שְׁבוּל (sha.vil)
sha.vil
path
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun shavil refers simply to a path or way. Its meaning is straightforward, describing the physical route one travels. The word appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, located in Jeremiah 2:6.
In that specific verse, the Israelites describe their journey through the wilderness as a land of deserts and pits. Here, shavil denotes the difficult track they followed during their exodus. It is not a metaphor for moral conduct but a literal description of the travel route.
The term likely derives from a root meaning to flow or stretch out, suggesting a path that extends across the land. Translators typically render it as "way" or "path." Its rarity in Scripture highlights its use for specific historical journeys rather than general spiritual analogies.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word shavil describes a physical path or track. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Jeremiah 2:6. The people of Israel used it to describe their difficult journey through the wilderness. They spoke of walking on paths that were not built up and led through deserts.
This verse reminds us that our own lives often include rough terrain. We may feel like we are wandering without a clear direction. Yet even in these uncertain times, God is present with us. He guides us through the wild places just as He did for His people long ago.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- paths of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שְׁבִילֵ֣י1×