Hebrew word · H2082

זָבַל

yizbeleni

to dwell

Used as a verb only here, so its meaning has to be worked out from related words.

Appears once in the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

(Qal) to exalt, honour, (possible) dwell exaltedly

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Genesis 30:20

Range of meaning

Used as a verb only here, so its meaning has to be worked out from related words. (1) Hebrew zevul means 'lofty dwelling, exalted house' (1 Kgs 8:13; Isa 63:15; Hab 3:11), which points to 'exalt' and also to 'dwell.' (2) Ugaritic zbl means 'prince, exalted one,' as in the title zbl b'l, 'Prince Baal'; compare 'Baal-zebul,' the name behind the Gospels' 'Beelzebul.' (3) Akkadian zabālu means 'to carry, bring,' and was used of carrying gifts and of supporting someone.

Against the English

BSB, NIV and ESV take it as 'honor.' NJPS has 'exalt.' KJV, WEB, YLT and NASB have 'dwell with me.' The difference is real. 'Honor' is about status, and 'dwell with' is about Jacob actually living with her.

How it drifted

The older 'dwell' reading comes from the Hebrew noun zevul ('habitation') and from ancient Jewish tradition; the Latin Vulgate has 'will be with me.' The newer 'honor/exalt' reading draws on the Ugaritic 'prince' evidence, which was discovered in the 20th century.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Septuagint has 'my husband will choose me' (hairetiei me), probably a guess. The Vulgate has 'my husband will be with me' (mecum erit maritus meus). The Aramaic Targums are generally understood to read 'dwell.' Modern lexicons divide: BDB gives 'exalt, honour,' and Strong's gives 'dwell with.'

Where it appears

Genesis · 1

  1. Genesis 30:20 יִזְבְּלֵ֣נִי he will honor me

    “God has given me a good gift,” she said. “This time my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” And she named him Zebulun.

    Here: A rare verb, and it puns on the name Zebulun. Its meaning is disputed: 'honor / treat me as exalted,' 'live with me,' or 'bring me gifts.' The imperfect form looks forward: this is what Leah hopes will happen, not something that has happened.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.