### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew name **ṭâbᵉʼêl**, represented by `{{H2870}}`, means **pleasing (to) God**. It appears **2 times** in **2 unique verses** in the Bible. Rather than a common word, it is a proper name given to two different individuals: one a Syrian and the other a Persian, both of whom are associated with opposition to the people of Judah.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The name `{{H2870}}` appears in two distinct historical contexts. In the book of Ezra, **Tabeel** is listed as a Persian official who, along with others, **wrote** a **letter** to King Artaxerxes to halt the reconstruction of Jerusalem [[Ezra 4:7]]. In a separate account in the book of Isaiah, the name appears as **Tabeal**, a Syrian whose son was the choice of a foreign coalition to be installed as a puppet **king** over Judah after they planned to **vex** the nation and conquer it [[Isaiah 7:6]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help illuminate the context of the actions surrounding the name Tabeel:
* `{{H5927}}` **ʻâlâh** (to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount)): This word describes the hostile intent of Judah's enemies to **go up** against it in their plot to install the son of Tabeal [[Isaiah 7:6]]. It is also used more broadly for God bringing His people **up** out of Egypt [[Exodus 3:8]].
* `{{H6973}}` **qûwts** (to be (causatively, make) disgusted or anxious; abhor, be distressed, be grieved, loathe, vex, be weary): This verb captures the animosity in the plan to **vex** Judah [[Isaiah 7:6]]. The same word is used to describe how the Egyptians **were grieved** because of the Israelites [[Exodus 1:12]].
* `{{H4427}}` **mâlak** (to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty): This action is central to the conspiracy in Isaiah, where the goal was to **set a king** from outside the Davidic line [[Isaiah 7:6]]. The word is also used prophetically, stating that a righteous King **shall reign** from the line of David [[Jeremiah 23:5]].
### Theological Significance
The occurrences of `{{H2870}}` highlight a theme of foreign opposition to God's plans for Israel.
* **Challenging Legitimate Rule:** The plot to replace the Davidic king with "the son of Tabeal" represents a direct assault on the God-ordained line of leadership in Judah [[Isaiah 7:6]].
* **Obstructing Restoration:** The letter co-authored by Tabeel the Persian was an official attempt to stop the rebuilding of Jerusalem, a project central to the post-exilic restoration of God's people [[Ezra 4:7]].
* **Ironic Naming:** The name itself means "pleasing (to) God," which stands in stark contrast to the actions of the two individuals who bear it, as both are recorded acting contrary to the well-being of God's chosen nation.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2870}}` is a proper name, Tabeel or Tabeal, whose meaning "pleasing (to) God" is ironically set against the biblical record of its bearers. The two men named Tabeel appear at critical moments as figures of foreign opposition, one conspiring to illegitimately seize the throne of Judah and the other working to obstruct the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Though rare, the name marks instances of external threats to God's sovereign purposes for Israel.
TRV