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עֲבִידָה

𐤏𐤁𐤉𐤃𐤄

ʻăbîydâh

H5673 noun

SILEX Entry

Root עבד to serve, to work, to labor

Definition

Service, labor, or work; specifically refers to duties, employment, or business undertaken by an individual, often in administrative, official, or ritual contexts. In Aramaic passages of the Hebrew Bible, it signifies work or service performed under obligation or as part of assigned roles, whether secular or cultic.

Semantic Range

work, business, ministry, service, affairs, official duties, labor (in both religious and secular/administrative contexts)

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root עבד (to serve, to work), which underlies both the base verbal sense 'to serve, to work' and a wide range of terms denoting service, servitude, or work. עֲבִידָה is an Aramaic noun form exhibiting a typically Aramaic nominal ending, paralleling Hebrew עֲבוֹדָה ('service, labor').

Historical & Contextual Notes

עֲבִידָה appears only in Aramaic sections of biblical texts (e.g., Daniel, Ezra), used to describe the official service or administrative duties relating to temple or governmental operations under imperial or provincial systems. The term covers both religious (temple service) and secular (government affairs) domains, reflecting the administrative vocabulary of the Persian/Hellenistic era in which Aramaic was prominent. The standard English translation as 'work' or 'service' is generally accurate, but can obscure the specific association with formal, at times bureaucratic, affairs. The Hebrew equivalent עֲבוֹדָה can carry broader or different connotations, especially regarding Israelite religious practice. In Aramaic, עֲבִידָה is distinguished from other terms describing general work by its frequent connection to institutional or authorized activity. Later translations sometimes render this as 'business' or 'affairs,' especially in reference to governmental service.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) from עֲבַד; labor or business; affairs, service, work.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עבד (ʿ-b-d) — to serve, to work, to 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

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5673-01 עֲבִידַת֙ avidat ANcfsc the affairs service of 3
H5673-03 לַ/עֲבִידַ֖ת laavidat ATo/Ncfsc the work of of service-work 1
H5673-02 עֲבִֽידְתָּ/א֙ avideta ANcfsd/Td the affairs the service-duty 1
H5673-04 וַ/עֲבִ֥ידְתָּ/א vaavideta AC/Ncfsd/Td and work-the the service-duty 1

Occurrences in Scripture

6 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5673-02 Daniel 2:49 עֲבִֽידְתָּ/א֙ avideta ANcfsd/Td the affairs the service-duty
H5673-01 Daniel 3:12 עֲבִידַת֙ avidat ANcfsc the affairs service of
H5673-01 Ezra 4:24 עֲבִידַ֣ת avidat ANcfsc the work service of
H5673-04 Ezra 5:8 וַ/עֲבִ֥ידְתָּ/א vaavideta AC/Ncfsd/Td and work-the the service-duty
H5673-03 Ezra 6:7 לַ/עֲבִידַ֖ת laavidat ATo/Ncfsc the work of of service-work
H5673-01 Ezra 6:18 עֲבִידַ֥ת avidat ANcfsc the service service of
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