עִצָּבוֹן
𐤏𐤑𐤁𐤅𐤍
ʻitstsâbôwn
H6093 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Physical or emotional pain, anguish, hardship, or distress; commonly denotes strenuous labor, toil, or suffering—especially as a burdensome or sorrowful experience. In some contexts, it can indicate both the emotional dimension of grief or vexation and the physical aspect of painful or difficult labor.
Semantic Range
pain, labor, distress, toil, hardship, sorrow, emotional suffering, physical suffering, vexation
Root / Etymology
From the root עצב (ʿ-ṣ-b), meaning 'to hurt, pain, grieve, experience distress or vexation.' The noun form עִצָּבוֹן arises via nominal formation, carrying the sense of 'state of being in pain or distress,' and is used for both physical and emotional states.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עִצָּבוֹן first appears in the earliest strata of biblical Hebrew (Genesis 3:16–17), with reference to both the hardship of agricultural toil (addressed to Adam) and the pain associated with childbirth (addressed to Eve). This dual usage emphasizes both the existential and physical burdens resulting from hardship or divine judgment. In later usage, the term maintains its association with strenuous labor, suffering, or sorrow, but is less common beyond early biblical narrative contexts. The same root עצב is the basis of other terms relating to grief or pain (e.g., עֶצֶב). English translations such as 'sorrow' or 'toil' capture some aspects of the meaning, but may flatten the word's dual reference to both emotional distress and physical hardship. The term never refers specifically to mourning ritual or loss due to death, distinguishing it from words like אֵבֶל or יָגוֹן. Some modern translations render it as 'pain' or 'labor' to distinguish from generic 'sorrow.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עָצַב; worrisomeness, i.e. labor or pain; sorrow, toil.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
עצב (Otsem) — to shape, to form, to grieve, to cause pain
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4620 | מַעֲצֵבָה | to a carved idol |
| H6087 | עָצַב | he pained him |
| H6088 | עֲצַב | pain-stricken |
| H6089 | עֶצֶב | in pain |
| H6090 | עֹצֶב | my formed-idol |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6093-01 |
בְּ/עִצָּבוֹן֙ | beitsavon | HR/Ncmsa |
in toil | in painful toil | in painful toil | 1 |
H6093-02 |
עִצְּבוֹנֵ֣/ךְ | itsevonekhe | HNcmsc/Sp2fs |
your pain / your sorrowful toil | your painful toil | your pain | 1 |
H6093-03 |
וּ/מֵ/עִצְּב֣וֹן | umeitsevon | HC/R/Ncmsc |
and from the toil | and from pain-of | and from the toil | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6093-02 |
Genesis 3:16 | עִצְּבוֹנֵ֣/ךְ | itsevonekhe | HNcmsc/Sp2fs |
your pain / your sorrowful toil | your painful toil | your pain |
H6093-01 |
Genesis 3:17 | בְּ/עִצָּבוֹן֙ | beitsavon | HR/Ncmsa |
in toil | in painful toil | in painful toil |
H6093-03 |
Genesis 5:29 | וּ/מֵ/עִצְּב֣וֹן | umeitsevon | HC/R/Ncmsc |
and from the toil | and from pain-of | and from the toil |