Three Hebrew words Translated as World

There are 3 Hebrew words translated as world and they are:

1. Olam עולם

2. Chalad חלד 

3. Tebel תבל

The Hebrew distinguishes these words in its context and this short note is to show the Prohpetic progression of the words. 

1.  Olam H5769 is from alam H5956 which means to veil from sight/conceal/hide/secret thing.

Deu 22:1   “When you see your brother’s ox or his sheep straying away, you shall not hide/עולם alam H5956 yourself from them. Return them to your brother without fail. 

olam 𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤌 H5769 is translated in English as forever but its from alam 𐤏𐤋𐤌 H5956; properly concealed, that is, the vanishing point. Hence, it is used for an eternity past or eternity future 

 alam 𐤏𐤋𐤌 H5956 A primitive root; to veil from sight, that is, conceal (literally or figuratively): -    X any ways, blind, dissembler, hide (self), secret (thing).

We know that the moon had a beginning (Gen 1:16) and has an end (no time-keepers in Renewed Yerushalayim Rev 22:5). Hence, we need to take the meaning that the moon concealed in itself the witness of David's SEED i.e. Yahusha ha Mashiyach and He is eternal denoted by the first olam in the verse 36 of Psalms 89.

Psa 89:36  “His (David’s) seed shall be forever H5769 עולם (olam) , And his throne as the sun before Me; 

Psa 89:37  “Like the moon, it is established forever H5769 עולם (olam) And the witness in the heaven is steadfast.” Selah. 

Olam apart from concealing in itself a symbolic representation, it is also a vanishing point of an eternity past or eternity future. Say for example hypothetically we journeyed looking at Yahuah from a starting point of us (not Him as He is beyond time, space and matter and eternal) and as we journeyed away from Him we come to an never ending point (as we are to receive eternal life from Him), we would see Him in a vanishing point to re-appear in a transitioned form and would be able to identify Him in His first estate as Yahuah. His throne is likened to the sun and its a figure of speech in English i.e. A simile. His throne has a vanishing point as He occupies the deputyship/or of a Messenger seated as on the RIGHT HAND of the Most High, when we see Him in Renewed Yerushalayim, we will see Him on the throne as THE MOST HIGH.

We need to drill down to understand the context of what is concealed and what it holds. Hebrew words are used both positively as well as negatively.

Jhn 3:16  “For Elohim so loved the world עולם olam that He gave His only brought-forth Son, so that everyone who believes in Him should not perish but possess everlasting life. 

 alam עלם expresses the motion or state of hiding.

olam עולם is literally: “that which is hidden (עלם) yet extended or connected (ו).”

So ו (uau) bridges the unseen and the seen —

it turns pure concealment (עלם) into a hidden realm extended into creation, עולם.

That’s why in Hebrew thought:

עולם = “the world” = “the concealed order of time and space”

עולם = “eternity” = “the unseen continuum beyond our grasp”

🕎 Spiritual meaning:

עלם (‘alam) — concealment: the mystery unrevealed.

עולם (olam) — the hidden revealed in form: creation, time, the “world.”

Or symbolically:

“Alam עלם is the secret. Olam עולם is the story that hides the secret.

When it says in John 3:16 Elohim so loved the world, the world עולם is the concealed order in form which needs to be identified in limited atonement (the Son gave Himself in death on the stake for) and not Universal Atonement as taught by many that He died for every single person who lived or will live on this earth.

Matt 1:21 …He shall save HIS PEOPLE from their sins

Hence, Elohim’s love is for the concealed chosen 

Rom 8:19  For the intense longing of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of Elohim. 

Everyone claims to the Atonement of Mashiyach but the unfolding of time will reveal the true sons for whom the Atonement was made and whom Elohim loved.

2. Chalad חלד

Psa 17:14  From men by Your hand, O יהוה, From men of the world  H2465 חלד (chalad) whose portion is in this life, And You fill their bellies with Your treasure, They are satisfied with children, And shall leave their riches to their babes. 

Here חלד (ḥeled) is often translated as world, life, or temporal existence.

But it doesn’t mean “world” in the same sense as עולם (olam) — eternity or age.

🔹 Root and meaning of חלד (ḥeled)

Root: חלד — chalad

Primary meanings:

• To fade, grow old, rot, perish, or pass away

• By extension → mortal life, the transient world

So חלד points to the decaying, perishable nature of human life — the world of the mortal flesh, in contrast to עולם, which is the hidden eternal realm.

Psalms 49:2 “Hear this, all people; give ear, all inhabitants of the world (חלד).”

Same word chalad חלד is translated as age in KJV and life in TS2009 in Job 11:17 and chalad means temporal passing age/life. 

Job 11:17  and your life H2465 חלד  (chalad ) would be brighter than noon. You would soar upward, you would be like the morning.

1Sa 2:8  “He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the dunghill, to sit with princes, and make them inherit a throne of esteem. For the supports of the earth belong to יהוה, and He has set the world H8398 תבל (tebel) upon them. 

3. Tebel (תבל ) is derived from the root יבל (yabal) — “to bring, carry, flow, produce, bring forth.”

It refers to the fertile, inhabited, productive earth — the physical world of mankind. The world of habitation — the earth’s surface where life thrives

Root idea: To bring forth, to yield, to flow (as in fertility, abundance)

Psa 24:1  The earth belongs to יהוה, And all that fills it – The world H8398 תבל (tebel) and those who dwell in it. 

Here Tebel = the inhabited world of people

Isaiah 26:9 When Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world (tebel תבל ) learn righteousness.

Tebel = inhabited humanity

Proverbs 8:31 “Rejoicing in His inhabited world (tebel תבל ).”

So tebel focuses on the physical, inhabited, fertile realm — the visible world of creation.

🕎 Prophetic cycle:

• ‘Alam (עלם) = concealment — the mystery hidden within Elohim.

Before anything is seen or spoken, all creation rests here as an unmanifest thought in His heart.

• Olam (עולם) = ordination of ages — the eternal pattern established.

Here, the hidden mystery takes form as divine order — the unseen covenant that frames all time and existence.

• Yalad (ילד) = bringing forth — the birthing of what was hidden.

From the womb of eternity, the concealed Word is uttered; life emerges into visibility.

This is the pulse of creation: the hidden becoming manifest, the eternal Word made flesh.

• Chalad (חלד) = corruption — the perishable cycle of mortality.

That which is born into time begins to age, fade, and return to dust.

It is the shadow side of yalad, the necessary descent of all living things into death before renewal.

• Tebel (תבל) = manifestation — the inhabited, fruitful world.

This is the field where the divine plan ripens.

The visible earth bears witness to the invisible design, and even in its decay carries the promise of resurrection.

✨ Prophetic flow for mankind (complete):

‘Alam conceals → Olam ordains → Yalad brings forth → Chalad decays → Tebel manifests —

Through this movement, the pattern of the word journeys:

from hidden thought → to eternal decree → to birth → to death and corruption → to visible restoration.

In case of the eternal Dabar:

The prophetic flow:

• ‘Alam — the concealed Word in the bosom of the Father.

• Olam — the eternal decree: “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

• Yalad — the incarnation: the Word born of flesh.

• Chalad — the realm of corruption that He entered but did not succumb to.

His body rested but did not decay — the corruption was arrested in Him.

• Tebel — the renewed earth, restored creation through His resurrection.

Alam concealed in Himself the pattern,  Olam manifested and established the pattern in the eternal purpose, Yalad brought forth that pattern bodily in incarnation, Chalad couldn’t overshadow Him into corruption, Tebel showed the ripening of the plan as all patterns meet in His resurrected body.

🕎 Prophetic essence:

The Word = Messiah = the living pattern of creation and redemption.

He Himself never saw corruption, but He descended into the realm of corruption

to break its cycle and bring forth a new creation — incorruptible, eternal, and whole.

Finally Hebrew words are used positively as well as negatively 

In 1John 2:15 when it says we are not to love the world/olam 

1Jn 2:15  Do not love the world nor that which is in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him

Olam here is a pattern concealed in this realm which is a shadow or copy of the true. It holds the pattern which falls into chalad/ the corruption or decay which manifests/tebel. 

John says in the next verses he who loves the  world/olam, the love of the Abha is not in him 

Remember John 3:16 says Elohim so loved the Olam

Hence, the olam in 1John 2:15 is the pattern which is visible to those whom it is revealed. 

1Jn 2:16  Because all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. 

Now let’s read this 📖 1 Corinthians 5:9–13

“I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators—

Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat.

For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

But them that are without Elohim judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”

Same word Olam is used in Hebrew translation here translated as world.

Shaul is contrasting two orders:

Olam: This world, the present age — the hidden pattern of corruption which is a shadow of order which needs restoration but revealed to those believing in Mashiyach. 

ha-ach) — the brother claiming to be in the order of restoration but is not showing the fruits of being in restoration in Mashiyach . He should be the One within the covenant community who should walk in the revealed light

Shaul’s logic is 

“I’m not telling you to separate from those of the concealed pattern (ha-olam hazeh) who would fall into chalad/ corruption or decay— because to escape that, you’d have to leave the world itself.

But if one who is called a brother lives by that same hidden pattern (olam), then withdraw, because he’s choosing concealment within revelation.”

🔹 The spiritual picture

Shaul is not making a social rule — he’s describing two states of being:

1. Olam (hidden pattern) — people walking in the darkness of this age.

They are outside, and Elohim judges them.

2. Ach (brother) — someone within, who has received revelation of the concealed pattern but continues to live by the hidden pattern of the physical or the shadow.