H5014 H5014
nabub — hollow, hollowed out; empty or vacant (literal or figurative)
This adjective means hollow or hollowed out, describing something with empty space inside rather than solid substance. The term appears in technical descriptions of tabernacle and temple architecture (hollow altar construction) and metaphorically for an 'empty-headed' person. The root connection to pipes or flutes (hollow reeds) suggests the basic image of an excavated interior. The word can denote literal physical hollowness (metal sheets formed around a frame) or figurative emptiness (lack of understanding or wisdom).
Senses
1. sense 1 — Hollow, hollowed out, or empty. Exodus 27:8 and 38:7 use it technically in construction instructions: the bronze altar shall be made 'hollow with boards' (nabub luchot)—built as a hollow frame covered with bronze plates rather than solid metal. Jeremiah 52:21 describes the massive bronze pillars of Solomon's temple as 'hollow' (nabub), having walls four fingers thick. Job 11:12 employs it metaphorically and sarcastically: 'an empty man (ish nabub) will get understanding when a wild donkey is born a man'—i.e., never; the 'hollow man' lacks internal substance or wisdom. The term thus describes both architectural technique (hollow construction) and human folly (empty-headedness). 4×
AR["أَجْوَفُ", "مُجَوَّفاً", "مُجَوَّفًا"]·ben["ফাঁকা", "ফাঁপা"]·DE["[נבוב]", "hollow"]·EN["hollow"]·FR["[נבוב]", "creux", "נבוב"]·heb["נבוב"]·HI["खोखला", "खोखली"]·ID["berongga", "kosong"]·IT["[נבוב]", "hollow"]·jav["Kothong", "kosong", "kothong", "rungkut"]·KO["비어-있었다", "비어있는", "빈"]·PT["Oco", "oca", "oco"]·RU["Пустым", "полый", "пустой"]·ES["hueca", "hueco", "hueco-de", "vacío"]·SW["mashimo", "mtupu", "tupu", "wazi"]·TR["bos", "boş", "ici-bos", "içi-boş"]·urd["کھوکھلا"]
Related Senses
H5414 1. give, bestow (1855×)H3947 1. take, seize, grasp (Qal) (940×)G2192 1. possess / have (680×)G1325 1. give, bestow (336×)H5159 1. inherited land or property (170×)G2983 1. receive, obtain (134×)H3423 1. Qal: take possession of land (130×)G2983 2. take, take up (113×)G2398 1. one's own, belonging to oneself (91×)G3860 1. hand over, deliver to custody (78×)H7998 1. spoil, plunder, booty (74×)G1325 2. be given, be granted (70×)H5414 2. put, place, set (68×)H7999a 1. pay, repay, recompense (63×)H7069 1. Buy, purchase (59×)H1892 1. vanity, futility, absurdity (58×)H5159 2. heritage as covenant portion (52×)H6299 1. redeem or ransom (Qal active) (49×)H4376 1. Sell (Qal active) (47×)H1350a 1. Redeem, buy back (46×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [נָבַב] vb. hollow out (cf. Assyrian imbubu, flute, DlHWB 443, NH אַבּוּב id., Aramaic ܐܰܒܽܘܒܳܐ אַבּוּבָא id.; hence also Arabic أَنْبُوبٌ knots in reed, part of reed between knots, reed; vid. HoffmLCB 1882, 321 Frä 23 Fl in LevyTW i. 417);— Qal Pt. pass. נָבוּב Jb 11:12 Je 52:21; נְבוּב Ex 27:8; 38:7;—hollowed, hollow: of altar of tabern. נְבוּב לֻחוֹת Ex 27:8; 38:7 (P); of pillar in temple Je 52:21; fig. אִישׁ נָבוּב Jb 11:12; i.e. empty, hollow-minded man.