זָבַל (za.val)
za.val
to honour
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb zabal means to honor or exalt someone. It appears only once in the Old Testament, in Genesis 48:12. In this scene, Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons and intentionally crosses his arms to place his right hand on the younger Ephraim rather than the firstborn Manasseh. This act publicly honors the younger son, defying the usual cultural expectation of primacy.
Lexical sources suggest the root likely conveys lifting up or raising in status. The word carries a sense of giving dignity or high regard to another person. Its single occurrence highlights a moment where divine choice overrides human tradition, showing that honor is not always tied to birth order but to God’s sovereign purpose.
Translators render zabal as “honor” or “exalt,” reflecting its straightforward meaning. The rarity of the word makes its usage in Genesis particularly significant, marking a pivotal moment in the patriarchal narrative where blessing and status are redefined.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word zabal appears only once in Scripture, found in Genesis 48:12 where Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons. In this moment, he intentionally crosses his arms to place his right hand on the younger Ephraim, defying cultural expectations of primacy. This act publicly honors the younger son, showing that true dignity comes from God’s sovereign choice rather than human tradition.
For your faith, this reminds us that God often elevates those whom the world overlooks. His blessings are not bound by birth order or social status. When you feel undervalued, remember that divine honor is freely given according to His purpose, not earned by meeting human standards of worthiness.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- he will honor/ me1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יִזְבְּלֵ֣/נִי1×