עָבַד
To work (in any sense); by implication, to serve , till , (causatively) enslave , etc. · to be a slave to (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary)
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Canonical witness: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
עָבַד H5647 to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve , till , (causatively) enslave , etc.
δουλεύω G1398 to be a slave to (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary)
What does עָבַד (avad) mean in the Bible?
עָבַד · δουλεύω is a Hebrew word meaning "to serve or be subjected to authority".
Full entry for עָבַד (H5647, G1398) · Browse the biblical lexicon
Meaning
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 85×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 2×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 3×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 2×
Hebrew Verb Forms
How this verb appears across 92 occurrences in the Hebrew OT (OSHB Leningrad Codex).
Aspect in Hebrew reflects grammatical form, not tense. "Perfect" (Perfective) typically denotes completed action; "Imperfect" (Imperfective) denotes incomplete or ongoing action. Stem modifies the action type (Qal=simple, Niphal=passive, Piel=intensive, etc.).
Morphology: OSHB WLC (Open Scriptures, CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible TEHMC (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0)
Word Pictures (Robertson)
A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain