נְוָלוּ (ne.va.lu)
ne.va.lu
dunghill
A:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun nevalu refers to a refuse heap or dunghill, a place where waste and discarded material accumulate. In the biblical text, it appears only three times, primarily in the books of Daniel and Ezra, grounding its meaning in the tangible reality of ancient urban life.
Its usage is strikingly concrete. In Daniel 1:10, the official fears that the king will see the youths looking poorer than the others who eat from the royal table, a comparison that invokes the lowliness associated with such refuse heaps. Similarly, Ezra 9:8-9 uses the term to describe the state of Judah as a "nail in his holy place," evoking an image of being cast out like garbage or left to rot in a waste pile.
This word carries no positive connotation; it signifies something rejected, discarded, and base. By employing this imagery, the biblical authors emphasize themes of humility, judgment, and the stark contrast between divine favor and human rejection. The term serves as a vivid metaphor for the lowest possible social and spiritual status.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word nevalu describes a refuse heap or dunghill, a place where society casts away what it considers worthless. In the ancient world, this was not just a pile of dirt; it represented the absolute bottom of social standing and dignity. To be associated with such a place meant being rejected, discarded, and stripped of honor.
Yet, Scripture uses this stark imagery to remind us that human judgment is temporary. When Daniel faced the threat of having his house made a dunghill, he trusted in God’s sovereignty over earthly power. The contrast is clear: while kings can decree destruction, God preserves those who remain faithful, even when their status seems low.
This word invites humility. It reminds us that our worth is not defined by social standing or the approval of others. In Christ, we are lifted from the dust and given a new identity, secure in God’s love rather than human opinion.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a refuse-heap3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נְוָלִ֥י1×
- נְוָלִ֣י1×
- נְוָל֥וּ1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 2:5
The king answered the Chaldeans, “The thing has gone from me. If you don’t make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut in pieces, and your houses will be made a dunghill.
This verse highlights the threat of total social ruin, where losing favor with the king means being reduced to the lowest possible status.
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Daniel 3:29
Therefore I make a decree that every people, nation, and language which speak anything evil against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill, because there is no other god who is able to deliver like this.”
Here, a pagan king reverses his decree, using the same term to show that honoring the true God protects one from such disgrace.
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Ezra 6:11
I have also made a decree that whoever alters this message, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened on it; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
The punishment for altering God’s decree is severe, linking disobedience with becoming a place of waste and rejection.