VANITY (אָ֫וֶנ֒, H224, trouble, wickedness; הֶ֫בֶל֒, H2039, breath, transitoriness; רֵיק, H8199, empty; שָׁוְא, H8736, emptiness, lying; תֹּ֫הוּ, H9332, formlessness, confusion; LXX εἴδωλον, G1631, an image; κακός, G2805, bad; κενός, G3031, empty; κόπος, G3160, labor; μάταιος, G3469, useless, fruitless [and cognates, also in Gr. NT]; πόνος, G4506, trouble, pain; ψευδής, G6014, false).
The following meanings can be distinguished:
1. A breath. This is the basic meaning of the Heb. word הֶ֫בֶל֒, H2039, which is tr. “vanity” more often than any other Heb. word in the OT. It is so used about thirty-five times in Ecclesiastes alone, and about twenty-five times elsewhere in the OT. It is tr. “vanity” in KJV and “a breath” in RSV in Psalms 39:5, 11; 62:9; 78:33; 94:11; 144:4. It seems to carry with it the idea of that which is weak, ephemeral, or transitory. Irwin and Meek propose “transient thing” in Ecclesiastes 11:10.
2. Emptiness or worthlessness. In Ecclesiastes 5:7, the RSV uses the word “empty” for the word tr. “vanities” in KJV (cf. Job 7:3; 15:31; Isa 40:17). In Jeremiah 2:5, RSV uses “worthlessness” for KJV’s “vanity” (cf. Jer 16:19; 51:18). “Futility” seems to be the basic idea in Ecclesiastes 1:2 (Meek).
3. Falsehood, wickedness, deceit. That which appears to have meaning, substance, or value, turns out to have none of these elements, and so it is false or deceiful. Those who follow after such things are not only deceived but wicked. In the following references, where KJV has “vanity,” RSV has “falsehood” (Job 31:5 [cf. Prov 30:8]; Isa 5:18; Ezek 13:6); “wickedness” (Isa 58:9); “evil” (Job 15:35); “iniquity” (Ps 10:7); “a delusion” (Isa 41:29); “lies” (Ps 12:2). Idols are referred to repeatedly as “vanities” (e.g. Deut 32:21; 1 Kings 16:13, 26; Jer 18:15). Klopfenstein and others maintain that sorcery and magic are likewise referred to in some cases by the word שָׁוְא, H8736, (e.g. Job 7:3; Isa 5:18; 30:28; Jer 18:15) and perjury in Psalm 144:8.
4. Other less frequent usages are: a. calamity (Prov 22:8); b. nonsense (Zech 10:2); “senseless thing” (Eccl 8:14) (Irwin and Meek); c. hastily (Prov 13:11); d. destruction (Isa 30:28); e. “sorry thing” (Eccl 6:4) (Meek).
The word “vanity” does not occur in the RSV NT, but it occurs four times in KJV where the RSV trs. as follows “vain things” (Acts 14:15); “futility” (Rom 8:20; Eph 4:17); and “folly” (2 Pet 2:18).
The modern idea of vanity as: (1) selfish conceit or inflated pride; (2) “ostentation of fashion, wealth, or power” (Webster), does not seem to be prominent in the Bible. In the NT there are, however, three cases which might be cited as cognate. In Philippians 2:3 the word κενοδοξία, G3029, is tr. “vainglory” in KJV, but “conceit” in RSV. A cognate word in Galatians 5:26 is rendered “vain glory” in KJV, “vainglorious” in ASV but “self-conceit” in RSV. Finally, ὀλαζονεία in 1 John 2:16 is given as “vainglory” in ASV, but “pride” in KJV and RSV.
Some of the things which are designated as vanity (in addition to those mentioned above) are:
1. thoughts and words of the godless (Job 15:35; Pss 10:7; 144:8).
2. leaving the fruit of your toil to another (Eccl 2:19, 21).
3. that the fool and the wise fare alike (Eccl 2:15).
4. that the man has no advantages over the beasts (Eccl 3:19).
6. false prophets (Ezek 13:6, 8, 9, 23; 21:29; 22:28).
7. nations, princes and rulers (Isa 40:17, 23).
8. pleasure (Eccl 2:1).
9. wealth (Eccl 5:10; cf., 4:7, 8; 6:2; Prov 13:11; 21:6).
10. every person (Pss 39:5, 11; 62:9; 144:4).
11. everything (Eccl 1:1; 12:8).
The progress of meaning, therefore, seems to be this: empty, useless, deceitful, wicked. In line with its purpose to reveal the truth which is ultimate and lasting, the Scriptures warn against that which has the appearance of reality and value, but which proves in fact not to have any real value. Since people are being led astray by such deceits, the Bible discloses and denounces them.
Bibliography TWNT, TDNT, Crem; T. J. Meek, “Translating the Hebrew Bible,” JBL, LXXIX (1960), 323-338; M. A. Klopfenstein, Die Luge nach dem AT (1964), esp. 315-320.