hevel

Hevel is the Hebrew form of the given name Abel, appearing in the Hebrew Bible as the younger son of Adam and Eve. The Hebrew word הֶבֶל, pronounced Hevel, also means vapor, breath, or transience, and is used in biblical prose and poetry to express the idea of something insubstantial or fleeting. Because of this semantic link, many translations of the Bible render Hevel as Abel, while the noun hevel is often translated as “vanity” or “futility” in Ecclesiastes.

In Genesis 4, Hevel is a shepherd who brings an offering to God, which God accepts; Cain's offering is not, provoking Cain's jealousy. Cain kills Hevel, and God confronts Cain, declaring consequences for murder. Hevel's brief appearance contrasts with Cain's actions and marks one of the earliest human moral lessons in the biblical narrative.

In modern usage, Hevel is primarily encountered as the Hebrew name for Abel. It is also discussed in linguistic and religious studies as an example of how names in Hebrew carry both personal referent and semantic meaning. In English-language contexts, the name typically appears as Abel rather than Hevel, except in Hebrew-language texts or discussions of the original Hebrew form.

See also: Abel, Ecclesiastes, Hebrew Bible, vanities.