Lexical Summary yebal: To bring, to carry, to produce Original Word: יְבַל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bring, carry (Aramaic) corresponding to yabal; to bring -- bring, carry. see HEBREW yabal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to yabal Definition to bear along, carry NASB Translation bring (1), brought (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [יְבַל] verb Haph`el bear along, carry (see Biblical Hebrew); — Perfect3masculine singular הֵיבֵל, accusative of thing + ל location Ezra 5:14; Ezra 6:5; Infinitive לְהֵיבָלָה Ezra 7:15, accusative of thing. Topical Lexicon Canonical setting יְבַל appears in the Aramaic portions of Ezra (Ezra 5:14; Ezra 6:5) and once in the Hebrew narrative that resumes in Ezra 7:15. All three occurrences belong to the post-exilic record that describes the rebuilding of the second temple under Persian patronage. The word is embedded in official memoranda and royal correspondence, highlighting how the providence of God employs even imperial edicts to accomplish covenant purposes. Occurrences and immediate context • Ezra 5:14 presents a summary of Cyrus’s decree in which “the gold and silver articles of the house of God” are to be returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. In each verse the verb is attached to sacred objects or monetary gifts designated for the house of the LORD, and in each case the subject is a Persian sovereign or his appointed representative. The action is therefore both political and liturgical, bridging court policy with covenant worship. Historical backdrop: Persian decrees and temple vessels The Babylonian exile had removed Judah’s treasures (2 Kings 24:13; 2 Chronicles 36:18). Their return marked a visible reversal of judgment and a tangible sign of restoration. That reversal came through Cyrus the Great, whose policy of repatriating deported peoples harmonized with Isaiah’s earlier prophecy: “I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge Me” (Isaiah 45:4). The subsequent confirmations by Darius and Artaxerxes show successive administrations ratifying the same divine agenda. יְבַל therefore sits at the intersection of prophetic fulfillment and political continuity, demonstrating that “the king’s heart is a watercourse in the hand of the LORD; He directs it wherever He pleases” (Proverbs 21:1). Theological themes 1. Divine sovereignty over nations: Pagan monarchs “bring” the very items their imperial predecessors had plundered. The empire’s coffers become resources for God’s house, illustrating that “the earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1). Implications for ministry today • Partnership with civil authorities: The Ezra narrative cautions neither to idolize political power nor to ignore it. When God opens doors through secular structures, believers may walk through them without compromise, confident that He remains the ultimate mover. Connections to the wider biblical narrative The movement of holy things foreshadows the greater movement of the Son, who “having come into the world, is now returning to the Father” (John 16:28). As Cyrus’s decree liberated physical vessels, Christ’s redemptive work liberates living vessels—believers—so they may “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” (Romans 12:1). In Revelation 21 the splendor of the nations is again “brought into” the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24-26), completing the trajectory first glimpsed in Ezra’s chronicles. Thus, יְבַל, though rare, contributes to Scripture’s larger portrayal of God gathering what is His into the place of His dwelling for the praise of His glory. Forms and Transliterations וְהֵיבֵ֣ל וּלְהֵיבָלָ֖ה והיבל ולהיבלה ū·lə·hê·ḇā·lāh ūləhêḇālāh uleheivaLah veheiVel wə·hê·ḇêl wəhêḇêlLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 5:14 HEB: דִּ֣י בִֽירוּשְׁלֶ֔ם וְהֵיבֵ֣ל הִמּ֔וֹ לְהֵיכְלָ֖א NAS: in Jerusalem, and brought them to the temple KJV: that [was] in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple INT: whom Jerusalem and brought these to the temple Ezra 6:5 Ezra 7:15 3 Occurrences |
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