Biblical Lexicon

H5039 H5039

Conj-w | N-fs | 13× in 1 sense

Outrageous folly, moral senselessness; a disgraceful act that violates Israel's covenantal standards.

Far more than mere foolishness, nevalah denotes an act of willful moral outrage that shocks the community and violates the sacred norms governing Israel's covenant life. The expression 'to commit nevalah in Israel' (Gen 34:7; Judg 20:6; Deut 22:21) became a fixed formula for acts so heinous they threatened the fabric of the entire community — especially sexual violence and gross inhospitality. In Isaiah 32:6 the term is linked to the character of the naval, the moral fool whose heart works iniquity. Spanish 'infamia' and 'vileza' capture the social dimension of public disgrace, while English 'folly' understates the gravity this word carried.

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Senses

1. senselessness, outrageous folly, disgrace — Moral senselessness manifested as outrageous, disgraceful conduct that violates communal and covenantal norms. Nearly always used in the stereotyped phrase 'to do nevalah in Israel,' marking acts — especially sexual crimes (Gen 34:7, the violation of Dinah; Judg 19:23–24; 2 Sam 13:12, Amnon and Tamar) and covenant-breaking behavior (Josh 7:15) — as socially intolerable. The word is also applied to churlish inhospitality (1 Sam 25:25, Nabal). Spanish translations split between 'infamia' (infamy) and 'vileza' (vileness), reflecting the dual sense of shameful foolishness and public disgrace. 13×

MENTAL_LIFE › Understand › Folly and Foolishness

AR["السَّفاهَةَ", "السَّفَاهَةَ", "السَّفَاهَةِ", "حَمَاقَةً", "سَفَاهَةً", "فاحِشَةً", "نَذالَةً", "وَ-سَفَاهَةً", "وَسَفاهَةٌ"]·ben["এবং-মূর্খতা", "জঘন্য-কাজ", "নীচতা", "মূর্খতা", "মূর্খতার"]·DE["Leichnam", "[נבלה]", "der-disgrace", "der-folly", "disgrace", "ein-disgraceful-Sache", "eine-Schandtat", "und-folly"]·EN["a-disgraceful-thing", "and-folly", "disgrace", "folly", "the-disgrace", "the-folly"]·FR["cadavre", "disgrace", "déshonneur", "et-folly", "le-disgrace", "le-folly", "un-disgraceful-thing", "נבלה"]·heb["ה-נבלה", "ו-נבלה", "נבלה"]·HI["और-मूर्खता", "मूर्खता"]·ID["dan-kebodohan", "dan-kekejian", "kebodohan", "kecabulan", "kecelaan", "kefasikan", "kejahatan", "kekejian"]·IT["[נבלה]", "disgrace", "e-folly", "il-disgrace", "il-folly", "un-disgraceful-cosa"]·jav["bab-ingkang-nistha", "kabodhohan", "kaniaya", "kanisthan", "kawiranganipun", "lan-kabodhohan", "lan-kawiranganipun", "nistha", "sang-kabodhohan"]·KO["그-악한-일을", "그-어리석음의", "그리고-어리석음이", "부끄러움을", "부끌러운-일을", "어리석은-것을", "어리석은-짓을", "어리석음대로", "어리석음을"]·PT["a-loucura", "e-loucura", "infâmia", "insensatez", "loucura"]·RU["-безумие", "глупость", "гнусность", "и-глупость", "и-мерзость", "мерзости", "мерзость", "по-глупости-вашей", "позор"]·ES["infamia", "la-locura", "la-vileza", "locura", "necedad", "vileza", "y-necedad", "y-vileza"]·SW["buyu", "la-upumbavu", "na-upumbavu", "upumbavu"]·TR["alçaklık", "aptallik", "rezalet", "rezillik", "rezilliğe", "rezilliği", "rezilliğin", "safsata", "utanç", "ve-rezillik", "ve-sefillik", "çılgınlık"]·urd["اور-بے-حیائی", "اور-بےوقوفی", "بے-حیائی", "بے-حیائی-", "بے-حیائی-کی", "بے-وقوفی", "بےوقوفی", "حماقت", "حماقت-کے-موافق", "شرمناکی", "فحاشی"]

Gen 34:7, Deut 22:21, Josh 7:15, Judg 19:23, Judg 19:24, Judg 20:6, Judg 20:10, 1 Sam 25:25, 2 Sam 13:12, Job 42:8, Isa 9:17, Isa 32:6 (+1 more)

BDB / Lexicon Reference

† נְבָלָה n.f. senselessness (as shewn in disregard of moral and religious claims), especially of disgraceful sins; also disgrace;—always abs. נ׳;— 1. disgraceful folly, especially of sins of unchastity Ju 19:23 (wanton deed GFM), so דְּבַר הַנּ׳ הַזֹּאת v 24, 2 S 13:12; often עָשָׂה נ׳ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל i.e. do a thing disgraceful according to Isr.’s standard: Gn 34:7 (J), Dt 22:21 (cf. Dr on…