Bible Word Study
אָבֵל
ʼâbêl · a meadow
אָבֵל
a meadow
Definition
The Hebrew word אָבֵל (ʼâbêl) primarily means 'meadow' or 'grassy plain,' referring to a fertile, well-watered area of land. Its single biblical occurrence is in Judges 11:33, where it describes the plain or meadow of vineyards that Jephthah conquered. This sense denotes productive agricultural land, distinct from wilderness. The word is also foundational for several proper names beginning with 'Abel-' (e.g., Abel-keramim, 'meadow of vineyards' in Judges 11:33; Abel-meholah, 'meadow of dancing' in 1 Kings 19:16), which often describe locations by their lush, grassy characteristics.
Biblical Usage
אָבֵל is used only once in the Old Testament, in Judges 11:33, to specify the 'plain of vineyards' that Jephthah subdued. Its usage is geographical, identifying a fertile region. However, its root contributes to multiple place names (like Abel-meholah and Abel-mizraim), which appear in historical and prophetic contexts (e.g., 1 Kings 4:12; 1 Kings 19:16; Genesis 50:11). These compound names consistently highlight locations known for their verdant, meadow-like qualities.
Etymology
Derived from an unused Hebrew root meaning 'to be grassy' or 'to be green,' אָבֵל is related to the concept of lush vegetation. Cognates may include other Semitic words for meadow or pasture. The meaning developed straightforwardly from 'grassy' to 'meadow,' a fertile tract of land. It is distinct from the identically spelled word for 'mourning' (אָבֵל, H56), which comes from a different root.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, a meadow (אָבֵל) represented valuable, life-sustaining land, often contrasted with arid wilderness. Such areas were crucial for agriculture, grazing, and settlement. Naming a place with 'Abel-' highlighted its fertility and desirability, reflecting an agrarian society's values. This contrasts with modern, less agriculturally dependent understandings of landscape. nāweh (נָוֶה, H5116) — a pasture or habitation, often for flocks; śādeh (שָׂדֶה, H7704) — a field or open country, broader than a meadow; karmel (כַּרְמֶל, H3760) — a fruitful field or garden-land, emphasizing fertility.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]