שְׁבוּאֵל
𐤔𐤁𐤅𐤀𐤋
Shevuel
H7619 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name designating an Israelite individual, most likely meaning 'God restores' or 'God returns,' possibly also understood as 'God brings back,' depending on derivation. Used as the name of a descendant of Gershom, the son of Moses (1 Chronicles 23:16; 26:24), and a Levite in the line of Heman (1 Chronicles 25:20). The semantic possibilities depend on the root, indicating either return/bringing back or taking captive, but the former is more likely in personal names.
Semantic Range
personal name; (if derived from שׁוּב) God restores, God returns, God brings back; (if from שָׁבָה) God takes captive; theophoric name indicating relationship to divine action of return/restoration or captivity
Root / Etymology
Most likely from the root שׁוּב ('to return, restore') plus אֵל ('God'), giving 'God returns/restores.' Alternatively, some suggest connection with שָׁבָה ('to take captive'), but this is less likely in a positive personal name. The exact form may be influenced by contraction or elision of vowels in theophoric names, with historical interchange between שְׁבוּאֵל and שׁוּבָאֵל reflecting alternate roots. The root meaning ('to return' or 'to take captive') is not identical to the specific use as a personal name, which carries a hopeful or positive connotation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name שְׁבוּאֵל appears in genealogical texts of the Chronicles, specifically within the Levitical genealogies, and is rendered in some traditions as Shebuel or Shubael. English tradition sometimes confuses this with later contexts where words related to שׁוּב or שָׁבָה acquire other nuances, but in biblical usage as a personal name, a positive sense of divine restoration or return is implied. The oscillation between the two spellings (with שׁוּב or שָׁב) is an example of theophoric name formation practices in ancient Israel, sometimes leading to ambiguity in root identification. In historical context, this name has no direct association with later usage of 'Jew' or 'Judaism' and strictly denotes specific Levite individuals in the monarchic and post-exilic lists of the Hebrew Bible. There is no evidence of a geographic or religious identity attached to the name beyond its genealogy. Standard translations rendering the name as 'Shebuel' or 'Shubael' may not convey the underlying meaning indicated by the root and theophoric suffix.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or שׁוּבָאֵל; from שָׁבָה (abbreviated form) or שׁוּב and אֵל; captive (or returned) of God; Shebuel or Shubael, the name of two Israelites; Shebuel, Shubael.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
שׁוב / שבא (Shevuel) — to return, to bring back, to capture (depending on root)
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7619-02 |
שֽׁוּבָאֵ֔ל | shuvael | HNp |
Shubael | God Restores | Shevuel | 3 |
H7619-01 |
שְׁבוּאֵ֥ל | shevuel | HNp |
Shebuel | God Restores | Shevuel | 2 |
H7619-03 |
וּ/שְׁבֻאֵל֙ | ushevuel | HC/Np |
And Shebuel | And God-restores | and Shevuel | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7619-01 |
1 Chronicles 23:16 | שְׁבוּאֵ֥ל | shevuel | HNp |
Shebuel | God Restores | Shevuel |
H7619-02 |
1 Chronicles 24:20 | שֽׁוּבָאֵ֔ל | shuvael | HNp |
Shubael | God Restores | Shevuel |
H7619-02 |
1 Chronicles 24:20 | שׁוּבָאֵ֖ל | shuvael-2 | HNp |
of Shubael | God Restores | Shevuel |
H7619-01 |
1 Chronicles 25:4 | שְׁבוּאֵ֨ל | shevuel | HNp |
Shubael | God Restores | Shevuel |
H7619-02 |
1 Chronicles 25:20 | שֽׁוּבָאֵ֔ל | shuvael | HNp |
Shubael | God Restores | Shevuel |
H7619-03 |
1 Chronicles 26:24 | וּ/שְׁבֻאֵל֙ | ushevuel | HC/Np |
And Shebuel | And God-restores | and Shevuel |