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Meaning, origin and etymology of the name Abel


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Abel Abel

Abel is the second son of Adam and Eve; brother of Cain and Seth.
The name Abel comes from Abel (habal 463) meaning act emptily, become vain. The noun is hebel (463a) and is spelled the same as Abel, meaning vapour, breath, in the negative sense of having no substance and being something very close to nothing. The famous Ecclesiastes saying, "vanity of vanities; all is vanity," uses these same words.

The names of important characters in Genesis are usually explained while they are given, but not Abel. Here is an individual who is named Whiff, who is not even worthy of an name-explanation, and who has himself done in by his brother Cain, before he can even say a word! If God hadn't accepted his offering (Gen 4:4) and Jesus hadn't proclaimed him righteous (Matt 23:35) Abel would make for a very sad character. Which at once raises the question of what he is doing there so early in the narrative, as well as the meaning of this entire nonpareil scene.

Jones reads Vanity. NOBSE reads Breath.



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