Lexical Summary
tebel: world, inhabited, inhabited world
Original Word:תֵּבֵל
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:tebel
Pronunciation:tay-BAYL
Phonetic Spelling:(tay-bale')
KJV: habitable part, world
NASB:world, inhabited, inhabited world
Word Origin:[fromH2986 (יָבַל - bring)]
1. the earth (as moist and therefore inhabited)
2. (by extension) the globe
3. (by implication) its inhabitants
4. (specifically, a participle) land, as Israel, Egypt, Babylon
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
confusion
Fromyabal; the earth (as moist and therefore inhabited); by extension, the globe; by implication, its inhabitants; specifically, a partic. Land, as Babylonia, Palestine -- habitable part, world.
see HEBREWyabal
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
yabalDefinitionworld
NASB Translationinhabited (1), inhabited world (1), world (34).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Nahum 1:5 (apparently
Isaiah 14:17) , poetic synonym of (perhaps originally as
productive, compare , , but this sense not clearly maintained; compare also Assyrian
tabalu in
êlî tabali, by land, ""
êlî nâru, by water (river) Meissn
ZA 1889, iv. 3, 261, 263, 265 f. SASm
Assyrian Letters iv. plate viii. ix, 1. 33) — usually absolute (no article), construct
Job 37:12;
Proverbs 8:31;
world, usually ""
1 Samuel 2:8 ( set on ),
Isaiah 14:21;
Isaiah 24:4;
Isaiah 34:1;
Jeremiah 10:12 =
Jeremiah 51:15,
1 Chronicles 16:30 (=
Psalm 96:10 below)
Job 34:13;
Psalm 19:5;
Psalm 77:19 =
Psalm 97:4;
Psalm 90:2;
Psalm 96:13 (+ ),
Psalm 98:9 (+
id.);
Nahum 1:5;
Psalm 24:1;
Psalm 33:8;
Isaiah 18:3 ("" ),
Isaiah 26:9,18;
Lamentations 4:12; Lam 89:12 (+ , compare Lam 24:1);
Job 37:12upon the face of the world of earth (earthly world, the whole expanse of earth);
Proverbs 8:31; on the other hand
Proverbs 8:26; alone
Job 18:18; other combinations
Psalm 50:12 (compare
Psalm 89:12 above);
Isaiah 27:6 (compare
Job 37:12 above);
2 Samuel 22:16foundations of the world =
Psalm 18:16, compare
Psalm 93:1;
Psalm 96:10 (=
1 Chronicles 16:30); world as object of s judgment
1 Chronicles 9:9 ("" ; see also 1Chron 96:13 above), compare 1Chron 98:7 ("" ),
Isaiah 13:11 ("" ); as devastated by Babylonian conqueror
Isaiah 14:17 ("" ).
Topical Lexicon
Semantic Range and Conceptual Nuancesתֵּבֵל (tebel) designates the ordered, habitable world—the realm of human life and activity—viewed as distinct from heaven and as the arena over which the Lord exercises comprehensive sovereignty. Unlike אֶרֶץ (erets), which can refer to land in a local or territorial sense, tebel consistently carries a global perspective, highlighting the earth as a unified, inhabited system sustained by God. The term frequently appears in elevated poetic or prophetic contexts to underscore the majesty, stability, and moral accountability of the created order.
Distribution in the Canon
Tebel occurs approximately thirty-six times, concentrated in Psalms (nearly half of the usages), with additional appearances in Job, Proverbs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Nahum, Habakkuk, and 2 Samuel. The word is virtually absent from the narrative sections of Torah and Former Prophets, reinforcing its function as a theological rather than geographic term.
Theological Themes
1.Divine Ownership and Sovereignty
• “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1).
• “The heavens are Yours, and also the earth; the world and all it contains—You founded them” (Psalm 89:11).
These passages tie tebel to God’s absolute proprietorship, countering any worldview that limits His rule to Israel alone. Israel’s covenant God is depicted as Creator-King of the entire inhabited earth.
2.Cosmic Stability Under God’s Reign
• “Indeed, the world is firmly established; it cannot be moved” (Psalm 93:1).
• “Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved’” (Psalm 96:10).
Tebel emphasizes the reliability of the created order. The world’s steadiness is not inherent but derives from the Lord’s ongoing governance. This theme undergirds biblical confidence in natural law, seasons, and the regularity of history.
3.Universal Call to Worship
• “Let the sea resound, and all that fills it, the world and all who live in it” (Psalm 98:7).
• “They have no speech, they use no words… Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world” (Psalm 19:3-4).
The term extends Israel’s worship vocabulary to include all peoples. Creation itself becomes a missionary agent, heralding God’s glory to the entire tebel.
4.Moral Accountability and Judgment
• “The earth mourns and fades; the world languishes and withers… for they have transgressed the laws” (Isaiah 24:4-5).
• “He will judge the peoples with equity” (Psalm 96:10).
Tebel is not only the stage for God’s blessings but also the venue of His righteous judgment. Prophets use the word to warn that the whole inhabited earth is liable to the covenant justice of its Maker.
5.Redemptive and Messianic Expectations
• “Before the mountains were born… from everlasting to everlasting You are God” (Psalm 90:2), framing the Messiah’s kingdom in light of everlasting dominion over the tebel.
• “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14).
These passages anticipate a future in which the inhabited world fully acknowledges the Lordship of Christ, an eschatological vision that propels missionary endeavor.
Historical and Cultural Setting
Ancient Near Eastern literature often portrayed multiple deities partitioning cosmic realms. By employing tebel, Israel’s poets and prophets assert a polemic: the entire inhabited world belongs to the one true God. This monotheistic claim challenged surrounding nations and sustained Israel’s hope during exile. When Babylon claimed universal dominion (Isaiah 14:17), Scripture reminded the faithful that real authority over the tebel rested with Yahweh alone.
Representative Passages
•2 Samuel 22:16 – The foundations of the world are exposed at the Lord’s rebuke, highlighting His power to unravel creation in judgment.
•Job 18:18 – The wicked are “chased from the world,” underscoring ultimate moral accountability.
•Proverbs 8:31 – Wisdom is portrayed as “rejoicing in His inhabited world,” linking divine wisdom to the delight and order of the tebel.
•Isaiah 13:11 – “I will punish the world for its evil,” connecting global judgment to moral rebellion.
•Nahum 1:5 – “The earth trembles at His presence, the world and all who dwell in it,” reaffirming sovereignty during Assyria’s downfall.
Implications for Ministry Today
1.Global Mission Mandate
If the Lord claims the tebel, the Gospel is designed for every inhabitant. The Great Commission finds Old Testament resonance in the call for universal worship embedded in tebel passages.
2.Stewardship of Creation
Ownership by God invests the physical world with dignity. Believers steward resources responsibly, honoring the Creator’s design and anticipating the new creation.
3.Confidence in Providence
The stability of the tebel, upheld by God, offers comfort amid societal upheaval. Leaders can shepherd congregations with assurance that history remains under divine control.
4.Ethical Accountability
Prophetic uses of tebel remind the church to proclaim both grace and judgment. Societies are accountable to God’s moral order, and faithful ministry addresses both redemption and righteousness.
Conclusion
תֵּבֵל portrays the inhabited world as a theater of God’s glory, governance, and grace. Its biblical footprint testifies that every nation, ecosystem, and era lies within His redemptive purpose. Recognizing this enlarges worship, motivates mission, and fortifies hope until the day “the kingdoms of the world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” (Revelation 11:15).
Forms and Transliterations
בְּתֵבֵ֣ל בתבל וְתֵבֵ֑ל וְתֵבֵ֖ל וּֽמִתֵּבֵ֥ל ומתבל ותבל תֵ֝בֵ֗ל תֵ֭בֵל תֵּ֝בֵ֗ל תֵּ֫בֵ֥ל תֵּ֭בֵל תֵּבֵ֑ל תֵּבֵ֖ל תֵּבֵ֛ל תֵּבֵ֥ל תֵּבֵֽל׃ תֵּבֵל֙ תֵבֵ֑ל תֵבֵ֖ל תֵבֵ֣ל תֵבֵֽל׃ תבל תבל׃ bə·ṯê·ḇêl bəṯêḇêl beteVel tê·ḇêl ṯê·ḇêl têḇêl ṯêḇêl teVel ū·mit·tê·ḇêl ūmittêḇêl umitteVel veteVel wə·ṯê·ḇêl wəṯêḇêl
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
