Lexical Definition

‎חָבַל‎ châbal (khaw-bal') to pledge ^H:V
a primitive root

[idiom] at all, band, bring forth, (deal) corrupt(-ly), destroy, offend, lay to (take a) pledge, spoil, travail, [idiom] very, withhold.

• 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)

1) to bind
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to bind
2) to take a pledge, lay to pledge
2a) (Qal) to hold by a pledge, take in pledge, hold in pledge
2b) (Niphal) to give a pledge, become pledged
3) to destroy, spoil, deal corruptly, offend
3a) (Qal) to spoil, corrupt, offend
3b) (Niphal) to be ruined
3c) (Piel) to destroy, ruin
3d) (Pual) to be ruined, be broken
4) to bring forth, travail
4a) (Piel) to writhe, twist, travail

See Greek: ἀφανίζω · ἀφανισμός · δεσμεύω · διαλύω · διαφθείρω · διαφθορά · καταφθείρω · καταφρονέω · φθείρω · ὠδίνω

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: cha.val (‎ח‎ֲ‎ב‎ַ‎ל‎ "to destroy" חֲבַל)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. [‎חָבַל‎] verb bind, pledge (Arabic bind; compare Aramaic , travail; ‎חֲבַל‎ pledge (but rare and dubious); especially cord, field, ‎חַבְלָא‎ cord, , ‎חֶבְלָא‎ pain, especially of travail; Sabean ‎חבל‎ border-territory, or field, SabDenkm^48.49; Ethiopic Zim^{BP 93 n.}, compare Assyrian na—balu, rope, snare (but — = )) —

Qal Perfect ‎חָבָ֑ל‎ Ezek 18:16 Imperfect ‎יַחֲבֹל‎ Deut 24:6 2 masculine singular ‎תַּחֲבֹל‎ Deut 24:17 ‎תַּחְבֹּל‎ Ezek 22:25; Job 22:6 ‎יַחְבְּלוּ‎ Job 24:3 ‎יַחְבֹּ֑לוּ‎ Job 24:9 Imperative suffix ‎חַבְלֵהוּ‎ Prov 20:16; Prov 27:13 Infinitive absolute ‎חָבֹל‎ Exod 22:25* Participle active ‎חֹבֵל‎ Deut 24:6, compare ‎חֹבְלִים‎ Zech 11:7; Zech 11:14 (name of ‎מַקֵּל‎); passive ‎חֲבֻלִים‎ Amos 2:8 —

1. bind, only in ‎חֹבְלִים‎, name of one of Zechariah's symbolic staves, Zech 11:7; Zech 11:14 symbolic of fraternity. Especially

2. bind by taking a pledge of, hold by a pledge, followed by accusative of person Prov 20:16; Prov 27:13; Job 22:6 take or hold in pledge, followed by accusative of thing Exod 22:25* ( J E), Deut 24:6 (twice in verse); Deut 24:17; Job 24:3 followed by accusative of congnate meaning with verb ‎חֲבֹל‎ Ezek 18:16 ‎עַלעָֿנִי יַחְבֹּ֑לוּ‎ Job 24:9 probably pregnant (see Di) take pledges (getting power) over the poor; ‎בְּגָדִים חֲבֻלִים‎ Amos 2:8 garments taken in pledge. Niph`al Imperfect ‎יֵחָ֫בֶל לוֺ‎ Prov 13:13 becometh pledged to it (i.e. pledged to pay the penalty, opposed to ‎יְשֻׁלָּ֑ם‎), so Ew Hi De Now Str RVm VB. > below II. ‎חָבַל‎ q. v. Pi`el Perfect 3 feminine singular ‎חִבְּלָה‎ Song 8:5 ‎חִבְּלַתְךָ‎ Song 8:5 Imperfect ‎יְחַבֶּלֿ‎ Ps 7:15* — writhe, twist, hence travail; of mother Song 8:5 (twice in verse) (with accusative of child; || ‎יְלָדָ֑תְךָ‎); metaphor of wicked man ‎יְחַבֶּלאָֿ֑וֶן וְהָרָה עָמָל וְיָלַד שָֽׁקֶר ׃‎ Ps 7:15*.

II. ‎חָבַל‎ verb act (ruinously) corruptly (Late Hebrew id. wound, injure; Arabic corrupt or render unsound (the mind, a limb, etc.), be deranged (in mind); Assyrian —abâlu, injure, VR^{62, 11}; Aramaic , ‎חַבֵּל‎ corrupt, ruin; Ethiopic be arrogant, audacious; Sabean ‎חֿבל‎ DHM^{Epigr. Denkm. 48}; compare Palmyrene ‎חבל‎ mortuus Vog^{No. 161} and often) —

Qal Perfect 1 plural ‎חָבַלְנוּ‎ Neh 1:7 Imperfect 1 singular ‎אֶחְבֹּל‎ Job 34:31 Infinitive construct (used as absolute) Neh 1:7 — act corruptly against, ‎חֲבֹל חבלנו לְ‎ Neh 1:7 absolute Job 34:31. Niph`al Imperfect ‎יֵחָ֫בֶל לוֺ‎ Prov 13:13 shall be ruined (‎לְ‎ reflexive), Thes Rob-Ges AV RV, but < I. ‎חָבַל‎ (q. v.) Pi`el ruin, destroy: Perfect 3 masculine singular consecutive ‎וְחִבֵּל את מעשׂה ידיך‎ Eccl 5:5*, subject God. Imperfect 3 feminine singular ‎תְּחַבֵּל וְחֶבֶל נִמְרָץ‎ Mic 2:10 that destroyeth, even with sore destruction; but read rather ‎׳‎‎נ‎ ‎׳‎‎תְּחֻבְּלוּ ח‎ ye shall be destroyed with etc., so ᵐ5 Roo Che. Infinitive construct ‎לְחַבֵּל‎ with accusative, the poor Isa 32:7, the land Isa 13:5 absolute Isa 54:16 compare Participle plural ‎מְחַבְּלִים‎ Song 2:15 with accusative of foxes ruining vineyards. Pu`al Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎וְחֻבַּל‎ consecutive Isa 10:27 of yoke, be ruined, broken, si vera lectio; RS^{JPh xiii. 1885, p. 62} proposes ‎יחדל‎, compare also Che^{critical note}.; and remark by Di Du; 3 feminine singular ‎חֻבָּ֑לָה‎ Job 17:1 my spirit is broken (|| ‎יָמַי נִזְעָ֑כוּ‎); Imperfect 2 masculine plural ‎תְּחֻבְּלוּ‎ Mic 2:10 (emendation: see above)

Brown-Driver-Briggs References