Hebrew noun · H2256
חֶבֶל
chebelkheh'-bel
Mahalab; pain; union; destruction; cord
62 uses in the Hebrew text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key
Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's H2256is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.
- 19 of 39Old Testament books
- 48spellings
- 5meanings
The definition in full
Strong's key (1890) · H2256
a rope (as twisted), especially a measuring line; by implication, a district or inheritance (as measured); or a noose (as of cords); figuratively, a company (as if tied together); also a throe (especially of parturition); also ruin
The King James renders it: band, coast, company, cord, country, destruction, line, lot, pain, pang, portion, region, rope, snare, sorrow, tackling.
James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.
Summary
chebel is rendered "Mahalab; pain; union; destruction; cord". It stands 62 times in the Hebrew text, across nineteen books.
- Eight of the uses stand in Psalms, more than in any other book.
- The lexicon lists five meanings for it, beginning with "Mahalab".
- Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Deuteronomy 3:4At that time we captured all sixty of his cities. There was not a single city we failed to take—the entire region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
- The Greek text spells it forty-eight different ways.
The first use
At that time we captured all sixty of his cities. There was not a single city we failed to take—the entire region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
Deuteronomy 3:4חֶ֣בֶל
The first use, in the order of the Old Testament's books.
Where the word stands
The word stands in nineteen of the 39 Old Testament books.
What the word means
The word carries five meanings: Mahalab, and pain, and union, and destruction, and cord.
Each meaning, and the words it is translated by
| Meaning | Tagged as | Where |
|---|---|---|
| MahalabStrong's entry A | Tagged aslisted under the table | WhereDeuteronomy 3:4At that time we captured all sixty of his cities… |
| painStrong's entry B | Tagged aslisted under the table | Wherein the ledger below |
| unionStrong's entry C | Tagged aslisted under the table | Wherein the ledger below |
| destructionStrong's entry D | Tagged aslisted under the table | Wherein the ledger below |
| cordStrong's entry A | Tagged aslisted under the table | Wherein the ledger below |
How the Greek text is glossed, word by word
- region of6
- cords of4
- and ropes3
- with cords of3
- with ropes3
- a company of2
- and pains2
- labor-pains2
- portion of2
- with the measuring-line2
- a cord of1
- a measuring-line1
and 31 more, 62 uses in all
The words built on the same word-part
Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.
| Word | Written | Meaning | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| חֶבֶר | cheber | spell | Uses4 |
The words it stands beside
All 62, in canonical order
Every use, in order
Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.
48 spellings and their grammar
STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.
How it is spelled
- חֶ֣בֶל4
- חֶ֤בֶל3
- חֶ֥בֶל3
- בְּחַבְלֵי־2
- וַחֲבָלִ֣ים2
- חֶ֖בֶל2
- חֶבְלֵ֣י2
- חֶבְלֵ֥י2
- חֶבְלֵי־2
- חֲבָלִים֙2
- בְּחֶ֣בֶל1
- בַּחֶ֖בֶל1
and 36 more spellings in the ledger below.
The grammar of each form
- noun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)13HNcbsc
- noun · masculine or feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)6HNcbpc
- preposition + noun · masculine or feminine plural5HR/Ncbpa
- noun · masculine or feminine plural4HNcbpa
- noun · masculine plural4HNcmpa
- preposition + noun · masculine or feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)4HR/Ncbpc
- conjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine or feminine plural3HC/Ncbpa
- preposition with the article + noun · masculine or feminine singular3HRd/Ncbsa
- conjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine plural2HC/Ncmpa
- noun · masculine or feminine singular2HNcbsa
- preposition + noun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)2HR/Ncbsc
- conjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine or feminine singular1HC/Ncbsa
Deuteronomy
four uses
At that time we captured all sixty of his cities. There was not a single city we failed to take—the entire region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
- חֶ֣בֶלchevelnoun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: region of
To the half-tribe of Manasseh I gave the rest of Gilead and all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og. (The entire region of Argob, the whole territory of Bashan, used to be called the land of the Rephaim.)
- חֶ֤בֶלchevelnoun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: region of
Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took the whole region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites. He renamed Bashan after himself, Havvoth-jair, by which it is called to this day.
- חֶ֣בֶלchevelnoun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: region of
But the LORD’s portion is His people, Jacob His allotted inheritance.
- חֶ֥בֶלchevelnoun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: measured portion of
Joshua
five uses
Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window, since the house where she lived was built into the wall of the city.
- בַּחֶ֖בֶלbachevelpreposition with the article + noun · masculine or feminine singulartagged: with the rope
Thus ten shares fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan beyond the Jordan,
- חַבְלֵֽי־chavlei-noun · masculine or feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: allotted portions of
Then the sons of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one portion as an inheritance? We have many people, because the LORD has blessed us abundantly.”
- וְחֶ֣בֶלvechevelconjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine or feminine singulartagged: and a portion
The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the territory of Judah, because the share for Judah’s descendants was too large for them. So the Simeonites received an inheritance within Judah’s portion.
- מֵחֶ֙בֶל֙mechevelpreposition + noun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: from portion of
The border then turned back toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah, and came out at the Sea in the region of Achzib,
- מֵחֶ֥בֶלmechevelpreposition + noun · masculine or feminine singulartagged: from region
1 Samuel
two uses
After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying.
- חֶ֤בֶלchevelnoun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: a company of
When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied along with them.
- חֶֽבֶל־chevel-noun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: a company of
2 Samuel
five uses
David also defeated the Moabites, made them lie down on the ground, and measured them off with a cord. He measured off with two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.
- בַּחֶ֙בֶל֙bachevelpreposition with the article + noun · masculine or feminine singulartagged: with the measuring-line
- חֲבָלִים֙chavalimnoun · masculine or feminine pluraltagged: measuring-lines
- הַחֶ֖בֶלhachevelthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine or feminine singulartagged: the measuring-line
If he retreats to a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not even a pebble can be found.”
- חֲבָלִ֑יםchavalimnoun · masculine or feminine pluraltagged: ropes
The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.
- חֶבְלֵ֥יchevleinoun · masculine or feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: cords of
1 Kings
three uses
Ben-geber in Ramoth-gilead (the villages of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead belonged to him, as well as the region of Argob in Bashan with its sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars);
- חֶ֤בֶלchevelnoun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: region of
Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
- וַחֲבָלִ֣יםvachavalimconjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine or feminine pluraltagged: and ropes
So with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’” And the king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
- וַחֲבָלִ֣יםvachavalimconjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine or feminine pluraltagged: and ropes
1 Chronicles
one use
‘I will give you the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.’
- חֶ֖בֶלchevelnoun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: portion of
Esther
one use
Hangings of white and blue linen were fastened with cords of fine white and purple material to silver rings on the marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.
- בְּחַבְלֵי־bechavlei-preposition + noun · masculine or feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: with cords of
Job
five uses
A noose is hidden in the ground, and a trap lies in his path.
- חַבְל֑וֹchavlonoun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: rope his
How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come upon them? Does God, in His anger, apportion destruction?
- חֲ֝בָלִ֗יםchavalimnoun · masculine pluraltagged: pains
And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction,
- בְּחַבְלֵי־bechavlei-preposition + noun · masculine or feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: in cords of
They crouch down and bring forth their young; they deliver their newborn.
- חֶבְלֵיהֶ֥םchevleihemnoun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: labor-pains their
“Can you pull in Leviathan with a hook or tie down his tongue with a rope?
- וּ֝בְחֶ֗בֶלuvechevelconjunction (“and”) + preposition + noun · masculine or feminine singulartagged: and with a cord
Psalms
eight uses
The lines of my boundary have fallen in pleasant places; surely my inheritance is delightful.
- חֲבָלִ֣יםchavalimnoun · masculine or feminine pluraltagged: boundary lines
The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.
- חֶבְלֵי־chevlei-noun · masculine or feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: cords of
The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.
- חֶבְלֵ֣יchevleinoun · masculine or feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: cords of
He drove out nations before them and apportioned their inheritance; He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
- בְּחֶ֣בֶלbechevelpreposition + noun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: by a measuring-line of
“I will give you the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.”
- חֶ֝֗בֶלchevelnoun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: portion of
The ropes of death entangled me; the anguish of Sheol overcame me; I was confronted by trouble and sorrow.
- חֶבְלֵי־chevlei-noun · masculine or feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: cords of
Though the ropes of the wicked bind me, I do not forget Your law.
- חֶבְלֵ֣יchevleinoun · masculine or feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: ropes of
The proud hide a snare for me; the cords of their net are spread along the path, and lures are set out for me. Selah
- וַחֲבָלִ֗יםvachavalimconjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine or feminine pluraltagged: and ropes
Proverbs
one use
The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his sin entangle him.
- וּבְחַבְלֵ֥יuvechavleiconjunction (“and”) + preposition + noun · masculine or feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: and by cords of
Ecclesiastes
one use
Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is crushed, before the pitcher is shattered at the spring and the wheel is broken at the well,
- חֶ֣בֶלchevelnoun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: cord of
Isaiah
six uses
Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes,
- בְּחַבְלֵ֣יbechavleipreposition + noun · masculine or feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: with cords of
Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look at one another, their faces flushed with fear.
- וַֽחֲבָלִים֙vachavalimconjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: and pains
As a woman with child about to give birth writhes and cries out in pain, so were we in Your presence, O LORD.
- בַּחֲבָלֶ֑יהָbachavaleihapreposition + noun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: in labor-pains her
Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful pasture, a tent that does not wander; its tent pegs will not be pulled up, nor will any of its cords be broken.
- חֲבָלָ֖יוchavalavnoun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: ropes its
Your ropes are slack; they cannot secure the mast or spread the sail. Then an abundance of spoils will be divided, and even the lame will carry off plunder.
- חֲבָלָ֑יִךְchavalayikhnoun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person feminine singulartagged: ropes your
“Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before she was in pain, she delivered a boy.
- חֵ֛בֶלchevelnoun · masculine singulartagged: labor-pain
Jeremiah
seven uses
What will you say when He sets over you close allies whom you yourself trained? Will not pangs of anguish grip you, as they do a woman in labor?
- חֲבָלִים֙chavalimnoun · masculine pluraltagged: labor-pains
O inhabitant of Lebanon, nestled in the cedars, how you will groan when pangs of anguish come upon you, agony like a woman in labor.”
- חֲבָלִ֔יםchavalimnoun · masculine pluraltagged: labor-pains
So they took Jeremiah and dropped him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah with ropes into the cistern, which had no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.
- בַּחֲבָלִ֑יםbachavalimpreposition + noun · masculine or feminine pluraltagged: with ropes
Then Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the king’s palace, to a place below the storehouse. From there he took old rags and worn-out clothes and lowered them with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern.
- בַּחֲבָלִֽים׃bachavalimpreposition + noun · masculine or feminine pluraltagged: with ropes
Ebed-melech the Cushite cried out to Jeremiah, “Put these worn-out rags and clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” Jeremiah did so,
- לַחֲבָלִ֑יםlachavalimpreposition + noun · masculine or feminine pluraltagged: to ropes
and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.
- בַּֽחֲבָלִ֔יםbachavalimpreposition + noun · masculine or feminine pluraltagged: with ropes
Damascus has become feeble; she has turned to flee. Panic has gripped her; anguish and pain have seized her like a woman in labor.
- וַחֲבָלִ֛יםvachavalimconjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: and pains
Ezekiel
two uses
In your marketplace they traded with you fine garments of blue, embroidered work, and multicolored rugs with cords tightly twisted and knotted.
- בַּחֲבָלִ֧יםbachavalimpreposition + noun · masculine or feminine pluraltagged: for ropes
This is what the Lord GOD says: “These are the boundaries by which you are to divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel; Joseph shall receive two portions.
- חֲבָלִֽים׃chavalimnoun · masculine or feminine pluraltagged: measured portions
Hosea
two uses
I led them with cords of kindness, with ropes of love; I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them.
- בְּחַבְלֵ֨יbechavleipreposition + noun · masculine or feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: with cords of
Labor pains come upon him, but he is an unwise son. When the time arrives, he fails to present himself at the opening of the womb.
- חֶבְלֵ֥יchevleinoun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: pains of
Amos
one use
Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be divided by a measuring line, and you yourself will die on pagan soil. And Israel will surely go into exile, away from their homeland.’”
- בַּחֶ֣בֶלbachevelpreposition with the article + noun · masculine or feminine singulartagged: with the measuring-line
Micah
two uses
Therefore, you will have no one in the assembly of the LORD to divide the land by lot.
- חֶ֖בֶלchevelnoun · masculine or feminine singulartagged: a measuring-line
Arise and depart, for this is not your place of rest, because its defilement brings destruction—a grievous destruction!
- וְחֶ֥בֶלvechevelconjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine singulartagged: and destruction
Zephaniah
three uses
Woe to the dwellers of the seacoast, O nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: “I will destroy you, and no one will be left.”
- חֶ֥בֶלchevelnoun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: region of
So the seacoast will become a land of pastures, with wells for shepherds and folds for sheep.
- חֶ֣בֶלchevelnoun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: region of
The coast will belong to the remnant of the house of Judah; there they will find pasture. They will lie down in the evening among the houses of Ashkelon, for the LORD their God will attend to them and restore their captives.
- חֶ֗בֶלchevelnoun · masculine or feminine singulartagged: region
Zechariah
three uses
Then I lifted up my eyes and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.
- חֶ֥בֶלchevelnoun · masculine or feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: a cord of
So I pastured the flock marked for slaughter, especially the afflicted of the flock. Then I took for myself two staffs, calling one Favor and the other Union, and I pastured the flock.
- חֹֽבְלִ֔יםchoelimnoun · masculine pluraltagged: Union
Then I cut in two my second staff called Union, breaking the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
- הַחֹֽבְלִ֑יםhachoelimthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: the Union
Where it leads
How the numbers are counted
Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.
Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.
The words it stands beside are the nouns, verbs and adjectives immediately before or after it, counted in every verse where the word stands. The article, the conjunctions and the prepositions are left out, because they stand beside every word.
The family is read from the lexicon by the stem the two words share, with the accents off, and a person or a place named on the stem is left out.
