- Original: הבל - Transliteration: Habal - Phonetic: haw-bal' - Definition: 1. to act emptily, become vain, be vain a. (Qal) 1. to become vain 2. to be utterly vain (with cognate acc) b. (Hiphil) 1. to cause to become vain 2. to fill with vain hopes - Origin: a primitive root - TWOT entry: 463 - Part(s) of speech: Verb - Strong's: A primitive root; to be vain in act word or expectation; specifically to lead astray: - be (become make) vain. Total KJV Occurrences: 5 • vain, 5 2 Kings 17:15; Job 27:12; Psalm 62:10; Jeremiah 2:5; Jeremiah 23:16