58. abel

Lexicon

abel: Mourning, lamentation

Original Word: אָבֵל
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: abel
Pronunciation: ah-vel
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-bale')
Definition: Mourning, lamentation
Meaning: a meadow

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

plain

From an unused root (meaning to be grassy); a meadow -- plain. Compare also the proper names beginning with Abel-.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
"meadow," part of a place name, see NH0064.

Brown-Driver-Briggs

II. אָבֵל noun feminine 1. meadow (?) 1 Samuel 6:18 ᵑ0 but read אֶבֶן compare 1 Samuel 6:14; 1 Samuel 6:15 ᵐ5 ᵑ6 We Dr.

2. proper name, of a location city in Northern Israel 2 Samuel 20:18, near Beth Maacah 2 Samuel 20:14 = אָבֵל בֵּית מַעֲכָה 2 Samuel 20:15 (so also 2 Samuel 20:14 Ew Th We Klo Dr), 1 Kings 15:20; 2 Kings 15:29; = מַיִם ׳א2Chronicles 16:4 (= Abil el †amµ, wheat-meadow northwest of Dan & south of Mutulleh Rob^{BR III, 372}).

3 אָבֵל הַשִּׁטִּים

proper name, of a location (= acacia-meadow) in lowlands of Moab Numbers 33:49; = שִׁטִּים Numbers 25:1; Micah 6:5 (= Tel Kefrein (?) Tristr & Merrill^{PESoc. 4th Statement, 89}).

4 אָבֵל כְּרָמִים

proper name, of a location (= vineyard-meadow) in Ammon Judges 11:33 (see Euseb. Ἀβελαμπελων).

5 אָבֵל מְחוֺלָה

proper name, of a location (= dance-meadow) Judges 7:22; 1 Kings 4:12; Elisha's birthplace 1 Kings 19:16 (see Euseb. Ἀβελμαελαι).

6 אָבֵל מִצְרַיִם

proper name, of a location (= meadow of Egypt, i.e. fertile as Egypt ?) east of Jordan Genesis 50:11 (where interpreted as if ׳אֵבֶל מ, so ᵐ5 ᵑ9; see Di).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning to be grassy or a meadow.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The corresponding Strong's Greek entry is G9, Ἀβιληνή (Abilene), which refers to a region in the vicinity of Mount Hermon. While not a direct translation of the Hebrew אָבֵל, it shares a thematic connection in terms of geographical and agricultural significance. The Greek term is used in the New Testament to denote a specific area known for its fertile land, similar to the concept of a meadow in the Hebrew context.

Usage: The term אָבֵל is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote a meadow or a fertile, grassy area. It is often associated with places of lush vegetation and is sometimes used in the names of locations.

Context: The Hebrew word אָבֵל (Abel) is primarily understood to mean a meadow or a grassy area, indicative of a fertile and lush landscape. This term is used in the context of describing places that are rich in vegetation, often implying a sense of abundance and natural beauty. In the biblical narrative, meadows were significant as they provided pasture for livestock and were essential for the agrarian lifestyle of ancient Israel.

The word appears in various place names throughout the Old Testament, suggesting that these locations were characterized by their verdant landscapes. For example, Abel-meholah, mentioned in 1 Kings 4:12, is a place name that incorporates this term, indicating a "meadow of dancing" or a fertile area known for its agricultural productivity.

In the Berean Standard Bible, the term is translated in contexts that highlight the pastoral and fertile nature of the land. The imagery of a meadow is often associated with peace, provision, and the sustenance of life, reflecting the importance of such landscapes in the biblical world.

Forms and Transliterations

אָבֵ֣ל אבל ’ā·ḇêl ’āḇêl aVel

Englishman's Concordance

Judges 11:33
HEB: עִ֗יר וְעַד֙ אָבֵ֣ל כְּרָמִ֔ים מַכָּ֖ה
KJV: cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards,
INT: cities far the plain vines slaughter

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 58
1 Occurrence

’ā·ḇêl — 1 Occ.