Lexical Summary nebalah: Folly, foolishness, disgrace, senselessness Original Word: נְבָלָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance folly, vile, villany Feminine of nabal; foolishness, i.e. (morally) wickedness; concretely, a crime; by extension, punishment -- folly, vile, villany. see HEBREW nabal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom nabal Definition senselessness, disgrace NASB Translation act of folly (2), disgraceful act (1), disgraceful acts (1), disgraceful thing (3), folly (3), foolishly (1), foolishness (1), nonsense (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs נְבָלָה noun feminine senselessness (as shewn in disregard of moral and religious claims), especially of disgraceful sins; also disgrace; — always absolute ׳נ; — 1 disgraceful folly, especially of sins of un-chastity Judges 19:23 (wanton deed GFM), so דְּבַר הַזּאֹת ׳הַנּ Judges 19:24, 2 Samuel 13:12; often בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל ׳עָשָׂה נ i.e. do a thing disgraceful according to Israel's standard: Genesis 34:7 (J), Deuteronomy 22:21 (compare Dr on meaning of word; only here of woman), Judges 20:26 (+ זִמָּה), Judges 20:10; Jeremiah 29:23 (compare לֹא יֵעָשֶׂה כֵּן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵלּ 2 Samuel 13:12); also of inhospitable churlishness 1 Samuel 25:25 (see I, II. נָבָל, and especially Isaiah 32:6); of profane action Joshua 7:15 (Achan; ׳עָשָׂה נ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל); of senseless and irreligious language Isaiah 9:16 דֹּבֵר Isaiah 32:6 (יְדַבֵּר). 2 contumely, disgrace ׳עֲשׂוֺת עִמָּכֶם נ Job 42:8 (of ׳י), i.e. deal out to you disgrace, expose you and punish you as נְבָלִים (compare 2 Samuel 3:33, below נָבָל), because of your utterances about me. Topical Lexicon Overview The Hebrew noun נְבָלָה (nevalah) describes an act or condition of moral outrage that shocks covenant conscience—something intolerable in the sight of God and His people. Whether translated “disgrace,” “folly,” “outrage,” or “indecency,” the word identifies behavior that violates both divine law and communal order and therefore demands decisive redress. Semantic Nuances and Range Nevalah is not intellectual foolishness but ethical depravity. It connotes actions that profane what God declares holy: sexuality (Genesis 34:7; Deuteronomy 22:21), covenant loyalty (Jeremiah 29:23), social solidarity (Judges 19–20), and reverence for God’s name (Job 42:8; Isaiah 9:17). Thus it bridges the ideas of moral outrage, shame, guilt, and covenant breach. Canonical Distribution Occurrences cluster around pivotal covenantal crises: Patterns of Offense 1. Sexual violation. Dinah (Genesis 34) and Tamar (2 Samuel 13) reveal nevalah as unlawful intimacy that desecrates covenant identity. Theological Implications Nevalah exposes the gravity of sin by showing how private evil rapidly becomes corporate guilt. The repeated refrain, “such a thing must not be done in Israel,” roots morality in election: the people belong to God, therefore behavior befitting pagan culture is unthinkable within the covenant. Each occurrence invites reflection on divine holiness, human responsibility, and the necessity of atonement. Representative Texts Genesis 34:7: “They were grieved and furious, because Shechem had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter—an act that should not be done.” Judges 19:23: “No, my brothers, do not do this wicked thing. Since this man has come into my house, do not commit this outrage.” Jeremiah 29:23: “Because they have committed an outrage in Israel by adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have spoken lying words in My name that I did not command them.” Christological and Prophetic Trajectory While the Old Testament demands removal of nevalah from the community—sometimes by death—its persistent presence anticipates a greater remedy. Jesus Messiah bears the disgrace of the cross (Hebrews 12:2), absorbing the covenant curses provoked by nevalah. In Him, justice and mercy meet; outrages are punished yet sinners find cleansing. Pastoral and Discipleship Application • Church discipline mirrors the ancient mandate: blatant immorality must be confronted for the sake of holiness and witness. Summary Nevalah marks the boundary where sin becomes intolerable offense against God and community. Its occurrences portray a holy God who insists on purity, a covenant people called to reflect His character, and the redemptive necessity ultimately fulfilled in the sacrifice of Christ. Forms and Transliterations הַ֨נְּבָלָ֔ה הַנְּבָלָ֥ה הנבלה וּנְבָלָ֖ה ונבלה נְבָלָ֑ה נְבָלָ֔ה נְבָלָ֖ה נְבָלָ֜ה נְבָלָ֞ה נְבָלָ֣ה נְבָלָה֙ נבלה han·nə·ḇā·lāh hannəḇālāh hannevaLah nə·ḇā·lāh nəḇālāh nevaLah ū·nə·ḇā·lāh ūnəḇālāh unevaLahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 34:7 HEB: מְאֹ֑ד כִּֽי־ נְבָלָ֞ה עָשָׂ֣ה בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל NAS: he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel KJV: because he had wrought folly in Israel INT: were very because A disgraceful had done Israel Deuteronomy 22:21 Joshua 7:15 Judges 19:23 Judges 19:24 Judges 20:6 Judges 20:10 1 Samuel 25:25 2 Samuel 13:12 Job 42:8 Isaiah 9:17 Isaiah 32:6 Jeremiah 29:23 13 Occurrences |
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