Abel

:For alternative meanings, see Abel (disambiguation).

Hebrew roots

The name Abel is sometimes analyzed as "AB", meaning "source" in Hebrew, and "EL" meaning "God". This is based on the English transliteration of the name; the original Hebrew is Hevel (???), meaning "breath" or "vapor," and does not contain the words "AB" (??) or "EL" (??).

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Another possibility is that the name means herdsman (compare the name "Jabal", Arabic ibil "camels"), and a distinction is drawn between the pastoral Abel and the agriculturist Cain. If Cain is the eponym of the Kenites it is quite possible that Abel was originally a South Judaean demigod or hero; on this, see Winckler, Gesch. Israels, ii. p. 189; E. Meyer, Israeliten, p. 395. A sect of Abelitae, who seem to have lived in North Africa, is mentioned by Augustine (De Haeresibus, lxxxvi.).

Related Topics:
Pastoral - Agriculturist - Eponym - Kenite - Judaean - Demigod - Hero - Abelitae - North Africa - Augustine

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Abel or lamentation (1 Samuel 6:18), is the name given to the great stone in Joshua's field whereon the ark was "set down." The Revised Version, however, following the Targum and the Septuagint, reads in the Hebrew text ’ebhen (= a stone), and accordingly translates "unto the great stone, whereon they set down the ark." This reading is to be preferred.

Related Topics:
Ark - Revised Version - Septuagint

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The name has been identified with the Assyrian aplu, "son", but this is far from certain.

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