עוּל
a babe
Definition
The Hebrew noun עוּל (ʻûwl) refers specifically to a nursing infant or a very young child still dependent on its mother's milk. It denotes the earliest stage of human life, emphasizing vulnerability and complete dependence. In Isaiah 49:15, the word is used metaphorically to describe a mother's unbreakable bond with her nursing child, highlighting deep compassion. In Isaiah 65:20, it appears in a prophetic vision of the new creation, where an infant ('ōwel') who dies at a hundred years old is considered accursed, symbolizing the removal of premature death and the fragility of life in a restored order.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the Old Testament, both times in the book of Isaiah. It appears in highly poetic and prophetic contexts. In Isaiah 49:15, it is used in a rhetorical question to illustrate God's surpassing, faithful love for Zion, comparing it to a mother's love for her nursing baby. In Isaiah 65:20, it is used in a description of the future blessed state in God's new creation, contrasting the fleeting nature of life under the curse with enduring life in God's kingdom.
Etymology
The noun עוּל (ʻûwl) is derived from the root verb עוּל (ʻûl, H5763), which means 'to suckle' or 'to give milk.' This root connection directly ties the word to the act of breastfeeding. The noun form, therefore, inherently carries the sense of one who is nursing or being nursed. Cognates exist in other Semitic languages, like Arabic (ghāla), with similar meanings related to sucking or nursing.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it powerfully illustrates God's covenant faithfulness and compassionate character. In Isaiah 49:15, the bond between a mother and her nursing child serves as the supreme human analogy for God's unwavering commitment to His people—a commitment He declares is even stronger. In Isaiah 65:20, the word is central to a profound eschatological promise, marking the reversal of the curse and the establishment of a kingdom where life's most vulnerable stage is no longer touched by tragedy. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of these passages by grounding God's promises in the tangible, intimate reality of maternal care and the hope for a redeemed creation.
In ancient Israelite culture, a 'sucking child' (ʻûwl) represented the peak of human dependency and vulnerability. Infant mortality was high, making the survival and health of a nursing child a matter of great concern and joy. The mother-child bond during nursing was viewed as one of the strongest and most fundamental human relationships. This cultural understanding makes the metaphor in Isaiah 49:15 exceptionally powerful, as it uses the most reliable human love to point toward the even greater reliability of God's love.
יֶלֶד (yeled, H3206) — a general term for a child or youth, without the specific connotation of nursing. עוֹלֵל (ʻôlêl, H5768) — a young child or toddler, often one just weaned, a slightly later stage of development than ʻûwl. תִּינוֹק (tînôq, H2945) — a baby or infant, a later Aramaic-influenced term used in later Hebrew.
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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