Original Word: חֲבוּלָה
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: chabuwlah
Pronunciation: khab-oo-lah'
Phonetic Spelling: (khab-oo-law')
KJV: hurt
NASB: crime
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) from H225 (אוּת - consent)5]

1. (properly) overthrown, i.e. (morally) crime

hurt

(Aramaic) from chabal; properly, overthrown, i.e. (morally) crime -- hurt.

see HEBREW chabal

Word Origin
(Aramaic) from chabal
Definition
a hurtful act, crime
NASB Translation
crime (1).

חֲבוּלָא noun feminine hurtful act, crime; — absolute ׳ח Daniel 6:23.

Meaning and Context

חֲבוּלָה denotes bodily harm or injury brought about by hostile intent. It conveys a tangible wounding that threatens life. Its solitary appearance in the Old Testament, Daniel 6:22, frames the term within an episode of lethal danger—Daniel in the lions’ den.

Singular Occurrence

Daniel 6:22: “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, for I was found innocent before Him; and also before you, O king, I have done no wrong.”

The noun describes what did not happen: Daniel suffered no חֲבוּלָה. By highlighting the damage that might have occurred, Scripture magnifies the divine preservation that actually did occur.

Historical Background

Daniel’s trial arose from the irrevocable law of the Medes and Persians (Daniel 6:8–9). The lions’ den served as a state-sanctioned execution chamber. In Persian sport and punishment alike, lions symbolized irresistible power; the slightest delay in mauling a victim would have astonished eyewitnesses. Thus, when Darius found Daniel unscathed, the absence of חֲבוּלָה testified to a miracle surpassing any human intervention. Archeological discoveries of royal menageries in the ancient Near East corroborate the historic plausibility of such an execution method.

Theological Significance

1. Divine Protection. The word crystallizes the doctrine that God can forbid harm itself, not merely mitigate its effects. Comparable testimonies include Psalm 91:10, “no evil will befall you, no plague will approach your tent,” and Luke 21:18, “Yet not a hair of your head will perish.”
2. Vindication of the Righteous. Daniel’s innocence is declared both before God and the king. The withheld חֲבוּלָה becomes tangible evidence that heaven acknowledges and rewards covenant faithfulness (Proverbs 11:8; 1 Peter 3:12-13).
3. Supremacy over Natural Forces. By restraining predators, the Lord displays mastery over creation (Job 38:39-40). The incident prefigures the promised messianic harmony when “the lion will eat straw like the ox” (Isaiah 65:25).

Wider Biblical Connections

Though חֲבוּלָה itself is unique to Daniel, cognate verbs and nouns built on the same root describe:
• Legal damages requiring restitution (Exodus 21:22-25).
• National devastation brought by divine judgment (Isaiah 10:27; Hosea 13:9).
• Moral ruin resulting from sin (Proverbs 13:15).

These passages broaden the concept from physical injury to encompass societal and spiritual destruction, underscoring the Bible’s holistic view of harm.

New Testament Parallels

Acts 28:3-6 records Paul’s deliverance from the viper; Revelation 2:10 promises protection amid persecution. Both echo Daniel’s experience, portraying servants of God preserved from lethal threats so that gospel witness might continue.

Ministry and Pastoral Applications

1. Assurance in Persecution. Believers facing hostile regimes can anchor hope in the God who prevented חֲבוּלָה to Daniel (2 Timothy 4:17-18).
2. Integrity in the Workplace. Daniel’s blameless service within a pagan administration models how righteousness invites divine backing even when secular policies turn oppressive.
3. Prayer for Angelic Help. Daniel’s deliverance came through an angelic messenger, reminding the church to pray with expectancy for “ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14).
4. Evangelistic Testimony. The miracle moved King Darius toward public confession of God’s sovereignty (Daniel 6:26-27). Likewise, modern accounts of protection from harm can furnish compelling evidence for the gospel.

In Scripture, חֲבוּלָה stands as a single, luminous witness: when God decides to save, harm itself is rendered powerless.

חֲבוּלָ֖ה חבולה chavuLah ḥă·ḇū·lāh ḥăḇūlāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts