What does נָבַב (nābab) mean in the Bible?
נָבַב (nābab): Emptiness—whether literal hollowness or mental vacuity—defines this word's core semantic range
Hebrew · H5014
נָבַב
To pierce ; to be hollow , or (figuratively) foolish
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נָבַב H5014
Pronunciation nābab
What does נָבַב (nābab) mean in the Bible?
נָבַב (nābab): Emptiness—whether literal hollowness or mental vacuity—defines this word's core semantic range
Full entry for נָבַב (H5014) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5014?
The BSB source-word alignment has 4 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [each] was hollow (1), But a witless (1), so that it is hollow (1), so that it was hollow (1).
Where does נָבַב (nābab) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 27:8. Its strongest book concentrations include Exodus (2), Jeremiah (1), Job (1).
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 [each] was hollow 1× Jeremiah 52:21
But a witless 1× Job 11:12
so that it is hollow 1× Exodus 27:8
so that it was hollow 1× Exodus 38:7
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 27:8 נְב֥וּב to so that it is hollow Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular construct Exodus 38:7 נְב֥וּב to so that it was hollow Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular construct Job 11:12 נָ֭בוּב to But a witless Adjective - masculine singular Jeremiah 52:21 נָבֽוּב׃ to [each] was hollow Adjective - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 27:8
Aligned rows 4
Books represented 3
Exodus 2 Job 1 Jeremiah 1
Source forms
נְב֥וּב 2x nə·ḇūḇ Exodus 27:8, Exodus 38:7
נָ֭בוּב 1x nā·ḇūḇ Job 11:12
נָבֽוּב׃ 1x nā·ḇūḇ Jeremiah 52:21
Parsing patterns
Adjective - masculine singular 2x Job 11:12, Jeremiah 52:21
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular construct 2x Exodus 27:8, Exodus 38:7
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Emptiness—whether literal hollowness or mental vacuity—defines this word's core semantic range
Source Gloss
to pierce ; to be hollow , or (figuratively) foolish
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Emptiness—whether literal hollowness or mental vacuity—defines this word's core semantic range
to pierce; to be hollow, or (figuratively) foolish BDB: hollow out Usage: hollow, vain.
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 1 Aligned forms 4
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 4×
Participle passive Exod 27:8 · Exod 38:7 · Jer 52:21 · Job 11:12 4×
Word Origins
נָבַב 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