5036. nabal
Strong's Lexicon
nabal: Fool, senseless person

Original Word: נָבָל
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: nabal
Pronunciation: naw-BAHL
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-bawl')
Definition: Fool, senseless person
Meaning: stupid, wicked

Word Origin: Derived from the root verb נָבַל (nabal), meaning "to be senseless" or "to be foolish."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G3474 (μωρός, mōros): Often translated as "foolish" or "fool," used in the New Testament to describe those lacking wisdom or spiritual insight (e.g., Matthew 5:22).

Usage: The Hebrew word "nabal" is used to describe a person who is foolish, senseless, or morally deficient. It often conveys a sense of someone who is not only lacking in wisdom but also in ethical and spiritual understanding. In the biblical context, a "nabal" is someone who acts contrary to God's ways, often characterized by arrogance, irreverence, and a lack of discernment.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israelite society, wisdom and understanding were highly valued, and a person's character was often judged by their ability to live in accordance with God's laws. The term "nabal" would have been a strong insult, indicating not just a lack of intelligence but a fundamental moral failing. The cultural context emphasizes the importance of living wisely and righteously, in contrast to the foolishness of a "nabal."

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from nabal
Definition
foolish, senseless
NASB Translation
fool (9), foolish (5), foolish man (1), foolish women (1), fools (1), fools* (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. נָבָל adjective foolish, senseless, especially of the man who has no perception of ethical and religious claims, and with collateral idea of ignoble, disgraceful; — absolute ׳נ 2 Samuel 3:33 14t.; masculine plural נְבָלִים 2 Samuel 13:13; Ezekiel 13:3 (ᵐ5 Co מִלִּבָּם); feminine plural נְבָלוֺת Job 2:10; — senseless, especially of religious and moral insensibility: ׳עַם נ Deuteronomy 32:6 (of Israel, unappreciative of J.'s benefits; opposed to חָכָם), so of heathen nation Psalm 74:18 (blaspheming name of ׳י), ׳גּוֺי נ Deuteronomy 32:21 ("" לֹא עָם); ׳הַנְּבִאִים הַנּ Ezekiel 13:3 (si vera lectio, see above); elsewhere as substantive (impious and presumptuous) fool, Isaiah 32:5 (opposed to נָדִיב noble-minded), characterized as at once irreligious and churlish, Isaiah 32:6; denying God Psalm 14:1 = Psalm 53:2; insulting God Psalm 74:22, and God's servant Psalm 39:9; Proverbs 17:7 arrogant speech becometh not the (impious and presumptuous) fool (whose faults it only makes the more conspicuous), much less do lying lips him that this is noble (נדיב), Proverbs 17:21 ("" כְּסִיל), Proverbs 30:22 ונבל כי ישׂבע לחם (one of the things under which the earth trembles), בְּנֵי נָבָל Job 30:8 i.e. ignoble men ("" בְּנֵי בְלִישֵֿׁם); as one who might be expected to have a contumelious end, ימות אבנר ׳הַכְּמוֺת נ 2 Samuel 3:33 was Abner (destined) to die, as a ׳נ dieth ? of the man who amasses riches unjustly ובאחריתו יהיה נבל Jeremiah 17:11 i.e. will prove himself to be a ׳נ; as acting immorally (with collateral idea of disgracefully) 2 Samuel 13:13 ואתה תהיה כְּאַחַד הַנְּבָלִים בישׂראל (compare נְבָלָה); feminine only in כְּדַבֵּר אַחַת הַנְּבָלוֺת Job 2:10 (of Job's wife). compare DrDeuteronomy 22:21. 32, 6. 15.21; Psalt. 457.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
foolish, vile person

From nabel; stupid; wicked (especially impious) -- fool(-ish, -ish man, -ish woman), vile person.

see HEBREW nabel

Forms and Transliterations
הַנְּבָלִ֑ים הַנְּבָלִ֖ים הַנְּבָלוֹת֙ הנבלות הנבלים וְ֝נָבָ֗ל ונבל לְנָבָ֖ל לְנָבָ֣ל לנבל נָ֝בָ֗ל נָ֭בָל נָבָ֖ל נָבָ֣ל נָבָֽל׃ נָבָל֙ נבל נבל׃ han·nə·ḇā·lîm han·nə·ḇā·lō·wṯ hannəḇālîm hannəḇālōwṯ hannevaLim hannevalOt lə·nā·ḇāl lənāḇāl lenaVal nā·ḇāl nāḇāl naVal Navol venaVal wə·nā·ḇāl wənāḇāl
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Deuteronomy 32:6
HEB: זֹ֔את עַ֥ם נָבָ֖ל וְלֹ֣א חָכָ֑ם
NAS: the LORD, O foolish and unwise
KJV: the LORD, O foolish people
INT: likewise people foolish not cunning

Deuteronomy 32:21
HEB: עָ֔ם בְּג֥וֹי נָבָ֖ל אַכְעִיסֵֽם׃
NAS: I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation,
KJV: I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
INT: A people nation A foolish to anger

2 Samuel 3:33
HEB: וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַכְּמ֥וֹת נָבָ֖ל יָמ֥וּת אַבְנֵֽר׃
NAS: Should Abner die as a fool dies?
KJV: Died Abner as a fool dieth?
INT: and said dead A fool die Abner

2 Samuel 13:13
HEB: תִּהְיֶ֛ה כְּאַחַ֥ד הַנְּבָלִ֖ים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְעַתָּה֙
NAS: And as for you, you will be like one of the fools in Israel.
KJV: and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel.
INT: shalt be as one of the fools Israel Now

Job 2:10
HEB: כְּדַבֵּ֞ר אַחַ֤ת הַנְּבָלוֹת֙ תְּדַבֵּ֔רִי גַּ֣ם
NAS: as one of the foolish women speaks.
KJV: as one of the foolish women speaketh.
INT: speak one of the foolish speaks indeed

Job 30:8
HEB: בְּֽנֵי־ נָ֭בָל גַּם־ בְּנֵ֣י
KJV: [They were] children of fools, yea, children
INT: those of fools even those

Psalm 14:1
HEB: לְדָ֫וִ֥ד אָ֘מַ֤ר נָבָ֣ל בְּ֭לִבּוֹ אֵ֣ין
NAS: For the choir director. [A Psalm] of David. The fool has said
KJV: The fool hath said in his heart,
INT: David has said the fool his heart There

Psalm 39:8
HEB: הַצִּילֵ֑נִי חֶרְפַּ֥ת נָ֝בָ֗ל אַל־ תְּשִׂימֵֽנִי׃
NAS: me not the reproach of the foolish.
KJV: me not the reproach of the foolish.
INT: Deliver the reproach of the foolish nay Make

Psalm 53:1
HEB: לְדָוִֽד׃ אָ֘מַ֤ר נָבָ֣ל בְּ֭לִבּוֹ אֵ֣ין
NAS: For the choir director; according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David. The fool has said
KJV: The fool hath said in his heart,
INT: David has said the fool his heart There

Psalm 74:18
HEB: יְהוָ֑ה וְעַ֥ם נָ֝בָ֗ל נִֽאֲצ֥וּ שְׁמֶֽךָ׃
NAS: has reviled, And a foolish people
KJV: O LORD, and [that] the foolish people
INT: LORD people foolish has spurned your name

Psalm 74:22
HEB: חֶרְפָּתְךָ֥ מִנִּי־ נָ֝בָ֗ל כָּל־ הַיּֽוֹם׃
NAS: Remember how the foolish man reproaches
KJV: remember how the foolish man reproacheth
INT: reproaches at the foolish all day

Proverbs 17:7
HEB: לֹא־ נָאוָ֣ה לְנָבָ֣ל שְׂפַת־ יֶ֑תֶר
NAS: is not fitting for a fool, Much
KJV: becometh not a fool: much less do lying
INT: is not fitting A fool speech Excellent

Proverbs 17:21
HEB: יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח אֲבִ֣י נָבָֽל׃
NAS: And the father of a fool has
KJV: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
INT: has and the father of a fool

Proverbs 30:22
HEB: כִּ֣י יִמְל֑וֹךְ וְ֝נָבָ֗ל כִּ֣י יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־
NAS: he becomes king, And a fool when
KJV: when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled
INT: when becomes fool when is satisfied

Isaiah 32:5
HEB: יִקָּרֵ֥א ע֛וֹד לְנָבָ֖ל נָדִ֑יב וּלְכִילַ֕י
NAS: longer will the fool be called
KJV: The vile person shall be no more called
INT: be called longer will the fool noble the rogue

Isaiah 32:6
HEB: כִּ֤י נָבָל֙ נְבָלָ֣ה יְדַבֵּ֔ר
NAS: For a fool speaks nonsense,
KJV: For the vile person will speak
INT: For A fool nonsense speaks

Jeremiah 17:11
HEB: וּבְאַחֲרִית֖וֹ יִהְיֶ֥ה נָבָֽל׃
NAS: him, And in the end he will be a fool.
KJV: and at his end shall be a fool.
INT: the end will be a fool

Ezekiel 13:3
HEB: עַל־ הַנְּבִיאִ֣ים הַנְּבָלִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֹלְכִ֛ים
NAS: GOD, Woe to the foolish prophets who
KJV: Woe unto the foolish prophets,
INT: and prophets to the foolish who along

18 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5036
18 Occurrences


han·nə·ḇā·lîm — 2 Occ.
han·nə·ḇā·lō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
lə·nā·ḇāl — 2 Occ.
nā·ḇāl — 11 Occ.
nā·ḇāl — 1 Occ.
wə·nā·ḇāl — 1 Occ.
















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