Original Word: טָבוּל
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: tabuwl
Pronunciation: tay-bool'
Phonetic Spelling: (taw-bool')
KJV: dyed attire
NASB: turbans
Word Origin: [passive participle of H2881 (טָּבַל - dip)]

1. (properly) dyed, i.e. a turban (probably as of colored stuff)

dyed attire

Passive participle of tabal; properly, dyed, i.e. A turban (probably as of colored stuff) -- dyed attire.

see HEBREW tabal

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
a turban
NASB Translation
turbans (1).

[טְבוּל] noun masculine turban (see Sim in Thes Rob Ges Dl^l.c.) — only סְרוּחֵי טְבוּלִים בְּראֹשֵׁיהֶם Ezekiel 23:15 extended in respect to turbans on their heads = with pendant turbans (Dl SS, compare Da) > Hi-Sm who compare Arabic dye (see I. טבל).

biblical occurrence

טָבוּל appears once, in Ezekiel 23:15, where the prophet describes the seductive pageantry of Babylon: “wearing belts on their waists and flowing turbans on their heads; all of them looked like officers”. The term depicts garments richly dyed or colored, contributing to the alluring image that captivated Judah.

historical setting

Ezekiel ministers in exile during the sixth century BC. Babylon dominates the ancient Near East politically, militarily, and culturally. Dyed textiles—especially those tinted with costly purple, crimson, and indigo—were luxury items signaling rank and prosperity. Archaeological finds from Mesopotamia reveal advanced dye-making techniques using murex shellfish, madder root, and indigo‐bearing plants. Such fabrics traveled the Euphrates trade routes, finding their way into royal treasuries and temple storehouses. When Ezekiel evokes these garments, his audience immediately recognizes the prestige and expense they imply.

symbolic function in Ezekiel 23

1. Sensual attraction: The dyed clothing intensifies the metaphor of adultery that runs through the chapter. Judah (personified as Oholibah) longs for Babylon’s splendor just as one might be drawn to a lover’s ornate dress.
2. Political entanglement: The visual richness hints at treaties and military alliances Judah pursued with Babylon (compare 2 Kings 24:1).
3. Spiritual apostasy: By adopting the fashions of an idolatrous empire, Judah flaunts her unfaithfulness to the covenant (Jeremiah 2:18, Hosea 2:13).

cultural themes of dyed garments

• Status and authority Only elites could afford or be permitted certain colors (Esther 8:15).
• Religious spectacle Idols were often clothed in dyed fabrics, while temple attendants wore colors meant to imitate divine brilliance (Daniel 5:2–4).
• Economic leverage Dye production sustained entire guilds; Tyre’s merchants, for example, “traded… in purple cloth” (Ezekiel 27:7).

theological reflections

The fleeting allure of vibrant apparel contrasts with the enduring righteousness the Lord desires (Isaiah 1:18). Earthly splendor fades, but “white robes” symbolize purity granted by God (Revelation 7:14). Ezekiel’s image teaches that external beauty, however dazzling, can mask internal rebellion.

ministry application

• Discernment Believers must test cultural attractions against Scripture’s call to holiness (1 John 2:15–17).
• Contentment True worth is measured by godliness, not by outward adornment (1 Timothy 6:6–8).
• Prophetic warning Church leaders, like Ezekiel, should expose the hidden dangers beneath society’s fashionable trappings.

christological perspective

Jesus Christ, arrayed in humble garments during His earthly ministry and later “clothed in a robe dipped in blood” (Revelation 19:13), embodies a beauty rooted in sacrificial love rather than costly dye. His splendor outshines Babylon’s fleeting colors, offering believers the “garments of salvation” (Isaiah 61:10).

homiletical seed thoughts

1. “The tyranny of taste: when fashion becomes idolatry” – tracing Judah’s attraction to Babylon and modern parallels.
2. “From dyed robes to white linen: the journey from worldly prestige to heavenly purity.”
3. “Ezekiel’s wardrobe sermon: how clothing can preach covenant truths.”

concluding insight

טָבוּל spotlights the magnetic yet deceptive power of outward glamour. Ezekiel’s lone use of the term summons every generation to weigh cultural brilliance against covenant fidelity, remembering that only garments given by God endure eternally.

טְבוּלִים֙ טבולים ṭə·ḇū·lîm ṭəḇūlîm tevuLimInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts