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.
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 submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עבד (ʿ-b-d) — work, serve, labor
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4566 | מַעְבָּד | their deeds |
| H4567 | מַעְבָד | his deeds |
| H5648 | עֲבַד | you did |
| H5649 | עֲבַד | servant |
| H5650 | עֶבֶד | his servants |
Word Forms
95 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5647-22 |
לַֽ/עֲבֹ֖ד | laavod | HR/Vqc |
to serve | to serve | 27 |
H5647-61 |
וַ/יַּֽעַבְדוּ֙ | vayaavedu | HC/Vqw3mp |
and they served | and they served | 17 |
H5647-52 |
וַ/עֲבַדְתֶּ֗ם | vaavadetem | HC/Vqq2mp |
and serve | and you served | 13 |
H5647-42 |
תַֽעֲבֹד֙ | taavod | HVqi2ms |
you shall serve | you will serve | 12 |
H5647-65 |
וַ/יַּעֲבֹ֧ד | vayaavod | HC/Vqw3ms |
and he served | and he served | 10 |
H5647-21 |
עִבְד֔וּ | ivedu | HVqv2mp |
serve | Serve! | 9 |
H5647-34 |
עֹבֵ֥ד | oved | HVqrmsc |
servant | serving one of | 8 |
H5647-93 |
יַעֲבֹ֥ד | yaavod | HVqi3ms |
shall serve | he will serve | 7 |
H5647-75 |
וְ/עִבְד֣וּ | veivedu | HC/Vqv2mp |
and serve | and serve! | 7 |
H5647-36 |
עֹבְדֵ֥י | ovedey | HVqrmpc |
servants of | serving ones of | 7 |
Occurrences in Scripture
289 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5647-22 |
Genesis 2:5 | לַֽ/עֲבֹ֖ד | laavod | HR/Vqc |
to work | to serve |
H5647-23 |
Genesis 2:15 | לְ/עָבְדָ֖/הּ | leavedah | HR/Vqc/Sp3fs |
to work it | to work her |
H5647-22 |
Genesis 3:23 | לַֽ/עֲבֹד֙ | laavod | HR/Vqc |
to work | to serve |
H5647-34 |
Genesis 4:2 | עֹבֵ֥ד | oved | HVqrmsc |
tiller | serving one of |
H5647-42 |
Genesis 4:12 | תַֽעֲבֹד֙ | taavod | HVqi2ms |
you till | you will serve |
H5647-11 |
Genesis 14:4 | עָבְד֖וּ | avedu | HVqp3cp |
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 |
H5647-94 |
Genesis 15:14 | יַעֲבֹ֖דוּ | yaavodu | HVqi3mp |
they will serve | they will serve |
H5647-93 |
Genesis 25:23 | יַעֲבֹ֥ד | yaavod | HVqi3ms |
shall serve | he will serve |
H5647-90 |
Genesis 27:29 | יַֽעַבְד֣וּ/ךָ | yaavedukha | HVqj3mp/Sp2ms |
serve you | may they serve you |