עַבְדָּא
𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤀
Aveda
H5653 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name meaning 'Servant' (from the root 'to serve, work'). Used as a theophoric or honorific name for at least two Israelite individuals in the Hebrew Bible. The primary lexical sense is 'servant,' though as a proper name it likely implies 'servant (of God)' or similar veneration.
Semantic Range
personal name meaning 'servant', used as a designation of service or humility; may imply 'servant of (God)' by context; can reflect administrative or religious function as per individuals named
Root / Etymology
From the root עבד meaning 'to serve, work'; עַבְדָּא is a masculine proper name formed as a noun with the Aramaic-influenced definite article suffix -א, commonly used in Late Biblical and post-biblical Hebrew and Aramaic.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עַבְדָּא appears as the name of at least two Israelites: (1) the father of Adoniram, an overseer of forced labor under King Solomon (1 Kings 4:6), and (2) a Levite in the post-exilic period who assisted in religious reforms (Nehemiah 11:17). The use of -א as a suffix is notable, reflecting linguistic influences from Aramaic during and after the exile. As a personal name, עַבְדָּא functions similarly to other servile theophoric names (e.g., Obadiah/עֹבַדְיָה meaning 'servant of Yah'), though עַבְדָּא lacks explicit mention of a deity. In standard English versions, the name is often rendered 'Abda,' without explanation of its etymological background. Its usage illustrates the esteem attached to the role of 'servant' within Israelite society, especially in administrative and religious contexts. The term does not carry the later connotation of 'slave,' but rather denotes dedicated service, typically in a positive or honored capacity.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עָבַד; work; Abda, the name of two Israelites; Abda
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עבד (ʿ-b-d) — serve, work, labor
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4566 | מַעְבָּד | their deeds |
| H4567 | מַעְבָד | his deeds |
| H5647 | עָבַד | he served |
| H5648 | עֲבַד | you did |
| H5649 | עֲבַד | servant |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5653-02 |
וְ/עַבְדָּא֙ | veaveda | HC/Np |
and Abda | and Servant | 1 |
H5653-01 |
עַבְדָּ֖א | aveda | HNp |
of Abda | Servant | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5653-01 |
1 Kings 4:6 | עַבְדָּ֖א | aveda | HNp |
of Abda | Servant |
H5653-02 |
Nehemiah 11:17 | וְ/עַבְדָּא֙ | veaveda | HC/Np |
and Abda | and Servant |