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נָבָל

𐤍𐤁𐤋

Naval

H5037 noun

SILEX Entry

Root נבל to be senseless, act foolishly, to decay, to wither

Definition

Nabal: A personal name meaning 'fool, senseless one.' In the biblical context, it refers specifically to an individual, an Israelite man described in 1 Samuel 25, whose behavior and character are depicted as lacking wisdom and social sense. The name functions as both a proper noun and, by extension, carries a connotation of folly or lack of prudence in human interaction.

Semantic Range

personal name (Nabal); by extension, figurative use as one who is foolish or senseless, lacking wisdom or social sense, morally deficient

Root / Etymology

From the root נבל (n-b-l), which fundamentally means 'to be senseless, to act foolishly, to wither.' The specific form נָבָל is the standard form for a masculine singular personal name derived from the root, parallel to its common noun use as 'fool.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical texts, נָבָל (Nabal) is uniquely used as a personal name, notably in the narrative of 1 Samuel 25. The narrative context suggests that the name may have been assigned with deliberate irony, reflecting the character's disposition and actions. Elsewhere, the related noun נָבָל (nabal) regularly refers to a 'fool' or 'senseless person,' signifying someone who acts without regard to wisdom or ethical norms. The figure Nabal serves as a narrative archetype, providing contrast to other Israelite figures such as Abigail (his wife) and David. Later Jewish tradition sometimes reads the name as symbolic rather than literal. English translations generally retain the form 'Nabal' as a personal name, though the underlying meaning ('fool') is occasionally referenced in translation footnotes. The meaning and usage are distinct from later English 'fool,' as the biblical nuance includes insolence and moral failing.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

the same as נָבָל; dolt; Nabal, an Israelite; Nabal.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נבל (n-b-l) — to be senseless, act foolishly, to decay, to wither

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H5034 נָבֵל like withering
H5035 נֶבֶל with a nebel-vessel
H5036 נָבָל the morally-withered ones
H5038 נְבֵלָה in the decayed carcass of
H5039 נְבָלָה the disgraceful act

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5037-04 נָבָ֔ל naval HNp Nabal senseless one 19
H5037-01 כְ/נָבָל֙ khenaval HR/Np as Nabal like Nabal 1
H5037-02 לְ/נָבָ֛ל lenaval HR/Np to Nabal to Senseless-One 1
H5037-03 מִ/נָּבָ֔ל minaval HR/Np from Nabal from Nabal 1

Occurrences in Scripture

22 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5037-04 1 Samuel 25:3 נָבָ֔ל naval HNp was Nabal senseless one
H5037-04 1 Samuel 25:4 נָבָ֖ל naval HNp Nabal senseless one
H5037-04 1 Samuel 25:5 נָבָ֔ל naval HNp Nabal senseless one
H5037-04 1 Samuel 25:9 נָבָ֛ל naval HNp Nabal senseless one
H5037-04 1 Samuel 25:10 נָבָ֜ל naval HNp Nabal senseless one
H5037-04 1 Samuel 25:14 נָבָ֔ל naval HNp of Nabal senseless one
H5037-04 1 Samuel 25:19 נָבָ֖ל naval HNp Nabal senseless one
H5037-04 1 Samuel 25:25 נָבָ֗ל naval HNp Nabal senseless one
H5037-04 1 Samuel 25:25 נָבָ֣ל naval-2 HNp Nabal senseless one
H5037-01 1 Samuel 25:26 כְ/נָבָל֙ khenaval HR/Np as Nabal like Nabal
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