H2254b H2254b
To act corruptly, destroy, or ruin; ranging from moral corruption to active devastation and passive destruction.
This root carries a dark freight of ruin, whether moral or physical. In Nehemiah 1:7, the nation confesses 'we have acted very corruptly against you'—a Qal use pointing to moral decomposition. The Piel intensifies this into active devastation: the little foxes that 'ruin' the vineyards (Song 2:15), or the destroyer God fashioned for his purposes (Isa 54:16). Cognate Aramaic and Assyrian forms confirm the same range from wounding to total ruination. The passive stems (Nifal/Pual) describe the result: being shattered, broken, or brought to nothing (Job 17:1, Prov 13:13).
Senses
1. destroy, ruin (Piel) — Active ruination in the Piel stem—deliberate, causative destruction. Spanish 'destruirá' and French 'ravager' capture the violent force. Song 2:15 pictures foxes 'destroying' vineyards; Isaiah 13:5 and 54:16 speak of cosmic devastation and the destroyer formed by God himself. The Piel marks intensified, purposeful harm rather than mere moral failing. 6×
AR["تُهْلِكُ", "لِـ-يُدَمِّرَ", "لِـ-يُهْلِكَ", "لِيُهْلِكَ", "مِحَبّْلِيم"]·ben["-ধ্বংস-করতে", "এবং-ধ্বংস-করবেন", "ধ্বংস-করতে", "ধ্বংস-হবে", "যারা-নষ্ট-করছে"]·DE["[וחבל]", "[מחבלים]", "[תחבל]", "zu-verderben"]·EN["and-destroy", "destroying", "it-will-destroy", "to-destroy", "to-ruin"]·FR["corrompre", "envelopper", "et-ravager", "qui-ravagent"]·heb["ו-חיבל", "ל-חבל", "מחבלים", "תחבל"]·HI["और-नष्ट-करे", "के-नाश-करने", "नष्ट-करनेको", "नष्ट-करेगी", "नाश-करने-के-लिए", "बिगाड़नेवाली"]·ID["akan-menghancurkan", "dan-merusak", "untuk-membinasakan", "untuk-menghancurkan", "yang-merusak"]·IT["[תחבל]", "destroying", "distruggere", "e-e-distruggere"]·jav["kang-ngrisak", "kangge-ngrusak", "kanggé-ngrisak", "lan-ngrisak", "ngrisak"]·KO["그리고-멸하시겠는가", "망치는-자들", "멸하게-하려고", "멸하려고", "에-멸망시키려고", "파괴한다"]·PT["destruirá", "e-destruirá", "para-destruir", "que-destroçam"]·RU["и-погубит", "погубит", "портящих", "разрушать", "чтобы-погубить", "чтобы-уничтожить"]·ES["destruirá", "para-destruir", "que-arruinan", "y-destruirá"]·SW["inaharibu", "kuharibu", "na-kuharibu", "wanaoharibu"]·TR["bozan", "ve-yok-etsin", "yok-edecek", "yok-etmek-icin"]·urd["اور-برباد-کرے", "برباد-کرنے-والیوں", "تباہ-کرتی-ہے", "تباہ-کرنے-کو", "تباہ-کرنے-کے-لیے"]
2. act corruptly, offend (Qal) — Acting corruptly or offending in the Qal stem, describing moral corruption rather than physical destruction. Nehemiah 1:7 uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis—'we have utterly acted corruptly.' French 'corrompre' and Spanish 'nos corrompimos' capture the reflexive moral decay. Job 34:31 extends this to personal offense against God, suggesting ethical ruin from within. 3×
AR["أَفْسَدْنَا", "أُفسِدُ", "فَسَادًا"]·ben["আমরা-কলুষিত-করেছি", "চরম", "দুর্নীতি-করব"]·DE["[אחבל]", "[חבל]", "[חבלנו]"]·EN["I-will-offend", "surely", "we-acted-corruptly"]·FR["[חבל]", "[חבלנו]", "ravager"]·heb["אחבול", "חבל", "חבלנו"]·HI["बहुत-बुरा", "बिगाड़ूँगा", "हमने-किया-है"]·ID["aku merusak", "kami-berbuat-jahat", "sungguh-"]·IT["Io-will-offend", "[חבל]", "[חבלנו]"]·jav["Sanget", "badhe-kula-tumindak-awon", "sampun-tumindak-awon"]·KO["내가-망가뜨리지", "상하게", "우리가-상하게-했다"]·PT["agirei-perversamente", "certamente", "corrompemos"]·RU["буду-грешить", "развратились-мы", "развращением"]·ES["Corrupción", "arruinaré", "nos-corrompimos"]·SW["nitaendelea-kupotoa", "tumeasi"]·TR["bozacağım", "yozlaştık", "çok"]·urd["برائی", "میں بگاڑ کروں گا", "ہم-نے-برائی-کی"]
3. be destroyed, be broken (Nifal/Pual) — Being destroyed, broken, or ruined in the passive Nifal and Pual stems—the suffered consequence of corruption. Proverbs 13:13 warns that whoever despises the word 'will be destroyed'; Job 17:1 laments 'my spirit is broken.' Spanish 'será destruido' and German 'verderben' consistently reflect this resultant, passive state of being undone. 3×
AR["فَسَدَتْ", "وَ-يُحَطَّمُ", "يَرْتَبِطُ"]·ben["ও-ভেঙে-যাবে", "ধ্বংস-হবে", "ভগ্ন"]·DE["[חבלה]", "[יחבל]", "und-verderben"]·EN["and-will-be-broken", "brings-destruction-on", "is-broken"]·FR["et-corrompre", "ravager"]·heb["ו-חובל", "חובלה", "ייחבל"]·HI["और-नाश-होगा", "टूटी-हुई", "नष्ट-होगा"]·ID["akan-celaka", "dan-hancur", "hancur"]·IT["brings-destruction-su", "e-distruggere", "è-broken"]·jav["dirusak", "lan-badhé-dirusak", "risak"]·KO["깨어지리라", "상했나니", "손해된다"]·PT["e-será-destruído", "está-corrompido", "será-destruído"]·RU["будет-уничтожен", "и-сокрушится", "сокрушён"]·ES["está-corrompido", "será-destruido", "y-será-destruido"]·SW["ataleta-uharibifu", "imevunjwa", "na-itavunjwa"]·TR["kırılmış", "ve-kirilacak", "zarar-görecek"]·urd["اور-ٹوٹے-گا", "نقصان-اُٹھائے-گا", "ٹوٹ گئی"]
Related Senses
H5414 1. give, bestow (1855×)H3947 1. take, seize, grasp (Qal) (940×)G2192 1. possess / have (680×)G1325 1. give, bestow (336×)H4421 1. war, battle, armed conflict (319×)H0341 1. enemy, adversary, foe (284×)H5159 1. inherited land or property (170×)H3898a 1. Nifal: to fight, wage war (167×)H2026 1. kill, slay (active) (146×)H2451 1. wisdom, discernment (146×)H5483b 1. horse (the animal) (138×)G2983 1. receive, obtain (134×)H3423 1. Qal: take possession of land (130×)G2983 2. take, take up (113×)H0006 1. to perish, be destroyed (105×)G2398 1. one's own, belonging to oneself (91×)H7843 1. Hifil: destroy, annihilate (83×)G3860 1. hand over, deliver to custody (78×)H2491a 1. slain, fatally pierced (74×)H7998 1. spoil, plunder, booty (74×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
II. חָבַל vb. act (ruinously) corruptly (NH id. wound, injure; Arabic خَبَلَ corrupt or render unsound (the mind, a limb, etc.), خَبِلَ be deranged (in mind); Assyrian ḫabâlu, injure, VR62, 11; Aramaic ܚܰܒܶܠ, חַבֵּל corrupt, ruin; Ethiopic ተሐበለ be arrogant, audacious; Sab. חֿבל DHMEpigr. Denkm. 48; cf. Palm. חבל mortuus VogNo. 161 and often)— Qal Pf. 1 pl. חָבַלְנוּ Ne 1:7; Impf. 1 s. אֶחְבֹּל Jb…