עָבַד
𐤏𐤁𐤃
ʻâbad
H5647 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To perform work, engage in labor, carry out a task or duty; to serve, particularly in the sense of rendering service or labor to an authority figure, household, or deity. The verb encompasses agricultural labor, general service, and ritual/religious service or worship, depending on context.
Semantic Range
to labor, to serve a person or authority, to be a servant or bondsman, to till or work the soil, to perform tasks, to render ritual service, to be enslaved or compelled to work, to serve a deity (ritual service), to perform worship (in a restricted cultic sense)
Root / Etymology
From the root עבד, which fundamentally means 'to work' or 'to serve.' The verb עָבַד retains the root sense in both secular (manual labor, agricultural tasks, servitude) and religious (service, worship) contexts. The lexical meaning evolves from the core notion of exertion or fulfilling a duty, whether secular or religious.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Throughout the Hebrew Bible, עָבַד is used in multiple domains: (1) secular labor, particularly agricultural (Genesis 2:15; tilling the land); (2) service to another person, often in hierarchical relationships such as a servant to a master (Exodus 21:6); (3) subjugation or forced labor, including contexts of enslavement and oppression (Exodus 1:13–14); and (4) ritual service rendered to a deity, especially YHWH (Exodus 3:12), where the nuance sometimes approaches 'worship' but strictly in the sense of performing authorized cultic duties. The transition from physical labor to cultic service is a core development in biblical usage. Latter translations sometimes use 'worship' where the primary sense concerns ritual or priestly service (e.g., Joshua 24:14), but this can obscure the broader semantic range of the word, which in most contexts refers not to abstract devotion, but to concrete acts of service or duty. Related Hebrew terms include פָּעַל (to do, accomplish), עָשָׂה (to make, do), and שֵׁרֵת (to minister, serve in a cultic capacity), each with its own nuances. The Qal stem predominates, but the Hiphil may carry a causative sense ('to enslave' or 'cause to work'). In pre-exilic and monarchic sources, עָבַד is most frequently associated with agricultural and household service; in post-exilic and Second Temple texts, there is increased emphasis on ritual and religious dimensions. English translations vary: 'serve' often best conveys the broadest sense, while 'worship' should be reserved for contexts where ritual duty to a deity is explicit.
Translation Consistency
'Serve' best fits the full semantic range (labor, render service, be a servant, perform ritual worship) and is the most common natural English rendering in the existing data (158 of 289 occurrences as 'serve' plus many as 'served'/'serving'). It comfortably covers both everyday work and service to an authority or deity, making it the most consistent, natural choice for all forms of עָבַד.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.; [idiom] be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, [phrase] husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve(-ing, self), (be, become) servant(-s), do (use) service, till(-er), transgress (from margin), (set a) work, be wrought, worshipper,
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
עבד (Eved) — to work, to serve, to labor
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4566 | מַעְבָּד | their deeds |
| H4567 | מַעְבָד | his deeds |
| H5648 | עֲבַד | he perished |
| H5649 | עֲבַד | servant |
| H5650 | עֶבֶד | his servants |
Word Forms
95 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5647-22 |
לַ/עֲב֕וֹד | laavod | HR/Vqc |
to serve | to serve | to serve | 27 |
H5647-61 |
וַ/יַּעַבְד֥וּ | vayaavedu | HC/Vqw3mp |
and they served | and they served | and they served | 17 |
H5647-52 |
וַ/עֲבַדְתֶּם֙ | vaavadetem | HC/Vqq2mp |
and serve | and you served | and you served | 13 |
H5647-42 |
תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד | taavod | HVqi2ms |
you shall serve | you will serve | you will serve | 12 |
H5647-65 |
וַֽ/יַּעֲבֹ֣ד | vayaavod | HC/Vqw3ms |
and he served | and he served | and he served | 10 |
H5647-21 |
עִבְדוּ֙ | ivedu | HVqv2mp |
serve | Serve! | Serve! | 9 |
H5647-34 |
עֹבֵ֔ד | oved | HVqrmsa |
servant | serving one of | serving one of | 8 |
H5647-11 |
עָבְד֖וּ | avedu | HVqp3cp |
they served | they served | they served | 7 |
H5647-36 |
עֹבְדֵ֥י | ovedey | HVqrmpc |
servants of | serving ones of | serving ones of | 7 |
H5647-72 |
וְ/עָבְד֖וּ | veavedu | HC/Vqq3cp |
and they will serve | and they served | and they will serve | 7 |
Occurrences in Scripture
289 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5647-22 |
Genesis 2:5 | לַֽ/עֲבֹ֖ד | laavod | HR/Vqc |
to work | to serve | to serve |
H5647-23 |
Genesis 2:15 | לְ/עָבְדָ֖/הּ | leavedah | HR/Vqc/Sp3fs |
to work it | to work her | to work her |
H5647-22 |
Genesis 3:23 | לַֽ/עֲבֹד֙ | laavod | HR/Vqc |
to work | to serve | to serve |
H5647-34 |
Genesis 4:2 | עֹבֵ֥ד | oved | HVqrmsc |
tiller | serving one of | serving one of |
H5647-42 |
Genesis 4:12 | תַֽעֲבֹד֙ | taavod | HVqi2ms |
you till | you will serve | you will work |
H5647-11 |
Genesis 14:4 | עָבְד֖וּ | avedu | HVqp3cp |
they served | they served | they served |
H5647-56 |
Genesis 15:13 | וַ/עֲבָד֖וּ/ם | vaavadum | HC/Vqp3cp/Sp3mp |
and they will serve them | and they served them | and they will serve them |
H5647-94 |
Genesis 15:14 | יַעֲבֹ֖דוּ | yaavodu | HVqi3mp |
they will serve | they will serve | they will serve |
H5647-93 |
Genesis 25:23 | יַעֲבֹ֥ד | yaavod | HVqi3ms |
shall serve | he will serve | he will serve |
H5647-90 |
Genesis 27:29 | יַֽעַבְד֣וּ/ךָ | yaavedukha | HVqj3mp/Sp2ms |
serve you | may they serve you | may they serve you |
H5647-42 |
Genesis 27:40 | תַּעֲבֹ֑ד | taavod | HVqi2ms |
you shall serve | you will serve | you will serve |
H5647-51 |
Genesis 29:15 | וַ/עֲבַדְתַּ֖/נִי | vaavadetani | HC/Vqq2ms/Sp1cs |
and serve me | and you served me | and you serve me |
H5647-14 |
Genesis 29:18 | אֶֽעֱבָדְ/ךָ֙ | eevadekha | HVqi1cs/Sp2ms |
I will serve you | I will serve you | I will serve you |
H5647-65 |
Genesis 29:20 | וַ/יַּעֲבֹ֧ד | vayaavod | HC/Vqw3ms |
served | and he served | and he served |
H5647-04 |
Genesis 29:25 | עָבַ֣דְתִּי | avadeti | HVqp1cs |
serve/work | I worked | I served |
H5647-42 |
Genesis 29:27 | תַּעֲבֹ֣ד | taavod | HVqi2ms |
you shall serve | you will serve | you will serve |
H5647-65 |
Genesis 29:30 | וַ/יַּעֲבֹ֣ד | vayaavod | HC/Vqw3ms |
and he served | and he served | and he served |
H5647-04 |
Genesis 30:26 | עָבַ֧דְתִּי | avadeti | HVqp1cs |
I have served | I worked | I served |
H5647-05 |
Genesis 30:26 | עֲבַדְתִּֽי/ךָ | avadetikha | HVqp1cs/Sp2ms |
I have served you | I have served you | I have served you |
H5647-05 |
Genesis 30:29 | עֲבַדְתִּ֑י/ךָ | avadetikha | HVqp1cs/Sp2ms |
I have served you | I have served you | I have served you |
H5647-04 |
Genesis 31:6 | עָבַ֖דְתִּי | avadeti | HVqp1cs |
I have served | I worked | I served |
H5647-05 |
Genesis 31:41 | עֲבַדְתִּ֜י/ךָ | avadetikha | HVqp1cs/Sp2ms |
I served you | I have served you | I have served you |
H5647-34 |
Genesis 49:15 | עֹבֵֽד | oved | HVqrmsa |
servant | serving one of | serving one of |
H5647-64 |
Exodus 1:13 | וַ/יַּעֲבִ֧דוּ | vayaavidu | HC/Vhw3mp |
So the Egyptians made serve | they caused to serve | they caused to serve |
H5647-11 |
Exodus 1:14 | עָבְד֥וּ | avedu | HVqp3cp |
they made them serve | they served | they served |
H5647-41 |
Exodus 3:12 | תַּֽעַבְדוּ/ן֙ | taavedun | HVqi2mp/Sn |
you shall serve | you (masc. plural) will serve | you (masc. plural) will serve |
H5647-83 |
Exodus 4:23 | וְ/יַֽעַבְדֵ֔/נִי | veyaavedeni | HC/Vqj3ms/Sp1cp |
that he may serve Me | and may he serve us | that he may serve me |
H5647-21 |
Exodus 5:18 | עִבְד֔וּ | ivedu | HVqv2mp |
work | Serve! | Work |
H5647-28 |
Exodus 6:5 | מַעֲבִדִ֣ים | maavidim | HVhrmpa |
are holding in bondage | those causing to serve | are causing to serve |
H5647-85 |
Exodus 7:16 | וְ/יַֽעַבְדֻ֖/נִי | veyaaveduni | HC/Vqi3mp/Sp1cs |
that they may serve me | and they will serve me | that they may serve me |
H5647-85 |
Exodus 7:26 | וְ/יַֽעַבְדֻֽ/נִי | veyaaveduni | HC/Vqi3mp/Sp1cs |
that they may serve me | and they will serve me | and they will serve me |
H5647-85 |
Exodus 8:16 | וְ/יַֽעַבְדֻֽ/נִי | veyaaveduni | HC/Vqi3mp/Sp1cs |
that they may serve me | and they will serve me | and they will serve me |
H5647-85 |
Exodus 9:1 | וְ/יַֽעַבְדֻֽ/נִי | veyaaveduni | HC/Vqi3mp/Sp1cs |
that they may serve me | and they will serve me | and they will serve me |
H5647-85 |
Exodus 9:13 | וְ/יַֽעַבְדֻֽ/נִי | veyaaveduni | HC/Vqi3mp/Sp1cs |
that they may serve me | and they will serve me | and they will serve me |
H5647-85 |
Exodus 10:3 | וְ/יַֽעַבְדֻֽ/נִי | veyaaveduni | HC/Vqi3mp/Sp1cs |
that they may serve me | and they will serve me | and they will serve me |
H5647-84 |
Exodus 10:7 | וְ/יַֽעַבְד֖וּ | veyaavedu | HC/Vqi3mp |
that they may serve | and they will serve | and they will serve |
H5647-21 |
Exodus 10:8 | עִבְד֖וּ | ivedu | HVqv2mp |
serve | Serve! | Serve! |
H5647-75 |
Exodus 10:11 | וְ/עִבְד֣וּ | veivedu | HC/Vqv2mp |
and serve | and serve! | and serve |
H5647-21 |
Exodus 10:24 | עִבְד֣וּ | ivedu | HVqv2mp |
serve | Serve! | Serve! |
H5647-22 |
Exodus 10:26 | לַ/עֲבֹ֖ד | laavod | HR/Vqc |
to serve | to serve | to serve |
H5647-32 |
Exodus 10:26 | נַּעֲבֹד֙ | naavod | HVqi1cp |
we must serve | we will serve | we will serve |
H5647-21 |
Exodus 12:31 | עִבְד֥וּ | ivedu | HVqv2mp |
serve | Serve! | Serve! |
H5647-68 |
Exodus 13:5 | וְ/עָבַדְתָּ֛ | veavadeta | HC/Vqq2ms |
you shall serve | and you worked | and you shall serve |
H5647-29 |
Exodus 14:5 | מֵ/עָבְדֵֽ/נוּ | meavedenu | HR/Vqc/Sp1cp |
from serving us | from serving us | from serving us |
H5647-78 |
Exodus 14:12 | וְ/נַֽעַבְדָ֣ה | venaavedah | HC/Vqh1cp |
that we may serve | and let us serve | and let us serve |
H5647-12 |
Exodus 14:12 | עֲבֹ֣ד | avod | HVqc |
to serve | to serve | to serve |
H5647-38 |
Exodus 20:5 | תָעָבְדֵ֑/ם | taavedem | HVHi2ms/Sp3mp |
you shall serve them | you will be made to serve them | you shall serve them |
H5647-42 |
Exodus 20:9 | תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד | taavod | HVqi2ms |
you-shall-labor | you will serve | you will serve |
H5647-93 |
Exodus 21:2 | יַעֲבֹ֑ד | yaavod | HVqi3ms |
he shall serve | he will serve | he will serve |
H5647-53 |
Exodus 21:6 | וַ/עֲבָד֖/וֹ | vaavado | HC/Vqq3ms/Sp3ms |
and he shall serve him | and he served him | and he shall serve him |