Lexical Definition

‎עָבַד‎ ʻâbad (aw-bad') to serve ^H:V
a primitive root

[idiom] be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, [phrase] husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve(-ing, self), (be, become) servant(-s), do (use) service, till(-er), transgress (from margin), (set a) work, be wrought, worshipper,

• to work (in any sense)
• by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.

1) to work, serve
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to labour, work, do work
1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour
1a3) to serve as subjects
1a4) to serve (God)
1a5) to serve (with Levitical service)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be worked, be tilled (of land)
1b2) to make oneself a servant
1c) (Pual) to be worked
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve
1d2) to cause to serve as subjects
1e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve

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Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎עָבַד‎₂₉₀ verb work, serve (Old Aramaic ‎עבד‎ do make, especially Nabataean, Palmyrene (often), Lzb^{331 f.} Cook⁸⁶, so ᵑ7 ‎עֲבַד‎, Syriac (very often); but also Old Aramaic Phoenician ‎עבד‎ slave, vassal (and in many proper names), ᵑ7 ‎עַבְדָּא‎, Syriac id.; Assyrian abdu, id. (rare); Late Hebrew ‎עָבַד‎ serve, performs acts of worship (with accusative of congnate meaning with verb), and derivatives; Arabic worship, obey (God); compare We^{Skizzen iii. 165}; Heid. 141, II. enslave; slave, worshiper; Sabean ‎עבד‎ id. DHM^{Südar. Alt. p. 18}; Gerber^{Verb. Denom. 14 ff.} thinks be slave, serve (Qal) and enslave (Hiph`il) are denominative, compare also Nö^{ZMG xl (1886), 741}); —

Qal₂₇₂ Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎׳‎‎ע‎ Ezek 29:18 +; suffix ‎עֲבָדוֺ‎ Mal 3:18 +; 3 masculine plural ‎עָֽבְדוּ‎ Deut 7:4 ‎עָבָ֑דוּ‎ Num 4:26, + 64 t. Perfect; Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎יַעֲבֹד‎ Gen 25:23 +; suffix ‎יַעַבְדֵ֫נִי‎ Exod 4:23 ‎יַעַבְדֶ֫נּוּ‎ Ps 22:31*; 2Kgs 10:18 3 masculine plural ‎יַעַבְדוּ‎ Deut 12:30 +; ‎יַעֲבֹ֑דוּ‎ Gen 15:14 (Dr^{§ 103}) Job 36:11 2 masculine plural ‎תַּעַבְדוּן‎ Exod 3:12, ‎תַּעֲבֹד֑וּן‎ Josh 24:15, + 99 t. Imperfect; (‎תָּעָבְדֵם‎, ‎נָָֽעָבְדֵם‎ see Hoph`al); Imperative ‎עֲבֹד‎ 1Sam 26:19 suffix ‎עָבְדֵהוּ‎ 1Chr 28:9 ‎עִבְדוּ‎ Exod 5:18 + 15 t.; ‎עֲבֹ֑דוּ‎ Ezek 20:39 suffix ‎עִבְדֻהוּ‎ 1Sam 7:3 Infinitive construct ‎עֲבֹד‎ Mal 3:14 +; ‎עֲבָדֿ‎ Jer 34:9; Jer 34:10 suffix ‎עָבְדוֺ‎ Jer 27:6 +, etc.; Participle ‎עֹבֵד‎ Gen 4:2 +; plural ‎עֹבְדִים‎ Num 18:21 +; construct ‎עֹבְדֵי‎ Ps 97:7 +; suffix ‎עֹבְדָיו‎ 2Kgs 10:19 ‎עֹבְדֵיהֶם‎ Zech 2:13* —

1. labour, work, do work: absolute Exod 20:9 = Exod 34:21 = Deut 5:13 (4th word); Exod 5:18 (E) Eccl 5:11* with accusative of thing, till the ground Gen 2:5; Gen 3:23; Gen 4:2; Gen 4:12 (J), 2Sam 9:10; Isa 30:24; Jer 27:11; Zech 13:5; Prov 12:11; Prov 28:19 object omitted Deut 15:19; Ezek 48:19 vineyard Deut 28:39 garden Gen 2:16 (J); ‎עֹבְרֵי פִשְׁתִּים‎ Isa 19:9 workers in flax; ‎עֹבְדֵ(יׅ‎ ‎הָעִיר‎ Ezek 48:18; Ezek 48:19 labourers of the city; ‎עֲבֹדָתוֺ‎ ‎׳‎‎ע‎ Isa 28:21 work his work (only here of God, || ‎עשׂה‎ ‎מַעֲשֵׂהוּ‎); ‎עבדה על‎ ‎׳‎‎ע‎ Ezek 29:18 serve a military service against.

2. work for another, serve him by labour: absolute Exod 21:2 (E); with accusative pers Gen 29:15; Gen 31:6; Exod 21:6 (E) Deut 15:12; Deut 15:18; Mal 3:17; Jer 34:14, king his people 1Kgs 12:7 subject animals Jer 27:6; Job 39:9 with accusative of person and thing Gen 30:26 (twice in verse); Gen 30:29 (J); with ‎לְ‎ person 2Sam 16:19 ‎עִם‎ Gen 29:25; Gen 29:30 (E) Lev 25:40 (P); ‎עִמָּדִי‎ Gen 29:27 (E); ‎לִפְנֵי‎ 2Sam 16:19 (twice in verse); with ‎בְּ‎ of price Gen 29:18; Gen 29:20; Gen 29:25; Gen 31:41 (E) Hos 12:13*; Ezek 29:20 with ‎בְּ‎ personwork by means of another, use him as slave, Exod 1:14; Lev 25:39; Lev 25:46 (P) Jer 22:13; Jer 25:14; Jer 27:7; Jer 30:8; Jer 34:9; Jer 34:10.

3. serve as subjects: usually with accusative, their own chiefs or kings Judg 9:28 (twice in verse); Judg 9:38; 1Sam 11:1; 1Kgs 5:1* +; other kings, by tribute Ps 18:44* = 2Sam 22:44; Jer 27:7; Jer 28:14; 2Kgs 25:24 +, other nations 2Sam 10:19; Jer 40:9; Zech 2:13* +, kings other kings 2Kgs 18:7 +, with ‎לְ‎, 1Sam 4:9 (twice in verse); ‎מַס עֹבֵד‎ Gen 49:15 (J) Josh 16:10; 1Kgs 9:21 (see ‎מַס‎); with ‎בְּ‎ person, work with, i.e. use as subjects, impose tribute upon, Jer 25:14; Jer 27:7; Jer 30:8; Ezek 34:27.

4. serve God:
a. with accusative ‎׳‎‎י‎, Exod 3:12; Exod 4:23; Exod 7:16; Exod 7:26* (JE), Ps 22:31*; Job 21:15; Mal 3:14 +; with accusative of person and thing Exod 10:26 (E); accusative of person omitted, Jer 2:20 (read ‎אֶעֱבוֺד‎ Kt), ‎עבד זבח ומנחה‎ Isa 19:21 serve with peace-offering and grain-offering; ‎עבד עֲבֹדָה‎ Exod 13:5 (of ‎מַצֹּת‎).
b. other gods, with accusative ‎׳‎‎א‎ Deut 7:16; Deut 12:2; Deut 12:30 ; ‎אלהים אחרים‎ Deut 7:4; Deut 8:19; Deut 11:16; Deut 13:7*; Deut 13:14*; Deut 17:3; Deut 28:14; Deut 28:36; Deut 28:64; Deut 29:25*; Deut 30:17; Deut 31:20; Josh 23:16; Josh 24:2; Josh 24:16; Judg 2:10; Judg 10:13; 1Sam 8:8; 1Sam 26:19; 1Kgs 9:6; 1Kgs 9:9; 2Kgs 17:35; 2Chr 7:19; 2Chr 7:22; Jer 11:10; Jer 13:10; Jer 16:11; Jer 16:13; Jer 22:9; Jer 25:6; Jer 35:15 (all D and Jeremiah); ‎אֱלֹהֵי הַגּוֺיִם‎ Deut 29:17* ‎זָרִים‎ Jer 5:19 ‎כל צבא השׁמים‎ Deut 4:19; 2Kgs 21:3; 2Chr 33:3; Jer 8:2 ‎הבעל(יםׅ‎ Judg 2:11; Judg 3:7; Judg 10:6; Judg 10:10; Judg 1:10; Judg 1:31; Judg 22:54; 2Kgs 10:18 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 10:19 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 10:21; 2Kgs 10:22; 2Kgs 10:23 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 17:16 ‎אלהי נֵכָר‎ Josh 24:20; Jer 5:19 ‎(הַ)גִּלּוּלִים‎ 2Kgs 17:12; 2Kgs 21:21 (twice in verse); Ezek 20:39 ‎האשׁרים‎ 2Chr 24:18 ‎עצבים‎ Ps 106:36 ‎פסיל(יםׅ‎ 2Chr 33:22; 2Kgs 17:41 ‎פסל‎ 2Kgs 97:7 with ‎לְ‎, ‎לבעל‎ Judg 2:13 ‎לאלהים אחרים‎ Jer 44:3.

5. serve ‎׳‎‎י‎ with Levilical service (all P; compare RS^{Sem i. 69}): with accusative ‎עבד עֲבֹדָה‎ (see ‎עֲבֹדָה‎) Num 3:7; Num 3:8; Num 4:23; Num 4:30; Num 4:47; Num 7:5; Num 8:11; Num 8:19; Num 8:22; Num 8:26; Num 16:9; Num 18:6; Num 18:21; Num 18:23; Josh 22:27 accusative omitted Num 4:24; Num 4:26; Num 4:37; Num 4:41; Num 8:15 (but ⅏ ᵐ5 ‎עבדה‎), vNum 8:25; Num 18:7. Niph`al Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎נֶעְבָּ֑ד‎ Eccl 5:8* 2 masculine plural ‎נֶעֱבַדְתֶּם‎ Ezek 36:9 Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎יֵעָבֵד‎ Deut 21:4 3 feminine singular ‎תֵּעָבֵד‎ Ezek 36:34 —

1. be tilled, of land Deut 21:4; Ezek 36:9; Ezek 36:34.

2. Eccl 5:8* ‎מֶלֶךְ לְשָׂדֶה נֶעְבָּ֑ד‎ dubious: a king for (devoted to) the cultivated field (Hi); a king that maketh himself servant to the field (devoted to agriculture), De^{see Commentaries}, especially De. Pual Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎עֻבַּד‎ Deut 21:3; Isa 14:3 passive of Qal, with ‎בְּ‎ impersonal Deut 21:3 of a calf with which it has not been worked; hard service with which it was worked with captives Isa 14:3. Hiph`il Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎הֶעֱבִיד‎ Ezek 29:18 2 masculine singular suffix ‎הֶעֱבַדְתַּ֫נִי‎ Isa 43:24, ‎הֶעֱבַדְתִּיךָ‎ vIsa 43:23, ‎וְהַעֲבַדְתִּיךָ‎ Jer 17:4 Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎וַיַּעֲבֵד‎ 2Chr 34:33 3 masculine plural ‎יַעֲבִדוּ‎ Exod 1:13 Infinitive construct ‎הַעֲבִיד‎ 2Chr 2:17* Participle plural ‎מַעֲבִדִים‎ Exod 6:15 —

1. compel to labour as slaves Exod 1:13; Exod 6:5 (P) 2Chr 2:17*, + Gen 47:21 (reading ‎הֶעֱבִיד לַעֲבָדִים‎), 2Sam 12:31 (reading ‎וְהֶעֱבִיד‎ + ‎בְּ‎ at; on both these see ‎עבר‎ Hiph`il near the end); cause to serve, of army's service against, with accusative + ‎(על)אל‎ Ezek 29:18 cause to labour, weary, with ‎בְּ‎ of means Isa 43:23; Isa 43:24 (perhaps play on meanings 2, 3).

2. make to serve as subjects, with 2 accusative Jer 17:4, + Jer 15:14 (read ‎וְהַעֲבַרְתִּיךָ‎ see ‎עבר‎ Hiph`il near the end).

3. cause to serve God 2Chr 34:33. Hoph`al Imperfect 2 masculine singular suffix ‎תָּֽעָבְדֵם‎ Exod 20:5 = Deut 5:9; Exod 23:24 1 plural suffix ‎נָָֽעָבְדֵם‎ Deut 13:3* (Kö<sup>i. 259</sup> Sta<sup>§ 549 g</sup> Thes; < Nes<sup>Marg. 12 f.</sup> Qal anomalously pointed (compare W<sup>AG. ed. 2, i, 62 n.</sup> Fl<sup>Kl. Schr. i. 98</sup>); Ges<sup>«GKC:60»§ 60</sup> R. 1 Dr Qal falsely pointed as Hoph`al); — be led or enticed to serve other gods Exod 20:5 = Deut 5:9; Exod 23:24; Deut 13:8*.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References