What does חָבַל (yəḥabbel) mean in the Bible?
חָבַל (yəḥabbel): Binding action that moves from physical restraint to covenant violation, corruption, and destructive harm of persons.
Hebrew · H2254
חָבַל
To wind tightly (as a rope), i.e. to bind ; specifically, by a pledge ; figuratively, to pervert , destroy ; also to writhe in pain (especially of parturition)
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חָבַל H2254
Pronunciation yəḥabbel
What does חָבַל (yəḥabbel) mean in the Bible?
חָבַל (yəḥabbel): Binding action that moves from physical restraint to covenant violation, corruption, and destructive harm of persons.
Full entry for חָבַל (H2254) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2254?
The BSB source-word alignment has 27 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (2), as security (2), get collateral (2), to destroy (2), [the wicked man] travails (1).
Where does חָבַל (yəḥabbel) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 22:26. Its strongest book concentrations include Job (5), Isaiah (4), Deuteronomy (3), Proverbs (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It . . . 2× Exodus 22:26, Nehemiah 1:7
as security 2× Deuteronomy 24:6, Deuteronomy 24:17
get collateral 2× Proverbs 20:16, Proverbs 27:13
to destroy 2× Isaiah 13:5, Isaiah 32:7
[the wicked man] travails 1× Psalms 7:14
and destroy 1× Ecclesiastes 5:6
as collateral 1× Exodus 22:26
as security for a debt 1× Deuteronomy 24:6
brings destruction 1× Micah 2:10
conceived you 1× Song Of Solomon 8:5
demanded security 1× Job 22:6
I will offend 1× Job 34:31
in pledge 1× Job 24:3
is broken 1× Job 17:1
is seized for a debt 1× Job 24:9
or retain 1× Ezekiel 18:16
she travailed 1× Song Of Solomon 8:5
taken in pledge 1× Amos 2:8
that ruin 1× Song Of Solomon 2:15
to wreak havoc 1× Isaiah 54:16
We have behaved corruptly 1× Nehemiah 1:7
will be broken 1× Isaiah 10:27
will pay the penalty 1× Proverbs 13:13
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 22:26 חָבֹ֥ל to as collateral Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute Exodus 22:26 תַּחְבֹּ֖ל to . . . Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Deuteronomy 24:6 יַחֲבֹ֥ל to as security for a debt Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Deuteronomy 24:6 חֹבֵֽל׃ס to as security Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Deuteronomy 24:17 תַחֲבֹ֔ל to as security Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Nehemiah 1:7 חֲבֹ֖ל to We have behaved corruptly Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Nehemiah 1:7 חָבַ֣לְנוּ to . . . Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural Job 17:1 חֻ֭בָּלָה to is broken Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person feminine singular Job 22:6 תַחְבֹּ֣ל to demanded security Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Job 24:3 יַ֝חְבְּל֗וּ to in pledge Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 22:26
Aligned rows 27
Books represented 12
Exodus 2 Deuteronomy 3 Nehemiah 2 Job 5 Psalms 1 Proverbs 3 Ecclesiastes 1 Song Of Solomon 3 Isaiah 4 Ezekiel 1 Amos 1 Micah 1
Source forms
חַבְלֵֽהוּ׃ 2x ḥaḇ·lê·hū Proverbs 20:16, Proverbs 27:13
אֶחְבֹּֽל׃ 1x ’eḥ·bōl Job 34:31
וְחִבֵּ֖ל 1x wə·ḥib·bêl Ecclesiastes 5:6
וְחֻבַּ֥ל 1x wə·ḥub·bal Isaiah 10:27
חֲבֹ֖ל 1x ḥă·ḇōl Nehemiah 1:7
חָבָ֔ל 1x ḥā·ḇāl Ezekiel 18:16
חָבֹ֥ל 1x ḥā·ḇōl Exodus 22:26
חֹבֵֽל׃ס 1x ḥō·ḇêl Deuteronomy 24:6
Parsing patterns
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct 3x Isaiah 13:5, Isaiah 32:7, Isaiah 54:16
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 3x Exodus 22:26, Deuteronomy 24:17, Job 22:6
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person masculine singular 2x Proverbs 20:16, Proverbs 27:13
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 2x Job 24:3, Job 24:9
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 1x Ecclesiastes 5:6
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 1x Isaiah 10:27
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 1x Proverbs 13:13
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular 1x Micah 2:10
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Binding action that moves from physical restraint to covenant violation, corruption, and destructive harm of persons.
Strong's H2254
Lexical occurrences 27 verses Word forms 4 forms 19 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Psalms 7:14–17 Source Gloss
to wind tightly (as a rope), i.e. to bind ; specifically, by a pledge ; figuratively, to pervert , destroy ; also to writhe in pain (especially of parturition)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Binding action that moves from physical restraint to covenant violation, corruption, and destructive harm of persons.
to wind tightly (as a rope), i.e. to bind; specifically, by a pledge; figuratively, to pervert, destroy; also to writhe in pain (especially of parturition) BDB: act (ruinously) corruptly Usage: × at all, band, bring forth, (deal) corrupt(-ly), destroy, offend, lay to (take a) pledge, spoil, travail, × very, withhold.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 4 Aligned forms 19
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 13×
Imperfect Deut 24:17 · Exod 22:25 · Job 22:6 · Job 24:3 · Job 24:9 · Deut 24:6 · Job 34:31 7×
Perfect Ezek 18:16 · Neh 1:7 2×
Participle passive Amos 2:8 1×
Participle active Deut 24:6 1×
Infinitive absolute Exod 22:25 1×
Infinitive construct Neh 1:7 1×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 1×
Perfect Job 17:1 1×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 4×
Imperfect Mic 2:10 · Ps 7:15 2×
Participle active Song 2:15 1×
Perfect Song 8:5 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 1×
Imperfect Prov 13:13 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
To be in labor; to travail with child; used metaphorically for the production of evil
Showing 1 selected witness from 27 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
חָבַל is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain