נַבְלוּת
𐤍𐤁𐤋𐤅𐤕
nablûwth
H5040 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Disgrace, shameful behavior or conduct; term for shame, particularly of a sexual or indecent nature. In biblical usage, often refers figuratively to a disgraceful act, sometimes openly indicating sexual impropriety, but also encompassing wider notions of dishonor or shame.
Semantic Range
disgrace, shameful conduct, folly, disgraceful act, indecency, sexual misconduct, moral contemptibility
Root / Etymology
From the root נבל (n-b-l), which fundamentally means 'to be senseless, to act foolishly, to be contemptible, to wither or fade.' The noun נַבְלוּת derives from this root and expresses the abstract quality or result, here denoting disgrace or contemptibility. The connection is metaphorical—from that which is withered, worthless, or base, hence disgraceful.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, נַבְלוּת is rare and appears primarily in contexts pointing to public shame or dishonor, sometimes specifically to sexual misconduct or immodesty (as in Deuteronomy 24:1, where it refers to 'some indecency' or improper exposure). However, the term is not limited strictly to sexual situations; it broadly denotes any kind of shame, folly, or debasement. English translations often interpret it as 'shame,' 'disgrace,' or 'indecency,' and older translations sometimes use anachronistic euphemisms or overly narrow terms. The Hebrew concept encompasses both an internal moral failing and its outward, publicly shameful result. Related terms are נֵבֶל (fool, vile person) and נָבָל (to be senseless, to act foolishly), illuminating the composite sense of disgrace rooted in folly or moral failure. Over time, the term's shame-focused sense persisted, though the explicit anatomical connotation (as suggested by some ancient interpreters) is not consistently primary in biblical texts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from נָבָל; properly, disgrace, i.e. the (female) pudenda; lewdness.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נבל (n-b-l) — to be senseless, to act foolishly, to be contemptible, to wither, to fade
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5034 | נָבֵל | like withering |
| H5035 | נֶבֶל | with a nebel-vessel |
| H5036 | נָבָל | the morally-withered ones |
| H5037 | נָבָל | like Nabal |
| H5038 | נְבֵלָה | in the decayed carcass of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5040-01 |
נַבְלֻתָ֖/הּ | navelutah | HNcfsc/Sp3fs |
her shame | her disgraceful conduct | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5040-01 |
Hosea 2:12 | נַבְלֻתָ֖/הּ | navelutah | HNcfsc/Sp3fs |
her shame | her disgraceful conduct |