חֶ֫בֶל (che.vel)
che.vel
Mahalab; pain; union; destruction; cord
H:NQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 53 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun chevel carries two distinct meanings that reflect different physical realities: the sharp pain of labor and the tangible length of a measuring cord. In its emotional sense, it describes the pangs of travail or deep sorrow, often used to depict intense suffering or distress. This usage appears frequently in the Psalms and the prophetic books, where it conveys the visceral anguish of individuals or nations facing judgment or crisis.
Simultaneously, chevel refers to a cord, rope, or line used for measurement. This concrete sense leads to its metaphorical use for a territory, lot, or portion of land. When prophets speak of dividing the earth by chevel, they are describing the allocation of inheritance or jurisdiction, grounding abstract concepts of ownership in the physical act of measuring with a cord.
These two meanings intersect powerfully in the imagery of divine judgment and restoration. The same word that measures out a portion of land can also describe the pain associated with losing it or the struggle to claim it. This duality allows the text to weave together themes of territorial inheritance and human suffering, showing how physical boundaries and emotional states are often linked in biblical poetry.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word chevel appears in Scripture with two distinct images: a measuring cord that marks out a territory, and the sharp cords of pain or labor that bind a person in distress. This duality reminds us that God is both the one who measures our boundaries and the one who walks with us through our deepest struggles. When we feel confined by hardship, it can be easy to think our portion has been taken away, yet the same word suggests that even our limits are known and held by Him.
In moments of anxiety or grief, remember that your life is not a random accident. Just as a surveyor uses a cord to define a clear inheritance, God defines your place with purpose. The pain you endure does not erase your identity; it often sharpens your reliance on His presence. Whether you are facing the loss of a physical home or the internal struggle of sorrow, you are held within a divine plan that values your specific portion.
This understanding brings comfort to those who feel displaced or uncertain about their future. You do not need to measure your worth against others or fear that your lot is unfavorable. The God who allocates inheritance also comforts the brokenhearted. Rest in the assurance that your life, with all its seasons of joy and pain, is securely held in His hands.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 53 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] region of6×
- with/ ropes3×
- with/ cords of2×
- with <the>/ measuring-line2×
- labor-pains2×
- and/ ropes2×
- and/ pains2×
- a company of2×
- [the] portion of2×
- [the] cords of2×
- with/ [the] cords of1×
- with <the>/ rope1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חֶ֣בֶל4×
- חֶ֤בֶל3×
- חֶבְלֵ֥י2×
- חֶ֥בֶל2×
- חֶ֖בֶל2×
- חֲבָלִים֙2×
- וַ/חֲבָלִ֣ים2×
- בְּ/חַבְלֵי\־2×
- מֵ/חֶ֥בֶל1×
- מֵ/חֶ֙בֶל֙1×
- לַ/חֲבָלִ֑ים1×
- חֹֽבְלִ֔ים1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 16:6
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance.
This verse uses the measuring sense of chevel to express gratitude for a divinely appointed and pleasant inheritance, contrasting human anxiety with divine provision.
-
II Samuel 22:6
The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death caught me.
Here chevel describes the constraining cords of Sheol, illustrating how the word conveys the inescapable pressure of mortal danger and death.
-
Joshua 17:14
The children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me just one lot and one part for an inheritance, since we are a numerous people, because Yahweh has blessed us so far?”
The Israelites question Joshua about receiving only one chevel (part/lot), showing how the term represents a tangible share of land that can be perceived as insufficient.
-
Job 36:8
If they are bound in fetters, and are taken in the cords of afflictions,
In this context, cords of affliction bind Job, linking the physical imagery of restraint with the emotional weight of suffering and divine discipline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chevel mean in the Bible?
Why does chevel appear in both Psalm 16 and Job?
How is chevel different from other words for rope?
Does chevel imply God's judgment?
Every Occurrence (53 verses across 18 books)
Deuteronomy 4 verses
We took all his cities at that time. There was not a city which we didn’t take from them: sixty cities, all the region…
Deuteronomy 3:13and the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh—all the region of…
Deuteronomy 3:14Jair the son of Manasseh took all the region of Argob, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and called…
Deuteronomy 32:9For Yahweh’s portion is his people. Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.