Lexicon
נָבַל
na.val
H5034A
H:V Hebrew

be senseless

5
Occurrences
5
Books
Hebrew
Language

na.val describes contemptuous or dishonoring treatment and, in one saying, foolish self-exaltation.

The attested Piel forms describe treating a person or sacred object with contempt or dishonor, including a threatened making of a city into a public sight; a Qal form describes having acted foolishly in self-exaltation.

Senses in use

  1. Treating with contempt or dishonor · dominant

    The Piel forms occur where Jeshurun abandons God and the Rock of salvation is treated “senselessly” in Deuteronomy 32:15, where the speaker asks that the glorious throne not be dishonored in Jeremiah 14:21, and where a son treats his father with contempt in Micah 7:6. In Nahum 3:6, the first-person Piel perfect stands in the declaration to throw abominations upon the city, make it “senseless,” and set it as a sight.

  2. Acting foolishly in self-exaltation · occasional

    The Qal perfect addresses a person who has acted this way “in exalting yourself” in Proverbs 30:32; the APB then contrasts this with plotting evil.

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB varies between “treated... senselessly,” “dishonor,” “contempt,” “make you senseless,” and “foolish.” These renderings confirm the clauses' overall direction rather than isolate a fixed English equivalent.

Passages featuring this word

Across Scripture