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חֲבֹל

𐤇𐤁𐤋

chăbôl

H2258 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חבל to bind, take as pledge, impose liability

Definition

A thing given or held as security or surety for an obligation, especially a physical item temporarily transferred to another party as a guarantee for the repayment of a loan or the fulfillment of an obligation. In biblical usage, commonly refers to garments or personal items offered as pledges, particularly of the economically vulnerable. The term primarily denotes the act or object of pledge, with specific reference to the tangible item temporarily forfeited.

Semantic Range

object pledged as security, pawn, collateral item given for debt, something held in surety, act or state of pledging

Root / Etymology

From the root חבל (ḥ-b-l), meaning 'to bind, take as pledge, impose liability'. חֲבֹל (chăbôl) is a masculine noun derived from this root, designating a concrete object given as security. The form חֲבֹלָה (chăbôlâh) is its feminine counterpart; both terms derive their meaning from the concept of binding or obligation inherent in the root.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the context of ancient Israelite society, חֲבֹל and its feminine form חֲבֹלָה refer to the material item taken as a guarantee on a loan, most often articles of clothing, utensils, or tools essential for daily life (cf. Exodus 22:25–27, Deuteronomy 24:6, 10–13). Law codes strictly regulated what could be accepted as חֲבֹל, emphasizing the protection of the poor and the prompt return of necessary items before sunset if pledged by someone in need (see Deuteronomy 24:12-13). The central notion is the act of making vulnerable property subject to debt. English translations typically use 'pledge' or 'pawn,' but these may not fully convey the nuanced concern for social justice intricately bound to the term's usage. The word's meaning remains consistent across biblical periods, though its social implications are highlighted particularly in legal and prophetic contexts that address economic exploitation. This noun is distinct from the more technical term עֵרָבוֹן (ʿērāvon, 'guarantee, earnest') found in later Hebrew, which emphasizes legal surety more than the tangible aspect of a pledged good.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (feminine) חֲבֹלָה; from חָבַל; a pawn (as security for debt); pledge.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חבל (ḥ-b-l) — to bind, take as pledge, impose liability

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2248 חֲבוּלָה injury
H2254 חָבַל he bound
H2255 חֲבַל they severely harmed me
H2256 חֶבֶל in her binding-cords
H2257 חֲבַל he harmed

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2258-01 חֲבֹ֖ל chavol HNcmsa pledge to take in pledge 3
H2258-02 חֲבֹלָת֥/וֹ chavolato HNcfsc/Sp3ms his-pledge his pledged-item 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2258-02 Ezekiel 18:7 חֲבֹלָת֥/וֹ chavolato HNcfsc/Sp3ms his-pledge his pledged-item
H2258-01 Ezekiel 18:12 חֲבֹ֖ל chavol HNcmsa pledge to take in pledge
H2258-01 Ezekiel 18:16 חֲבֹל֙ chavol HNcmsa pledge to take in pledge
H2258-01 Ezekiel 33:15 חֲבֹ֨ל chavol HNcmsa the pledge to take in pledge
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