King James Bible
King James Version (KJV)
STRONGS NUMBER H1892
Transliteration: hebel
Phonetic Spelling: (heh'bel)
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Short Definition: vapor, breath
Meaning: emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory
Word Summary
hebel: vapor, breath
Original Word: הֶבֶלTransliteration: hebel
Phonetic Spelling: (heh'bel)
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Short Definition: vapor, breath
Meaning: emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory
Strong's Concordance
altogether, vain, vanity Or (rarely in the abs.) Habel {hab-ale'}; from habal; emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb -- X altogether, vain, vanity.
see HEBREW habal
Brown-Driver-Briggs
H1892. hebel
I. הֶ֫בֶל73 noun masculine vapour, breath (Late Hebrew id., Syriac id.) figurative vanity (so Late Hebrew, Syriac ) — הָ֑בֶל Ecclesiastes 1:2 +; construct הֲבֵל 1:2 (twice in verse); 12:8, suffix הֶבְלִי etc. 6:12; 7:15; 9:9 (twice in verse); plural הֲבָלִים Jeremiah 10:8 +; construct הַבְלֵי 8:19 +, suffix הַבְלֵיהֶם Deuteronomy 32:21 +; —
1 literal Isaiah 57:13 all of them (the idols) הָ֑בֶל יִקַּח יִשָּׂארֿוּחַ a breath (ᵑ9 aura) will carry away, Proverbs 21:6 the getting of treasures by a lying tongue is נִדָּף הֶבֶל a vapour driven away. Elsewhere always
2 figurative of what is evanescent, unsubstantial, worthless, vanity, as of idols Jeremiah 10:15 = 51:18; 16:19 מוֺעִיל בָּם וְאֵין הֶבֶל "" (שֶׁקֶרׅ, heathen observances 10:3, and in phrase הַהֶבֶל אַחֲרֵי הָלַךְ 2:5; 2 Kings 17:15; Proverbs 13:11 מֵהֶבֶל הוֺן wealth (gotten) out of vanity, (i.e. not by solid toil, opposed to יָד עַל קֹבֵץ) is minished (but ᵑ9 ᵐ5 Ew מְבֹהָל, see 20:21 Qr), 31:30 הַיֹּ֑פִי וְהֶבֶל הַחֵן שֶׁקֶר, Lamentations 4:17 הֶבֶל עֶזְרָתֵנוּ אֶל to our vain (Dr§ 193 n.) help; of life Job 7:16 יָמָֽי׃ הֶבֶל כִּי, Psalm 78:33 יְמֵיהֶם בַּהֶבֶל וַיְכַל consumed their days as (בְּ I:7 d vanity, man 39:6; 39:12; 62:10 יָחַד׃ מֵהֶבֶל הֵמָּה ֗֗֗ אָדָם בְּנֵי הֶבֶל they are altogether (made) of vanity, 94:11; 144:4, especially in Ecclesiastes (31 t. + הֲבָלִים הֲבֵל Ecclesiastes 1:2 (twice in verse); 12:8) of the fruitlessness of all human enterprise and endeavour, 1:2 הֶבֶל הַכֹּל, 1:14 רוּחַ וּרְעוּת הֶבֶל הַכֹּל all was vanity and the pursuit of wind, 2:1, 14, 15 etc., 6:4 (of an abortion) בָּא בַּהֶבֶל i.e. into a lifeless existence, 6:11 הָ֑בֶל מַרְבִּים הַרְבֵּה דְּבָרִים יֵשׁ (of discussions leading to no result), note also the phrases יְמֵי (הֶבְלְךָ הֶבְלוֺ,) הֶבְלִי 7:15; 9:9, ה חַיֵּי ׳יְמֵי 6:12; 9:9; Job 27:12 (see הָבַל), Isaiah 49:4 וָהֶבֶל לְתֹהוּ for nought and vanity have I spent my strength; as adverb accusative vainly, to no purpose 30:7 יַעֲזֹ֑רוּ וָרִיק הֶבֶל, Psalm 39:7 יֶהֱמָיוּן הֶבֶל אַךְ they disquiet themselves to no purpose, Job 9:29: אִיגָָֽע הֶבֶל 35:16, with נִחַם to comfort 21:34; Zechariah 10:2. Plural הֲבָלִים of false gods, Deuteronomy 32:21 בְהַבְלֵיהֶם כִּעֲסוּנִי ) "" בְּלֹאאֵֿל) 1 Kings 16:13, 26; Jeremiah 8:19 נֵכָר הַבְלֵי "" (בִּפְסִילֵיהֶםׅ, 10:8; 14:22 הַגּוֺיִם הַבְלֵי, Psalm 31:7 הַבְלֵישָֿׁוְא הַשֹּׁמְרִים empty vanities Jonah 2:9; in more General sense Ecclesiastes 1:2 (twice in verse); 12:8 הֲבָלִים הֲבֵל, 5:6.