Lexical Summary habal: To act emptily, to become vain, to lead astray, to be futile Original Word: הָבַל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be become, make vain A primitive root; to be vain in act, word, or expectation; specifically to lead astray -- be (become, make) vain. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origindenominative verb from hebel Definition to act emptily, become vain NASB Translation act foolishly (1), became empty (1), became vain (1), leading you into futility (1), vainly hope (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs הָבַל verb denominative act emptily, become vain — Qal Jeremiah 2:5 = 2 Kings 17:15 they went after vanity וַיֶּהְבָּ֑לוּ and became vain, Psalm 62:11 וּבְגָזֵל אַלתֶּֿהְבָּ֑לוּ do not become vain (i.e. be demoralized) by robbery; with cognate accusative Job 27:12 לָמָּה זֶה הֶבֶל תֶּהְבָּ֑לוּ why do ye become vain with vanity (i.e. shew yourselves utterly vain) ? Hiph`il cause to become vain Jeremiah 23:16 (of false prophets) מַהְבִּלִים הֵמָּה אֶתְכֶם i.e. fill you with vain hopes. Topical Lexicon OverviewThe verb הָבַל (hābal, Strong’s Hebrew 1891) expresses the idea of becoming vain, empty, or worthless. Its occurrences expose human pursuits that lack substance—idolatry, deceptive counsel, and misplaced trust. Each text places הָבַל in stark contrast to the steadfast character and word of the Lord, underscoring the futility of turning from Him to anything else. Occurrences and Context Israel “followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.” The verb links moral degeneration with idolatry: as the nation pursued emptiness, it took on the character of what it worshiped. 2. Job 27:12 Job rebukes his friends: “Why then do you continue to speak such nonsense?” Their counsel, devoid of true wisdom, is branded הָבַל—empty talk that cannot stand before God’s holiness. 3. Psalm 62:10 “Put no trust in extortion or false hope in stolen goods.” The psalmist warns that ill-gotten gain promotes a deceptive sense of security; all earthly schemes for self-protection are ultimately hollow. 4. Jeremiah 2:5 “They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.” Echoing 2 Kings 17:15, Jeremiah applies the same verdict to Judah, showing that covenant infidelity always devolves into futility. False prophets “are filling you with false hopes.” Their visions are self-generated, not God-given, and therefore destroy rather than edify the people. Theological Themes • Idolatry as Self-Destructive Futility Hābal reveals that idols are not merely forbidden; they are inherently empty. Worshipers mirror what they adore (Psalm 115:4-8). To pursue idols is to embrace uselessness and forfeit the glory intended for those who reflect God. • Deceptive Speech versus Divine Revelation Whether from Job’s friends or Judah’s prophets, words detached from God’s truth are branded הָבַל. Scripture insists that only revelation anchored in the Lord’s covenant carries weight and brings life (Deuteronomy 32:47). • The Illusion of Earthly Security Psalm 62 exposes material gain and coercive power as false refuges. True rest is found in God alone (Psalm 62:1-2), while all other trusts dissolve like mist. Historical Setting In 2 Kings and Jeremiah the term surfaces during periods of national crisis. Political alliances, syncretistic worship, and prophetic corruption tempted God’s people to trade the unseen yet faithful Lord for tangible but futile substitutes. Hābal is thus both a historical indictment and a theological diagnosis of covenant apostasy. Ministry Application • Call to Exclusive Devotion Modern believers face sophisticated forms of idolatry—career, technology, ideological fads. The texts demand vigilant discernment: whatever competes for ultimate allegiance will render the soul empty. • Guarding the Pulpit Jeremiah 23:16 charges pastors and teachers to speak “from the mouth of the Lord.” Ministry that trades exposition for novelty produces congregations devoid of spiritual substance. • Cultivating True Hope Hābal warns against staking confidence on wealth, manipulation, or human wisdom. Biblical hope centers on the character and promises of God fulfilled in Jesus Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). Christological Significance Jesus embodies the antithesis of hābal. He is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6), the enduring Word who exposes idols and fills believers with abiding substance (John 6:35). By His resurrection He nullifies the emptiness of human striving and offers participation in His eternal glory (1 Peter 5:10). Practical Reflection • Examine desires: Are they leading to worship that enlarges the soul or pursuits that hollow it out? The verb הָבַל stands as a concise biblical diagnosis of every path that diverges from the living God: it is vanity, and it leads to vanity. Conversely, the gospel summons all people to the solid ground of God’s unfailing truth and presence. Forms and Transliterations וַיֶּהְבָּ֔לוּ וַיֶּהְבָּֽלוּ׃ ויהבלו ויהבלו׃ מַהְבִּלִ֥ים מהבלים תֶּ֫הְבָּ֥לוּ תֶּהְבָּֽלוּ׃ תהבלו תהבלו׃ mah·bi·lîm mahbiLim mahbilîm teh·bā·lū tehBalu tehbālū vaiyehBalu way·yeh·bā·lū wayyehbālūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 17:15 HEB: אַחֲרֵ֤י הַהֶ֙בֶל֙ וַיֶּהְבָּ֔לוּ וְאַחֲרֵ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ NAS: vanity and became vain, and [went] after KJV: vanity, and became vain, and went after INT: and after vanity and became and after the nations Job 27:12 Psalm 62:10 Jeremiah 2:5 Jeremiah 23:16 5 Occurrences |
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