הֶבֶל

n.m. vapour, breath (NH id., Syriac ܗܰܒܳܠܴܐ id.) fig. vanity (so NH, Syriac ܗܶܒܠܴܐ )—הָ֑בֶל Ec 1:2 +; cstr. הֲבֵל †Ec 1:2(×2); 12:8, sf. הֶבְלִי etc. Ec 6:12; 7:15; 9:9(×2); pl. הֲבָלִים Je 10:8 +; cstr. הַבְלֵי Je 8:19 +, sf. הַבְלֵיהֶם Dt 32:21 +;— lit. Is 57:13 all of them (the idols) יִשָּׂא־רוּחַ יִקַּח הָ֑בֶל a breath (𝔙 aura) will carry away, Pr 21:6, the getting of treasures by a lying tongue is הֶבֶל נִדָּף, a vapour driven away. Elsewhere always fig. of what is evanescent, unsubstantial, worthless, vanity, as of idols Je 10:15 = 51:18; 16:19 הֶבֶל וְאֵין בָּם מוֹעִיל (‖ שֶׁקֶר), heathen observances 10:3, and in phr. הָלַךְ אַחֲרֵי הַהֶבֶל 2:5 2 K 17:15; Pr 13:11 הוֹן מֵהֶבֶל wealth (gotten) out of vanity (i.e. not by solid toil, opp. קֹבֵץ עַל יָד) is minished (but 𝔊 𝔙 Ew מְבֹהָל, v. 20:21 Qr), 31:30 שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּ֑פִי, La 4:17 אֶל עֶזְרָתֵנוּ הֶבֶל to our vain (Dr§ 193 n.) help; of life Jb 7:16 כִּי הֶבֶל יָמָֽי׃, ψ 78:33 וַיְכַל בַּהֶבֶל יְמֵיהֶם consumed their days as (בְּ I7d) vanity, man ψ 39:6, 12; 62:10 הֶבֶל בְּנֵי אָדָם … הֵמָּה מֵהֶבֶל יָחַֽד׃ they are altogether (made) of vanity, 94:11: 144:4, especially in Ec (31 times + הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים 1:2(×2); 12:8) of the fruitlessness of all human enterprise and endeavour, 1:2 הַכֹּל הֶבֶל, v 14 הַכֹּל הֶבֶל וּרְעוּת רוּחַ all was vanity and the pursuit of wind, 2:1, 14, 15 etc., 6:4 (of an abortion) בַּהֶבֶל בָּא i.e. into a lifeless existence, v 11 יֵשׁ דְּבָרִים הַרְבֵּה מַרְבִּים הָ֑בֶל (of discussions leading to no result), note also the phrases יְמֵי (הֶבְלוֹ, הֶבְלְךָ) הֶבְלִי 7:15; 9:9, יְמֵי חַיֵּי ה׳ 6:12; 9:9; Jb 27:12 (v. הָבַל), Is 49:4 לְתֹהוּ וָהֶבֶל for nought and vanity have I spent my strength; as adv. accus. vainly, to no purpose Is 30:7 הֶבֶל וָרִיק יַעְזֹ֑רוּ, ψ 39:7 אַךְ הֶבֶל יֶהֱמָיוּן they disquiet themselves to no purpose, Jb 9:29 הֶבֶל אִיגָֽע 35:16, with נִחַם to comfort 21:34 Zc 10:2. Pl. †הֲבָלִים of false gods, Dt 32:21 כִּעֲסוּנִי בְהַבְלֵיהֶם (‖ בְּלֹא־אֵל) 1 K 16:13, 26 Je 8:19 הַבְלֵי נֵכָר (‖ בִּפְסִילֵיהֶם), 10:8; 14:22 הַבְלֵי הַגּוֹיִם, ψ 31:7 הַשֹּׁמְרִים הַבְלֵי־שָׁוְא empty vanities Jon 2:9; in more general sense Ec 1:2(×2); 12:8 הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים, 5:6.