigging, hence the lexical development from the core action 'to bind' to a nautical object characterized by its securing function. This term is not attested elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible, likely reflecting its technical, loan, or dialectal status. Elsewhere in biblical literature, different terms are used for poles or structural supports. Later translations sometimes render the term as 'mast,' while older English versions may obscure the maritime detail. It should not be confused with homographs or with other terms meaning 'destruction' or 'deal corruptly' (also חבל, different sense and pronunciation).

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָבַל (in the sense of furnished with ropes); a mast; mast.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חבל (ḥ-b-l) — to bind, to pledge, to secure, to wrap with rope

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2248 חֲבוּלָה injury
H2254 חָבַל he bound
H2255 חֲבַל they severely harmed me
H2256 חֶבֶל in her binding-cords
H2257 חֲבַל he harmed

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2260-01 חִבֵּֽל chibel HNcmsa a mast rope-bound mast 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2260-01 Proverbs 23:34 חִבֵּֽל chibel HNcmsa a mast rope-bound mast
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