הַהֶ֙בֶל֙

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 הַהֶ֙בֶל֙

   ha-HE-vel

   the vanity or the emptiness
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 וַיֵּ֨לְכוּ אַחֲרֵ֤י הַהֶ֙בֶל֙

   va-ye-le-KHU a-kha-RE ha-HE-vel

   and they went after the vanity or the emptiness
3. clause🔊 וַיֵּ֨לְכוּ אַחֲרֵ֤י הַהֶ֙בֶל֙ וַיֶּהְבָּ֔לוּ וְאַחֲרֵ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר סְבִֽיבֹתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֹתָ֔ם לְבִלְתִּ֖י עֲשׂ֥וֹת כָּהֶֽם׃

   va-ye-le-KHU a-kha-RE ha-HE-vel va-yeh-va-LU ve-a-kha-RE ha-go-YIM a-SHER se-vi-vo-TAM a-SHER tsi-VA Ye-ho-VAH o-TAM le-vil-TI a-so-OT ka-HEM

   and they went after the vanity or the emptiness and they became vain or worthless and after the nations which around them which he commanded LORD them not to to do like them
4. sentence🔊 וַיִּמְאֲס֣וּ אֶת־חֻקָּ֗יו וְאֶת־בְּרִיתוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּרַ֣ת אֶת־אֲבוֹתָ֔ם וְאֵת֙ עֵֽדְוֺתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵעִ֖יד בָּ֑ם וַיֵּ֨לְכוּ אַחֲרֵ֤י הַהֶ֙בֶל֙ וַיֶּהְבָּ֔לוּ וְאַחֲרֵ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר סְבִֽיבֹתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֹתָ֔ם לְבִלְתִּ֖י עֲשׂ֥וֹת כָּהֶֽם׃

   va-yim-a-SU et-khu-KAIV ve-et-be-ri-TO a-SHER ka-RAT et-a-vo-TAM ve-ET e-dev-o-TAV a-SHER he-ID BAM va-ye-le-KHU a-kha-RE ha-HE-vel va-yeh-va-LU ve-a-kha-RE ha-go-YIM a-SHER se-vi-vo-TAM a-SHER tsi-VA Ye-ho-VAH o-TAM le-vil-TI a-so-OT ka-HEM

   and they rejected the statutes of him and the covenant of him which he cut or made with their fathers and his testimonies which he testified or warned against them or in them and they went after the vanity or the emptiness and they became vain or worthless and after the nations which around them which he commanded LORD them not to to do like them

Exegesis

The wordplay between hahevel {הַהֶבֶל | ha-hê-ḇel} ‘vanity’ and vayehbalu {וַיֶּהְבָּלוּ | wa-yeh-be-lû} ‘became empty’ reinforces the connection between idolatry and spiritual emptiness.

Root and etymology

h-v-l🔊 heh–vav–lamed

“vapor, emptiness”

• 🔊 הֶבֶלhavelfutilityEcclesiastes 1:2