שֶׁבֶת
𐤔𐤁𐤕
shebeth
H7674 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A state or period of rest, cessation from usual activity, or enforced inactivity; in specific contexts, especially a cessation of labor, work, or movement. The term can denote a time when regular work is interrupted, either voluntarily as in observance (rest day) or involuntarily as in forced cessation or downtime.
Semantic Range
rest, cessation, interruption (from labor or movement), enforced inactivity, loss of time
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root שׁבת (š-b-t), which fundamentally means 'to cease, desist, rest.' The noun שֶׁבֶת (shebeth) is formed from this verb root and expresses the result or state of ceasing, i.e., 'rest' or 'cessation.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, שֶׁבֶת primarily refers to rest or ceasing, often associated with the interruption of regular labor. The term is distinct from שַׁבָּת (shabbat), which specifically refers to the Sabbath or the ritual weekly day of rest. שֶׁבֶת generally bears a more generic or abstract sense, focusing on the act or state of stopping activity, rather than on formal observance. The word can occasionally refer to forced inactivity or a loss of productive time (e.g., Num 9:13), highlighting instances where one is prevented from engaging in regular duties. Its occurrences are relatively limited in biblical texts, and later rabbinic or liturgical Hebrew prefers מלאכה (‘work/labor’) and שַׁבָּת for the developed concepts of ritual rest. English translations may render שֶׁבֶת as 'rest,' 'cessation,' or, in contexts of interrupted activity, as 'loss of time,' but the nuances can be lost if the distinction from the formal Sabbath is not observed.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׁבַת; rest, interruption, cessation; cease, sit still, loss of time.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁבת (š-b-t) — cease, desist, rest
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7674-03 |
שִׁבְתּ֛/וֹ | shiveto | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
his sitting | his cessation | 1 |
H7674-02 |
שֶׁ֣בֶת | shevet | HNcfsa |
ceasing | rod-staff | 1 |
H7674-01 |
שָֽׁבֶת | shavet | HNcfsa |
sitting | cessation | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7674-03 |
Exodus 21:19 | שִׁבְתּ֛/וֹ | shiveto | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
his sitting | his cessation |
H7674-01 |
Isaiah 30:7 | שָֽׁבֶת | shavet | HNcfsa |
sitting | cessation |
H7674-02 |
Proverbs 20:3 | שֶׁ֣בֶת | shevet | HNcfsa |
ceasing | rod-staff |