אַשְׁבֵּל
𐤀𐤔𐤁𐤋
Ashebel
H788 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Ashbel, a proper personal name designating a son of Benjamin and eponymous ancestor of a clan within the tribe of Benjamin. The name may bear the meaning of 'one who flows forth' or simply be a variant in form of related onomastic elements, though any semantic significance in the biblical context is secondary to its use as a personal and clan name. Occurs exclusively as a personal name.
Semantic Range
personal name, eponymous clan ancestor, no independent lexical meaning outside proper noun usage
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁבל (sh-b-l), 'to flow, to stream, to trail,' commonly referring to something that hangs down or flows, such as the head of a grain stalk. Properly, אַשְׁבֵּל appears to be a personal name formed on this root, possibly representing a nominal pattern. The formation may be related to שֹׁבֶל (shovel), but the precise semantic force in the name is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, Ashbel is listed as one of the sons of Benjamin, appearing in Genesis 46:21 and Numbers 26:38. In genealogical contexts, the name primarily functions to mark descent and clan identity within the Israelite tribal structure. Later Israelite and Judahite writers retained tribal lists such as these as part of national memory and identity, with Ashbel corresponding to the 'Ashbelites' (בְּנֵי אַשְׁבֵּל) in genealogies. Standard English translations simply transliterate the name; there is no evidence that the name ever denoted a different ethnic, geographic, or religious group. Any suggestion in Strong's regarding 'flowing' or related meanings is etymological and does not emerge in the active narratival use of the name. The semantic link to 'flowing,' though linguistically plausible, is not developed or thematized in biblical narrative.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably from the same as שֹׁבֶל; flowing; Ashbel, an Israelite; Ashbel.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁבל (š-b-l) — to flow, trail, hang down
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7641 | שִׁבֹּל | the grain-heads |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H788-03 |
וְ/אַשְׁבֵּ֔ל | veashebel | HC/Np |
and Ashbel | and Ashbel | 1 |
H788-02 |
לְ/אַשְׁבֵּ֕ל | leashebel | HR/Np |
of Ashbel | to Ashbel | 1 |
H788-01 |
אַשְׁבֵּל֙ | ashebel | HNp |
Ashbel | Ashbel | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H788-03 |
Genesis 46:21 | וְ/אַשְׁבֵּ֔ל | veashebel | HC/Np |
and Ashbel | and Ashbel |
H788-02 |
Numbers 26:38 | לְ/אַשְׁבֵּ֕ל | leashebel | HR/Np |
of Ashbel | to Ashbel |
H788-01 |
1 Chronicles 8:1 | אַשְׁבֵּל֙ | ashebel | HNp |
Ashbel | Ashbel |