Tabeel טָֽבְאֵל
Persian official involved in accusing the Jews to Artaxerxes
Who is Tabeel in the Bible?
Tabeel was a Persian official mentioned in Ezra 4:7 who, along with Bishlam and Mithredath, wrote an accusatory letter to King Artaxerxes against the Jewish people. This letter, written in Aramaic, accused the Jews of rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple, with the intent of halting their construction efforts. As an official in the Persian province Beyond the River, Tabeel wielded enough authority to influence the king's decision, and his accusation temporarily succeeded in stopping the Jewish rebuilding project. Though little is known about Tabeel beyond this single mention, his role illustrates the political opposition the returning exiles faced in their efforts to restore Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.
Biography
Tabeel is mentioned in Ezr.4.7 as one of the Persian officials who wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes accusing the Jews of rebuilding Jerusalem. He is listed along with Bishlam and Mithredath. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated. No other details are provided about Tabeel's background or role. As a Persian official in the province Beyond the River, he would have had some authority in the region. His accusation against the Jews aimed to stop their efforts to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEzra 1 verse
- Ezra 4:7
"And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated."
Study Ezra →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | טָֽבְאֵל |
Tabeel
l and Damascus planned to place upon the throne of Judah (Isa 7:6). The form of the name Tabhe'el, suggests that he was a Syrian; his son evidently was a tool of Rezin, king of Damascus. The name is vocalized so as to read Tebeal (Tabhe'al), which might be translated "good for nothing," though some explain it as a pausal form, with the ordinary meaning. The change, probably due to a desire to express contempt, is very slight in Hebrew.
(2) A Persian official in Samaria (Tabhe'el) (Ezr 4:7). All that is known of him is that he joined with other officials in sending a letter to Artaxerxes for the purpose of hindering the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.
F. C. Eiselen
ta-bel'-i-us (Tabellios): One of the Persian officials in Samaria who wrote a letter to Artaxerxes which caused the rebuilding of Jerusalem to be stopped for a time (1 Esdras 2:16) = "Tabeel" of <ref osisRef="Bible: