H1892. hebel

I. הֶ֫בֶל‎₇₃ noun masculine vapour, breath (Late Hebrew id., Syriac id.) figurative vanity (so Late Hebrew, Syriac ) — הָ֑בֶל‎ Ecclesiastes 1:2 +; construct הֲבֵל‎ 1:2 (twice in verse); 12:8, suffix הֶבְלִי‎ etc. 6:12; 7:15; 9:9 (twice in verse); plural הֲבָלִים‎ Jeremiah 10:8 +; construct הַבְלֵי‎ 8:19 +, suffix הַבְלֵיהֶם‎ Deuteronomy 32:21 +; —

1 literal Isaiah 57:13 all of them (the idols) הָ֑בֶל יִקַּח יִשָּׂארֿוּחַ‎ a breath (ᵑ9‎ aura) will carry away, Proverbs 21:6 the getting of treasures by a lying tongue is נִדָּף הֶבֶל‎ a vapour driven away. Elsewhere always

2 figurative of what is evanescent, unsubstantial, worthless, vanity, as of idols Jeremiah 10:15 = 51:18; 16:19 מוֺעִיל בָּם וְאֵין הֶבֶל‎ "" (שֶׁקֶרׅ‎, heathen observances 10:3, and in phrase הַהֶבֶל אַחֲרֵי הָלַךְ‎ 2:5; 2 Kings 17:15; Proverbs 13:11 מֵהֶבֶל הוֺן‎ wealth (gotten) out of vanity, (i.e. not by solid toil, opposed to יָד עַל קֹבֵץ‎) is minished (but ᵑ9 ᵐ5‎ Ew מְבֹהָל‎, see 20:21 Qr), 31:30 הַיֹּ֑פִי וְהֶבֶל הַחֵן שֶׁקֶר‎, Lamentations 4:17 הֶבֶל עֶזְרָתֵנוּ אֶל‎ to our vain (Dr^{§ 193 n}.) help; of life Job 7:16 יָמָֽי׃ הֶבֶל כִּי‎, Psalm 78:33 יְמֵיהֶם בַּהֶבֶל וַיְכַל‎ consumed their days as (בְּ‎ I:7 d vanity, man 39:6; 39:12; 62:10 יָחַד׃ מֵהֶבֶל הֵמָּה ֗֗֗ אָדָם בְּנֵי הֶבֶל‎ they are altogether (made) of vanity, 94:11; 144:4, especially in Ecclesiastes (31 t. + הֲבָלִים הֲבֵל‎ Ecclesiastes 1:2 (twice in verse); 12:8) of the fruitlessness of all human enterprise and endeavour, 1:2 הֶבֶל הַכֹּל‎, 1:14 רוּחַ וּרְעוּת הֶבֶל הַכֹּל‎ all was vanity and the pursuit of wind, 2:1, 14, 15 etc., 6:4 (of an abortion) בָּא בַּהֶבֶל‎ i.e. into a lifeless existence, 6:11 הָ֑בֶל מַרְבִּים הַרְבֵּה דְּבָרִים יֵשׁ‎ (of discussions leading to no result), note also the phrases יְמֵי‎ (הֶבְלְךָ הֶבְלוֺ,‎) הֶבְלִי‎ 7:15; 9:9, ה חַיֵּי ׳יְמֵי‎ 6:12; 9:9; Job 27:12 (see הָבַל‎), Isaiah 49:4 וָהֶבֶל לְתֹהוּ‎ for nought and vanity have I spent my strength; as adverb accusative vainly, to no purpose 30:7 יַעֲזֹ֑רוּ וָרִיק הֶבֶל‎, Psalm 39:7 יֶהֱמָיוּן הֶבֶל אַךְ‎ they disquiet themselves to no purpose, Job 9:29: אִיגָָֽע הֶבֶל‎ 35:16, with נִחַם‎ to comfort 21:34; Zechariah 10:2. Plural הֲבָלִים‎ of false gods, Deuteronomy 32:21 בְהַבְלֵיהֶם כִּעֲסוּנִי )‎ "" בְּלֹאאֵֿל‎) 1 Kings 16:13, 26; Jeremiah 8:19 נֵכָר הַבְלֵי‎ "" (בִּפְסִילֵיהֶםׅ‎, 10:8; 14:22 הַגּוֺיִם הַבְלֵי‎, Psalm 31:7 הַבְלֵישָֿׁוְא הַשֹּׁמְרִים‎ empty vanities Jonah 2:9; in more General sense Ecclesiastes 1:2 (twice in verse); 12:8 הֲבָלִים הֲבֵל‎, 5:6.