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שָׁבַת

𐤔𐤁𐤕

shâbath

H7673 verb

SILEX Entry

Root שׁ־ב־ת to cease, to stop, to come to an end, to rest (by cessation)

Definition

To cease, stop, or come to a halt, most often with reference to activity or work. The verb fundamentally denotes the act of bringing an action or process to an end, either by refraining from continuing it or by enforcing cessation. While commonly associated with the cessation of labor, especially in cultic or societal contexts (such as weekly rest), its usage is broader and includes causing others to cease, terminating a process, or putting something to rest. The semantic range includes both voluntary and commanded forms of cessation, and can extend to activities, events, social practices, or metaphoric forms of putting to rest.

Semantic Range

to cease, to stop, to desist, to put an end to, to rest (by stopping work), to observe cessation (Sabbath), to cause to cease, to be made to fail, to bring to an end, to remove (by stopping or ceasing), to complete

Root / Etymology

Root: שׁבת (shin-bet-tav), basic verbal root meaning 'to cease, stop.' The derived noun 'שבת' (shabbat) means 'cessation, rest,' especially as designated for the seventh day. The verb's lexical sense built from the root idea of interruption or suspension of activity, rather than simply 'resting' in the sense of relaxation or sleep.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, שָׁבַת occurs across the full literary spectrum—narrative, legal, prophetic, and poetic contexts. It appears most prominently in the creation account (Genesis 2:2–3), where the deity ceases creative work, setting a paradigm for cessation (rather than active rest). In legal and cultic texts (Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy), שָׁבַת underpins the institution of the Sabbath (שבת), mandating cessation from labor for Israelites, resident foreigners, animals, and even agriculture (sabbatical year). The idea involves both refraining from normal activity and actively imposing limits on work. Later, the term's association with ritual and festival observance grows, but its core sense remains rooted in cessation. In post-biblical Hebrew, the term increasingly specialized to refer to Sabbath observance but remains a general verb for stopping or ceasing in biblical usage. English translations often render the term as 'rest,' but this can obscure its primary nuance of ceasing from labor or activity, not merely relaxing. Distinct from terms like נוּחַ (to rest, settle) or שָׁקַט (to be undisturbed, quiet), שָׁבַת stresses the stopping or suspension of action rather than resulting calm.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to repose, i.e. desist from exertion; used in many implied relations (causative, figurative or specific); (cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate, cause (make) to fail, keep (sabbath), suffer to be lacking, leave, put away (down), (make to) rest, rid, still, take away.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שבת (sh-b-t) — to cease, to stop, to come to an end, to rest (by cessation)

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4868 מִשְׁבָּת her cessations
H7676 שַׁבָּת in the ceasing-day
H7677 שַׁבָּתוֹן solemn cessation-rest

Word Forms

35 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7673-22 וְ/הִשְׁבַּתִּ֞י vehishebati HC/Vhq1cs and-I-will-cause-to-cease and I will cause to cease 13
H7673-08 שָׁבַת֙ shavat HVqp3ms has ceased he ceased 7
H7673-04 הִשְׁבַּֽתִּי hishebati HVhp1cs I have brought to an end I caused to cease 4
H7673-16 תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת tishebot HVqi2ms you-shall-rest you will cease 4
H7673-28 וְ/נִשְׁבַּ֤ת venishebat HC/VNq3ms and will cease and he came to a halt 3
H7673-25 וְ/הִשְׁבִּ֣ית vehishebit HC/Vhp3ms and cut off and he caused to cease 3
H7673-03 הִשְׁבַּ֥תָּ hishebata HVhp2ms You have made cease You caused to cease 2
H7673-32 יַשְׁבִּ֣ית yashebit HVhi3ms causes to cease he will cause to cease 2
H7673-07 מַשְׁבִּ֜ית mashebit HVhrmsa am causing to cease one causing cessation 2
H7673-11 שָׁבְתָ֛ה shavetah HVqp3fs has ceased she ceased 2

Occurrences in Scripture

71 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7673-19 Genesis 2:2 וַ/יִּשְׁבֹּת֙ vayishebot HC/Vqw3ms and he ceased and he ceased
H7673-08 Genesis 2:3 שָׁבַת֙ shavat HVqp3ms He rested he ceased
H7673-35 Genesis 8:22 יִשְׁבֹּֽתוּ yishebotu HVqi3mp shall cease they will cease
H7673-20 Exodus 5:5 וְ/הִשְׁבַּתֶּ֥ם vehishebatem HC/Vhp2mp and you would have them rest and you caused to cease
H7673-13 Exodus 12:15 תַּשְׁבִּ֥יתוּ tashebitu HVhi2mp you shall remove you cause to cease
H7673-18 Exodus 16:30 וַ/יִּשְׁבְּת֥וּ vayishebetu HC/Vqw3mp and they rested and they ceased
H7673-16 Exodus 23:12 תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת tishebot HVqi2ms you-shall-rest you will cease
H7673-08 Exodus 31:17 שָׁבַ֖ת shavat HVqp3ms he rested he ceased
H7673-16 Exodus 34:21 תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת tishebot HVqi2ms you-shall-rest you will cease
H7673-16 Exodus 34:21 תִּשְׁבֹּֽת tishebot-2 HVqi2ms you-shall-rest you will cease
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