Tabeel

Biblical Record

Tabeel appears only once, in Ezra 4:7. The text records: "And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue." The "Syrian tongue" is Aramaic; the verse indicates that the letter was written in both Aramaic script and the Aramaic language. Aramaic was the official language of administration in the Persian Empire at the time.

The verse belongs to Ezra 4, a chapter that gathers accounts of how surrounding groups obstructed the rebuilding efforts of the Judeans who had returned from exile. The contents of the letter are not recorded, and Scripture says nothing about Tabeel's origin, office, or later activities.

Significance in the Bible

Tabeel is presented as one of the opponents who sought to halt the rebuilding undertaken by the returned community. Ezra 4 records in succession the accusations brought during the reign of Ahasuerus (4:6) and during the reign of Artaxerxes (4:7 onward). In this way the chapter shows that the rebuilding of the temple and of Jerusalem met with opposition over a long period. Tabeel is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Interpretation and Issues

• Chronology: Many interpreters read Ezra 4:6-23 as a section arranged thematically rather than chronologically, collecting instances of opposition from later periods. The Artaxerxes mentioned here is commonly identified as Artaxerxes I, although scholars differ on the dating and on the identification of the king.
• Relationship between the writing of 4:7 and the letter of 4:8 onward: Interpreters disagree as to whether the document sent by Tabeel and his associates is the same as the letter of Rehum and Shimshai recorded in 4:8-16 or a separate one.
• Meaning of "Bishlam": Some read Bishlam not as a personal name but as an Aramaic expression meaning "in peace" or "in agreement." On this reading, the senders of the letter were Mithredath and Tabeel.
• Meaning of the name: Tabeel is an Aramaic name, commonly interpreted to mean "God is good."
• A different person with a similar name: "The son of Tabeal" in Isaiah 7:6 is a different individual. He was the puppet king whom Rezin king of Aram (Syria) and Pekah king of the northern kingdom of Israel planned to set on the throne after deposing Ahaz king of Judah. Isaiah 7:7 declares of this plan, "It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass." His identity is uncertain; proposals include that he was an Aramean or a member of the Judean royal family. Some scholars read the vowel pointing of the Hebrew text (Tabeal) as a wordplay meaning "good-for-nothing."

In the Korean Church

Tabeel is rarely treated as a subject in his own right in sermons or Sunday school lessons. He is usually mentioned only in passing, as one of the opponents of the rebuilding, when Ezra 4 is expounded.