Dictionary:נבל/0

נבל

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נבל

Part of Speech	Verb
Occurrences	25
Possible Meanings	Drop or wither
Related Words	נְבֵלָה

Possible Meanings

1. Drop or wither

• Biblical verses –
• The root נבל is related to נפל‎.¹ For other examples of interchangeability of the ב and פ, see here.
• Forms of the verb נבל or the noun נבלה appear in Tanakh in reference to humans, animals, and plants:
  • Humans – נבלה (e.g. Devarim 21:23).
  • Animals – נבלה (e.g. Vayikra 5:2).
  • Plants – נבלת עליה (Yeshayahu 1:30). All examples are in Neviim Acharonim (Later Prophets) and Ketuvim.

Disputed Cases

Shemot 18:18 – נָבֹל תִּבֹּל

Exegetes disagree as to the identity of the root and the resulting meaning of the verse:²

• נבל (wither, become exhausted) – OnkelosShemot 18:18About Onkelos, Targum Pseudo-JonathanShemot 18:18About Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, R. SaadiaCommentary Shemot 18:18About R. Saadia, RashiShemot 18:18About Rashi, Ibn EzraShemot 18:18About Ibn Ezra, 1st opinion in R. Yosef Bekhor ShorShemot 18:18About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor.
• בלל (become confused) – RashbamShemot 18:18About Rashbam, 2nd opinion in R. Yosef Bekhor ShorShemot 18:18About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, R. Binyamin in R. Yosef KimchiSefer HaGalui s.v. לבלה (p.12-13)About R. Yosef Kimchi.

Semantic Evolution

Intra-Biblical

Rabbinic Hebrew

Modern Hebrew

¹ See U. CassutoShemot 18:18About U. Cassuto, and see "ונפלה נבלת האדם" in Yirmeyahu 9:21. See also "מַפֶּלֶת הָאַרְיֵה" in Shofetim 14:8 which refers to the carcass (נבלה) of the lion (Ibn Janach).

² See R. SaadiaCommentary Shemot 18:18About R. Saadia who lists fourteen possible meanings of the letters of the root.