תֵּבֵל (te.vel)
te.vel
world
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 30 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun tevel refers to the inhabited earth, carrying a sense of fertility and life. Unlike words that simply denote dry land or terrain, tevel emphasizes the globe as a place where people dwell and nature thrives. Its root suggests moisture or flow, pointing to the productive quality of the soil that sustains human life.
Scripture often uses this term to describe the whole world in its created order. In Psalm 90:2, it stands alongside "earth" to highlight God’s eternal nature against the backdrop of the habitable world. Proverbs 8:31 describes Wisdom rejoicing in the "world of his earth," illustrating a personal connection between the Creator and His creation.
The word also frequently shifts to represent the people living on that earth. In Psalm 24:1, the declaration that "the world" belongs to the Lord implies that all its inhabitants are under His sovereignty. This usage appears in prophetic texts like Isaiah, where judgment or praise is directed toward the nations and their rulers.
Translators typically render tevel as "world," capturing its broad scope. It serves as a poetic counterpart to more common terms for land, adding depth to descriptions of creation, divine rule, and human history within the biblical narrative.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word tevel paints a picture of more than just dry ground or distant geography. It describes the inhabited earth, a place where life flourishes and people dwell. This term carries a sense of fertility and moisture, pointing to the productive soil that sustains human existence. When Scripture uses this word, it often highlights the world as a gift from God, designed for community and growth rather than empty space.
For your faith, this understanding shifts how you view your surroundings. The world is not a random accident but a deliberate creation where God’s sovereignty is evident. In Psalm 24:1, the declaration that the world belongs to the Lord reminds us that every person and place falls under His care. This truth offers comfort, knowing that the ground beneath your feet and the community around you are held securely by Him.
Even when the world faces turmoil, tevel retains its meaning as the stage for God’s purposes. Isaiah 24 describes the earth mourning, yet this very language acknowledges the reality of our shared home. Recognizing tevel helps us see that our lives are part of a larger, meaningful narrative. It invites us to trust in the One who established the world and continues to sustain it through every season.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 30 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] world27×
- in/ [the] world of1×
- and/ from/ [the] world1×
- and/ [the] world1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תֵּבֵ֖ל4×
- תֵּבֵ֥ל3×
- תֵּבֵ֑ל3×
- תֵּ֝בֵ֗ל3×
- תֵבֵֽל\׃3×
- תֵבֵ֖ל3×
- תֵּבֵֽל\׃2×
- תֵּבֵל֙1×
- תֵּבֵ֛ל1×
- תֵּ֭בֵל1×
- תֵבֵ֣ל1×
- תֵבֵ֑ל1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 24:1
A Psalm by David. The earth is Yahweh’s, with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell in it.
This verse uses tevel to emphasize that not only the land but also its inhabitants belong entirely to God's sovereign care.
-
Psalms 90:2
Before the mountains were born, before you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
Here tevel stands alongside 'earth' to contrast the eternal nature of God with the temporary, habitable world He created.
-
Proverbs 8:31
rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.
Wisdom is depicted as rejoicing in the inhabited world, illustrating a personal and joyful connection between the Creator and humanity.
-
Isaiah 24:4
The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The lofty people of the earth languish.
The prophet uses tevel to describe the earth's distress, showing how the word encompasses the entire created order affected by judgment.