אָבֵל
𐤀𐤁𐤋
ʼâbêl
H58
SILEX Entry
Definition
A cultivated field, grassy place, or meadow; refers to a tract of fertile land, particularly one associated with grass or vegetation. May also be an appellative or element in place names designating such a location. In most instances in the Hebrew Bible, it is found as part of toponyms, indicating a region noted for its vegetation or pasturelike quality.
Semantic Range
meadow, grassy place, cultivated field, tract of fertile land, component in place names denoting pasture or grassy area
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root אָבֵל (root: אבל), meaning 'field,' 'meadow,' or 'grassy place.' The precise verbal root is uncertain or unused in extant biblical Hebrew, and there is no clear cognate verb in Hebrew. Some connect it to the sense of 'vegetation' or 'fermentation/growth' found in cognate Semitic languages, but this remains largely conjectural.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term אָבֵל almost exclusively appears as a component of place names (toponyms) in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., אָבֵל מִצְרַיִם Abel Mizraim, אָבֵל מָהֲלָה Abel-mahalah). Its usage reflects geographic features, particularly fertile or pasture-like areas. Although often translated generically as 'meadow' or 'plain' in English Bibles, the word specifically denotes places noted for their vegetation or suitability for grazing. It is distinct from other Hebrew terms for 'field' (שָׂדֶה, sadeh) or 'plain' (עֵמֶק, ʿemeq); אָבֵל emphasizes grassy or cultivated land rather than open plain or general arable land. Usage is almost entirely in the context of naming or describing locations. Later translation tradition sometimes renders compounds such as אָבֵל שִׁטִּים (Abel-shittim) with 'meadow' or 'plain,' but this can obscure the more specific geographical nuance of the Hebrew term. There are no known instances in which the term functions as a common noun outside of toponyms. The connection to mourning (root אבל 'to mourn') is coincidental and linguistically distinct.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root (meaning to be grassy); a meadow; plain. Compare also the proper names beginning with Abel-.
Bantu Hebrew
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0 distinct forms
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Occurrences in Scripture
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