כָּבוּל
Cabul, the name of two places in Palestine
Definition
Cabul is the name of two distinct locations in ancient Israel. First, it refers to a city on the border of the tribe of Asher, mentioned in the territorial allotment (Joshua 19:27). Second, and more famously, it is the name King Solomon gave to a region of twenty cities in Galilee that he ceded to Hiram, king of Tyre, as payment for building materials (1 Kings 9:13). Hiram was displeased with the gift, calling the land 'Cabul,' which the text suggests was understood as meaning something like 'good for nothing' or 'displeasing,' highlighting its perceived poor quality.
Biblical Usage
The word is used only twice in the Old Testament, both times as a proper noun for a place. In Joshua 19:27, it functions as a simple geographical marker for Asher's boundary. In 1 Kings 9:13, its usage is charged with diplomatic and economic context, as it becomes the subject of a dispute between Solomon and Hiram, revealing tensions in their alliance and the land's value.
Etymology
The name likely derives from the Hebrew root כָּבַל (kāḇal, H3525), meaning 'to bind' or 'to fetter,' carrying a sense of limitation or restraint. This connects to the interpretation in 1 Kings 9:13, where the land is seen as 'limited' or 'sterile'—unproductive and thus disappointing. It is not a common noun but a place name whose meaning was shaped by its descriptive use in the narrative.
Semantic Range
The story of Cabul in 1 Kings 9 provides a subtle but significant theological insight. It serves as an early, minor crack in the golden age of Solomon's reign, hinting at the financial strains and diplomatic compromises that would later contribute to the kingdom's division. It reminds the reader that even at its peak, Solomon's kingdom was not without flaw, and human alliances could be fragile, contrasting with the ideal of complete reliance on God's provision.
In the ancient Near East, the gifting of land between monarchs was a serious diplomatic and economic transaction. Hiram's rejection of the cities as 'Cabul' was a significant insult, implying the gift was beneath the value of his services and damaging to Solomon's honor. The name thus encapsulates a cultural moment of failed reciprocity and public disrespect within international relations.
No direct synonyms as a proper noun. Conceptually related to terms for worthless land: סְחִי (sᵉḥî, H5501) — refuse, offscouring; or תֹּהוּ (tōhû, H8414) — formlessness, emptiness.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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