Lexical Summary Diblah: Diblah Original Word: דְּבְלָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Diblath Probably an orthographical error for Riblah; Diblah, a place in Syria -- Diblath. see HEBREW Riblah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as debelah Definition a place in Aram (Syria) or N. Isr. NASB Translation Diblah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [דִּבְלָה] proper name, of a location only with ה locative דִּבְלָ֫תָה Ezekiel 6:14 but read רִבְלָתָה JDMich Hi Sm Co Da. Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence The name דְּבְלָה (Diblah) appears a single time in Scripture, Ezekiel 6:14: “I will stretch out My hand against them, and I will make the land desolate and waste, from the wilderness to Diblah, in all their dwelling places. Then they will know that I am the LORD”. In context, the prophet is announcing the extent of divine judgment on the land of Judah during the Babylonian crisis. Geographical Considerations Because Diblah is mentioned only once, its exact location has been debated since antiquity. Two main proposals have emerged: 1. Northern Border View – Some regard Diblah as a scribal variation of Riblah (near modern Ribleh on the Orontes). If so, Ezekiel’s phrase “from the wilderness to Diblah” would mark judgment from the southern desert to the far-northern frontier, matching the breadth of devastation described elsewhere (Ezekiel 33:23-29). Either identification underscores total desolation: every boundary, whether the extremity of the promised land or the hinterland of hostile nations, lies within the reach of divine judgment. Textual and Translation Notes Ancient witnesses diverge. The Masoretic Text preserves “Diblah,” whereas many Septuagint manuscripts read “Riblah.” The similarity of the Hebrew letters ד (daleth) and ר (resh) explains the variance. Modern English translations split: some retain Diblah (BSB, ESV), others follow Riblah (NIV, NASB). Regardless, the theological thrust remains unchanged—Yahweh’s hand spans the entire landscape. Historical and Archaeological Insights • Riblah served as the Babylonian military headquarters during the final siege of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:6-21). If Ezekiel alludes to this site, he highlights Babylon’s instrumentality in God’s judgment. No conclusive archaeological evidence for Diblah itself has been unearthed, but the broader strata of sixth-century destruction in Judah corroborate Ezekiel’s picture of widespread devastation. Theological Significance 1. Divine Sovereignty in Judgment – The reach “from the wilderness to Diblah” manifests God’s lordship over geography and nations. Neither isolated deserts nor distant borders can shield from His righteous wrath (Psalm 139:7-12). Applications for Ministry • Preaching – Diblah serves as a vivid marker when illustrating the comprehensiveness of God’s holiness. From the smallest household to the furthest frontier, no area is exempt from His moral scrutiny. Summary Though Diblah arises only once, it anchors a sweeping prophecy that showcases God’s exhaustive authority. Whether the term points north to Riblah or east to Diblathaim, the message is identical: the Lord’s hand reaches every border, His judgments are just, and His ultimate aim is that His people know Him. Forms and Transliterations דִּבְלָ֔תָה דבלתה diḇ·lā·ṯāh diḇlāṯāh divLatahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 6:14 HEB: וּמְשַׁמָּה֙ מִמִּדְבַּ֣ר דִּבְלָ֔תָה בְּכֹ֖ל מוֹשְׁבֽוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם NAS: the wilderness toward Diblah; thus they will know KJV: than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: INT: and waste the wilderness Diblah all their habitations 1 Occurrence |
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