כָּבוּל (ka.vul)
ka.vul
Cabul
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The name Kabul, or Kavul, is a place in northern Israel near the border of Asher. Its meaning is "binding" or "connected." This fits its location as a hub linking different regions. The city appears in two key biblical passages: Joshua 19 and 1 Kings 9.
In Joshua, it is listed among the towns given to the tribe of Asher. Later, King Solomon gave twenty cities in Galilee to King Hiram of Tyre as payment for cedar wood. Hiram did not like these towns. He called them "Kabul" because he thought they were worthless or poorly connected. The name became a nickname meaning "badly bound" or "useless."
This shift from a simple place name to an insult is unique. It shows how language can change based on opinion. Solomon’s gift was seen as inadequate by Hiram. The story highlights the tension between Israel and Tyre during this time. The word Kabul reminds readers that places can have different meanings to different people.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Kabul carries a heavy history of disappointment. Originally a place in northern Israel assigned to the tribe of Asher, it became the subject of King Solomon’s gift to Hiram of Tyre. When Hiram inspected the twenty cities provided as payment for cedar wood, he found them lacking. He renamed the region "Cabul," a term implying worthlessness or poor connection. This moment reveals how human judgment can twist a name into an insult, reflecting dissatisfaction rather than inherent value.
Yet this story offers a quiet comfort. The biblical text records Hiram’s criticism but does not erase the original assignment of these towns to Israel. It reminds us that our worth is not defined by another’s opinion or temporary circumstances. Even when gifts are rejected or situations seem inadequate, God’s initial purposes remain intact. We can find peace in knowing that our identity is secured by divine promise, not human approval.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Cabul2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כָּב֖וּל1×
- כָּב֔וּל1×
Key Verses
-
Joshua 19:27
It turned toward the sunrise to Beth Dagon, and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Iphtah El northward to Beth Emek and Neiel. It went out to Cabul on the left hand,
This verse establishes Kabul as a legitimate portion of land given to Asher, grounding its original significance before later reinterpretation.
-
I Kings 9:13
He said, “What cities are these which you have given me, my brother?” He called them the land of Cabul to this day.
Here the name becomes an insult, showing how Hiram’s dissatisfaction transformed a place name into a symbol of perceived inadequacy.