סַרְבָּל (sar.bal)
sar.bal
mantle
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun sarbal refers to a garment, most likely a mantle or coat. It appears only twice in the Bible, both times in the book of Daniel. In these contexts, it describes the clothing worn by officials or figures in the royal court, suggesting a piece of outerwear that signified status or office.
The exact nature of this item is somewhat uncertain. While most scholars identify it as a cloak or robe, some ancient interpretations have even suggested it might refer to a type of slipper, known as a babouche. However, the weight of evidence points toward a garment worn on the upper body. Its rare usage means we rely heavily on these specific narrative contexts in Daniel to understand its function.
Because the word is so scarce, it does not carry a wide range of theological nuance. Instead, it serves as a concrete detail in the stories of Daniel, grounding the narrative in the material reality of Babylonian court life. Translators typically render it simply as "robe" or "garment," reflecting its role as standard attire for those in position.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sarbal appears only twice in Scripture, both within the dramatic narrative of Daniel 3. It describes the heavy outer garments worn by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they faced the fiery furnace. This detail grounds the miracle in physical reality; these men did not strip off their clothes to show bravery. Instead, they stood firm in the very attire that marked them as subjects of Babylon, trusting God while fully clothed in their daily lives.
For your faith, this offers a comforting picture of divine protection amidst ordinary circumstances. You do not need to abandon your responsibilities or remove your 'mantle' of duty to encounter God’s power. The text notes that the fire had no power on their bodies and even left no smell of smoke on them. This suggests that God’s presence can guard you through trials without requiring you to step away from the world He placed you in.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- in/ mantles/ their1×
- and/ mantles/ their1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/סָרְבָּלֵי/ה֖וֹן1×
- בְּ/סַרְבָּלֵי/הוֹן֙1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 3:21
Then these men were bound in their pants, their tunics, and their mantles, and their other clothes, and were cast into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.
This verse establishes the sarbal as part of the formal court attire that the three men refused to remove, highlighting their steadfast identity even under threat.
-
Daniel 3:27
The local governors, the deputies, and the governors, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies. The hair of their head wasn’t singed. Their pants weren’t changed. The smell of fire wasn’t even on them.
The witnesses observe that not only were their bodies unharmed, but their garments showed no sign of burning, confirming the supernatural nature of their preservation.