Original Word: מַבּוּל
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mabbuwl
Pronunciation: mah-bool'
Phonetic Spelling: (mab-bool')
Definition: a deluge
Meaning: A deluge or flood, specifically referring to the great flood described in the account of Noah.

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning to flow or to inundate.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • The Greek equivalent of מַבּוּל is found in Strong's Greek Number G2627, κατακλυσμός (kataklysmos), which also means a flood or deluge. This term is used in the New Testament, particularly in the context of referring back to the flood of Noah as a historical and theological event, such as in Matthew 24:38-39 and 2 Peter 2:5. These references highlight the flood as a paradigm of divine judgment and a precursor to eschatological themes in Christian theology.

Usage: The term מַבּוּל is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote the catastrophic flood that covered the earth during the time of Noah. It is primarily found in the book of Genesis and Psalms.

Context: • The word מַבּוּל appears in the Hebrew Bible in contexts that describe a divine judgment through a cataclysmic flood. The most notable occurrence is in Genesis 6-9, where it describes the flood that God sent to destroy all life on earth due to humanity's wickedness, sparing only Noah, his family, and the animals aboard the ark. This event is pivotal in biblical history, symbolizing both judgment and salvation.
• In Genesis 7:6, the text states, "Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came upon the earth." The flood narrative continues to detail the forty days and nights of rain, the covering of the highest mountains, and the eventual receding of the waters.
• The term is also used in Psalm 29:10, which reads, "The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever." Here, מַבּוּל is used metaphorically to emphasize God's sovereignty and eternal reign, even over the most chaotic and destructive forces.
• The flood narrative serves as a theological reflection on human sin, divine justice, and mercy, with the covenant established with Noah symbolizing God's ongoing commitment to creation.

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a flood
NASB Translation
flood (13).

מַבּוּל noun masculine^{Genesis 7:6} flood in time of Noah (Late Hebrew id.; Jewish-Aramaic מַבּוּלָא; Syriac ; derivation dubious; Thes and others √ יבל, but improbable, see Dl^{Prol. 122 f.}; possibly old Assyrian (Babylonian) loan-word (yet form unkn. in Assyrian ), or from √ נבל = Assyrian nabâlu, destroy Dl^{HWB 443 f.}; compare Dl^{Par. 156; Prol. 122} Che^{Psalm 29:10 critical note, Hebraica. iii. 3, 175 f.}, O. Whitehouse^{COT ii. 293}); — ׳מ only Genesis and Psalm 29:10; always absolute and always with article except Genesis 9:11,15; — ׳וַיְהִי הַמּ Genesis 17:7; ׳לֹא יִהְיֶה עוֺד מ Genesis 9:11; following by מַיִם as appositive) Genesis 6:17; Genesis 7:6; ׳מֵי הַמּ Genesis 7:7,10; Genesis 9:11; לֹאיִֿהְיֶה ׳עוֺד הַמַּיִם לְמ Genesis 9:15; as epoch, in phrase ׳אַחַר הַמּ Genesis 9:28; Genesis 10:1,32; Genesis 11:10 (strike out as gloss Bu Di); יָשָׁ֑ב ׳לַמּ ׳י Psalm 29:10 ׳י at the flood sat enthroned (so most; Che^{see critical note} ' at the storm ' (destruction = destructive storm Id^{Hebraica. 1.c}.), but ׳הַמּ seems in all the other passages to be almost = proper name of the flood; compare also מֵי נֹחַ Isaiah 54:9 (twice in verse)).

a deluge

From yabal in the sense of flowing; a deluge:

see HEBREW yabal

הַמַּבּ֑וּל הַמַּבּ֔וּל הַמַּבּ֛וּל הַמַּבּ֥וּל הַמַּבּֽוּל׃ המבול המבול׃ וְהַמַּבּ֣וּל והמבול לְמַבּ֔וּל לַמַּבּ֣וּל למבול מַבּ֖וּל מבול ham·mab·būl hammabBul hammabbūl lam·mab·būl lammabBul lammabbūl lə·mab·būl lemabBul ləmabbūl mab·būl mabBul mabbūl vehammabBul wə·ham·mab·būl wəhammabbūlInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts