הֹבֶן
𐤄𐤁𐤍
hôben
H1894 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Ebony; a dense, black hardwood imported for use in luxury goods, especially fine furniture, ornaments, or possibly inlays in royal or temple contexts. The word designates the exotic wood itself, primarily in reference to its value and rarity in ancient Israelite society.
Semantic Range
ebony wood, ebony logs, imported black hardwood, luxury traded wood
Root / Etymology
Derived from an unused root, possibly חָבַן or הָבַן, conjectured to mean 'to be hard' or 'to be dark/black,' though the root does not occur elsewhere in Biblical Hebrew. The noun is a loanword or adaptation for an exotic material, reflecting contact with distant trade networks.
Historical & Contextual Notes
הֹבֶן occurs only in Ezekiel 27:15, in a list of luxury items brought by maritime traders to Tyre, alongside ivory. The term consistently appears in the plural (הֹבְנִים), likely referring to logs or pieces intended for manufacture. Its mention testifies to Israelite awareness of and participation in long-distance trade routes, probably from Africa (the source of true ebony). English translations generally render the term as 'ebony,' matching its ancient context; however, some modern commentators warn against assuming species-level botanical precision. No uniquely Israelite cultural or religious significance is attached to הֹבֶן; its context is commercial and luxurious. In later translations and Jewish tradition, the term retained this meaning. Contrast with שֵׁן (ivory), another luxury import, which often appears together with הֹבֶן. The term differs from native woods used in ordinary construction or cultic equipment, suggesting its special status. No evidence exists for the use of the term in later Hebrew beyond its Biblical occurrence.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
only in plural, from an unused root meaning to be hard; ebony; ebony.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
הבן (h-b-n) — hardness, darkness (blackness)
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1894-01 |
וְ/הָבְנִ֔ים | vehavenim | HC/Ncmpa |
and ebony | and ebony hardwoods | 1 |
H1894-02 |
ו/הובנים | vhvvnym | HC/Ncmpa |
and ebony | and ebony timbers | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1894-02 |
Ezekiel 27:15 | ו/הובנים | vhvvnym | HC/Ncmpa |
and ebony | and ebony timbers |
H1894-01 |
Ezekiel 27:15 | וְ/הָבְנִ֔ים | vehavenim | HC/Ncmpa |
and ebony | and ebony hardwoods |