Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>]

Karl,

The NEBEL mentioned in Isaiah 30:14 is a large clay cask. The NIBLEI  
$AMAIYM of Iob 38:37 is 'the loftiness of the heavens.' The NEBEL  
ASOR of Psalms 33:2 is a harp of ten strings. Amos 6:5 has HA-PORTIYM  
AL PIY NEBEL, and I tend to think that PORTIYM means 'strum.' It is  
hard for me to imagine ancient Hebrews having a musical instrument as  
intricate as a bagpipe.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On May 26, 2007, at 8:08 PM, K Randolph wrote:

> NBL, the musical instrument was apparently a type of bagpipe, a  
> rather noisy
> instrument. Apparently Nabal had a real set of lungs and lusty  
> voice as an
> infant, hence given that name.
>
> The word was also used to refer to a fool as a "windbag", i.e. one  
> who is
> all air and nothing behind it. Abigail was using the second meaning  
> as a pun
> to assuage David's anger.
>
> As a verb, it means to become flabby, as an empty bag, used of  
> plants when
> they lose turgidity they shrivel and droop.
>
> Karl W. Randolph.
>
> On 5/18/07, Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu> wrote:
> > Steve,
> >
> > You may be right that "moral system" is somewhat hyperbolic. Yet I
> > suspect that also NABAL the Carmelite's death (see I Samuel 25:2-38)
> > was not an accident. By the way, I tend to think that NABAL means
> > 'nobleman', as it is in Arabic. Possibly NEBEL, 'harp?', is an
> > imposing musical instrument.
> >
> > Isaac Fried, Boston University
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