Lexical Summary
nabel: To fade, wither, fall away, become foolish
Original Word:נָבֵל
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:nabel
Pronunciation:naw-bale'
Phonetic Spelling:(naw-bale')
KJV: disgrace, dishounour, lightly esteem, fade (away, -ing), fall (down, -ling, off), do foolishly, come to nought, X surely, make vile, wither
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to wilt
2. (generally) to fall away, fail, faint
3. (figuratively) to be foolish or (morally) wicked
4. (causatively) to despise, disgrace
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
disgrace, dishounor, lightly esteem, come to nothing, make vile, wither
A primitive root; to wilt; generally, to fall away, fail, faint; figuratively, to be foolish or (morally) wicked; causatively, to despise, disgrace -- disgrace, dishounour, lightly esteem, fade (away, - ing), fall (down, -ling, off), do foolishly, come to nought, X surely, make vile, wither.
Brown-Driver-Briggs
II. (Late Hebrew , of immodesty; Arabic
= (per contra)
be noble, distinguished,
also
be gracious (Frey); Aramaic Pa`el
reject, despise, see
Nehemiah 3:6;
Jeremiah 14:21; in derivatives as Late Hebrew); —
=be foolishProverbs 30:32 is doubted by Frankenb Toy (where see various renderings), and others, who think text corrupt.Perfect2masculine singularProverbs 30:32if thou hast been foolish in lifting up thyself (opposed to ).
Perfect1singular suffix consecutiveNahum 3:6;Imperfect3masculine singularDeuteronomy 32:15; 2masculine singularJeremiah 14:21;ParticipleMicah 7:6; —regard ortreat as a (q. v.), i.e.with contumely, with accusative:Micah 7:6son treateth father as a fool (with contumely);Deuteronomy 32:15and he treated with contumely the Rock of his salvation (i.e. ; "" ); subject,Nahum 3:6I will treat thee (Nineveh)with contumely ("" );Jeremiah 14:21 do nottreat with contumely the throne of thy glory ("" ).
(Late Hebrewid.; Assyriannabâlu,destroy, DlHWB 443 f. Arabic
v, VIII.die; Aramaiccorpse); —
Perfect3masculine singularIsaiah 40:7,8;Jeremiah 8:13; 3feminine singularIsaiah 24:4 (twice in verse);Imperfect3masculine singularPsalm 1:3 4t. (on form compare Ges§ 43, 3, R, 1, h Ol§ 246 e) 2 masculine singularExodus 18:18; 3masculine plural2 Samuel 22:46 =Psalm 18:46,Psalm 37:2; 1pluralIsaiah 64:5 (on form compare Di and Ol§ 236 e);Infinitive absoluteExodus 18:18; constructIsaiah 34:4;ParticipleIsaiah 28:1,4; feminine absoluteIsaiah 34:4; constructIsaiah 1:30; —
sink or drop down, from exhaustionExodus 18:18 (Moses and Israel); from discouragement2 Samuel 22:46 =Psalm 18:46 (of foreigners, foes of Israel); of mountainJob 14:18 (but LagProph. Chald. Siegf Baer, after , so Bu [or ]; Du ).
usuallyfall like a leaf, or flowerwither and fall, fade:Isaiah 1:30like an oak falling as to it leaves (simile of people of Jerusalem); the host of heavenIsaiah 34:4;Ezekiel 47:12 (trees in Ezekiel's vision), so figurative of good manPsalm 1:3; of IsraelJeremiah 8:13,Isaiah 64:5; alsoIsaiah 40:7,8 (both "" ),Isaiah 28:1; compareIsaiah 28:4; of wickedPsalm 37:2: ("" ); of devastated earthIsaiah 24:4.
Topical Lexicon
Semantic Range and ImageryThe verb paints a picture of life or strength draining away—leaves drooping, blossoms collapsing, courage melting. Scripture applies the term to plants, people, nations, even the heavens, underscoring the universal reach of decay outside the sustaining grace of God.
Physical Withering in Creation
Job 14:18 compares crumbling rock to the frailty of human life, while Isaiah repeatedly links the word to vegetation scorched by divine breath: “The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them” (Isaiah 40:7; cf.Isaiah 1:30;Isaiah 28:1, 4;Isaiah 34:4). Such imagery confronts readers with the brevity of earthly beauty and vigor.
Moral Decline and Apostasy
Deuteronomy 32:15 shows Jeshurun’s prosperity turning to spiritual flabbiness; Jeremiah warns that unrepentant Judah will be like a fig tree whose leaves wither (Jeremiah 8:13). Isaiah laments, “We all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind” (Isaiah 64:6). Sin drains covenant life as surely as drought drains a garden.
Divine Judgment on Nations and Powers
Nations that resist the LORD lose heart (2 Samuel 22:46;Psalm 18:45). Nineveh will be humiliated (Nahum 3:6). Eschatologically, “all the stars of heaven will be dissolved… all their stars will wither” (Isaiah 34:4). The same verb that describes a wilting flower portrays the unraveling of empires and cosmic structures.
Leadership Fatigue and Ministry Wisdom
Exodus 18:18 warns Moses, “You will certainly wear yourselves out.” Delegation becomes a divine safeguard against burnout.Proverbs 30:32 adds that proud speech leads to one’s own withering. Leaders must draw strength from God and share burdens with others.
Contrast of the Perishing with the Persevering Righteous
The wicked fade “like grass” (Psalm 37:2), but the man delighting in the law of the LORD is “like a tree… whose leaf does not wither” (Psalm 1:3). Ezekiel’s river trees “will not wither… their leaves for healing” (Ezekiel 47:12). Abiding in God reverses the decay that marks life apart from Him.
Prophetic and Eschatological Dimensions
“The earth mourns and withers” (Isaiah 24:4), yet “the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). The verb becomes a foil to magnify Scripture’s permanence and the ultimate renewal awaiting creation (cf.Revelation 22:2).
Pastoral and Homiletic Applications
1. Human success and beauty are fleeting; only what is rooted in God’s truth endures.
2. Sin inevitably saps spiritual vitality; repentance restores fruitfulness.
3. Shared ministry averts the exhaustion warned of inExodus 18.
4. National pride will wither; faithful proclamation of the gospel must remain central.
5. Believers look beyond a withering world to the kingdom where nothing fades.
Through its twenty-five occurrences, נָבֵל consistently calls God’s people to humility, dependence, and unwavering trust in the unfading Word and promises of the LORD.
Forms and Transliterations
וְנִבַּלְתִּ֑יךְ וַיְנַבֵּ֖ל וַנָּ֤בֶל וּכְנֹבֶ֖לֶת וינבל וכנבלת ונבל ונבלתיך יִבֹּ֑לוּ יִבּ֑וֹל יִבּ֔וֹל יִבּ֨וֹל יִבּוֹלֽוּן׃ יבול יבולון׃ יבלו כִּנְבֹ֤ל כנבל מְנַבֵּ֣ל מנבל נָ֣בֵֽל נָֽבְלָה֙ נָבְלָ֖ה נָבֵ֔ל נָבַ֥לְתָּ נָבֹ֣ל נֹבֵ֖ל נֹבֵל֙ נֹבֶ֣לֶת נבל נבלה נבלת תְּנַבֵּ֖ל תִּבֹּ֔ל תבל תנבל kin·ḇōl kinḇōl kinVol mə·nab·bêl menabBel mənabbêl nā·ḇal·tā nā·ḇə·lāh nā·ḇêl nā·ḇōl nāḇaltā nāḇêl nāḇəlāh nāḇōl naValta Navel naveLah naVol nō·ḇe·leṯ nō·ḇêl nōḇêl nōḇeleṯ noVel noVelet tə·nab·bêl tenabBel tənabbêl tib·bōl tibBol tibbōl ū·ḵə·nō·ḇe·leṯ uchenoVelet ūḵənōḇeleṯ vanNavel vaynabBel venibbalTich wan·nā·ḇel wannāḇel way·nab·bêl waynabbêl wə·nib·bal·tîḵ wənibbaltîḵ yib·bō·lū yib·bō·w·lūn yib·bō·wl yibBol yibBolu yibbōlū yibboLun yibbōwl yibbōwlūn
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
