# \*ḫbl: 'to damage, ruin; to wrong'

> Proto-Semitic *ḫbl, 'to damage, ruin; to wrong': reflexes in 11 language(s).

A page of the Linear A Lexicon's research wiki, in [Wiki](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/index.md>) › [Kaphtor Semitic Roots](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/index.md>) › [ḫ](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/kha/index.md>). Updated 2026-10-25.

## Root

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction | \*ḫbl |
| Meaning | 'to damage, ruin; to wrong' |
| Basis | project |

## Reflexes

| Language | Form | Sources | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akkadian | ḫabālu A (CAD Ḫ 3) | CAD Ḫ 3 | gloss withheld |
| Canaanite | ḫabaluma (EA 254:17 apud HALOT 285) | HALOT 285 | gloss withheld |
| Hebrew | III ḥbl; pi. (HALOT 285) | HALOT 285 | gloss withheld |
| Judaic Aramaic | ḥăbāl (HALOT 285) | HALOT 285 | gloss withheld |
| Mandaic Aramaic | hbal(a) (HALOT 285) | HALOT 285 | gloss withheld |
| Arabic | ḫabila 'he was corrupted, unsound, disordered' (Lane 699); ḫabāl, also ḫabal 'corruptness, unsoundness, a vitiated or disordered state' (Lane 700) | Lane 699; Lane 700 |  |
| Epigraphic South Arabian | Sab ḫbl (SD 58); Qat. ḫblm (Ricks 1982 s.v. ḫblm) | SD 58; Ricks 1982 s.v. ḫblm | gloss withheld |
| Pre-Islamic North Arabian | Safaitic ḫbl (Al-Jallad–Jaworska 79); mḫbl (Al-Jallad–Jaworska 95); Hismaic ḫbl; mḫbl (Al-Jallad 2026, 64) | Al-Jallad–Jaworska 79; Al-Jallad–Jaworska 95; Al-Jallad 2026 64 | gloss withheld |
| Eblaitic | cf. ḫu-nu-um a-ba-lu /ḫ-b-l/ (Sanmartín GlOS 1, 266) | Sanmartín GlOS 1, 266 | gloss withheld |
| Ugaritic | ḫbl (DULAT 379) | DULAT 379 | gloss withheld |
| Biblical Aramaic | ḥbl pa. (HALOT BArm. s.v. חבל); ḥăbāl (HALOT 286) | HALOT BArm. s.v. חבל; HALOT 286 | gloss withheld |

A form keeps its source's gloss only when the source is public domain or openly licensed.

## Notes

HALOT 285 also files Arabic ḫabala 'to confound', OSA ḫbl 'to be wild' and Ethiopic 'to act corruptly' here; K0768 \*ḫVbVl- 'bold' holds Arabic ḫabala 'maddened' and Geez ḫabala 'dare'. Kaufman 1974, 56 n. 122 sets Akk. ḫabālu A 'to ravage (a person)' beside Arabic ḫbl 'to despoil, damage' as cognates.

## Linked from

- [ḫ](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/kha/index.md>)

---

Page: https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/kha/3553_to_damage_ruin_to_wrong/
Licence: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cite as: di Mino, Tom. 2026. Linear A Lexicon. Plasma AI. https://linear-a.ai/. Data: kaphtor, commit add28e94.