On the basis of an Ugaritic text (KTU 4.689), it is argued that the Hebrew lexemes ḥobel “sailor, steersman” and ḥibbel (Proverbs 23:34) must be etymologically separated from the lexeme ḥæbæl “rope, cord”. The former lexeme can be traced back to a root ḫ-b-l, while ḥæbæl is based on a root ḥ-b-l. The Hebrew ḥibbel (Proverbs 23:34) corresponds to the Ugaritic lexeme ḫbl (KTU 4.689:5) and does not denote the mast basket of a ship (crow´s nest) but probably the large rudder that was attached to the stern of a ship and used to manoeuvre the ship. – A final excursus examines the question of whether the lexeme ḥbl “sailor, steersman” is also attested in Phoenician-Punic sources. The result is a negative one: text passages where ḥbl(m) “sailors” was previously assumed must be read or interpreted differently

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