What does עֶצֶב (etzev) mean in the Bible?
עֶצֶב (etzev): Pain and toil converge: physical labor's exhaustion and emotional suffering share one Hebrew word, emphasizing bodily cost.
Hebrew · H6089
עֶצֶב
An earthen vessel ; usually (painful) toil ; also a pang (whether of body or mind)
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עֶצֶבH6089
Pronunciationetzev
What does עֶצֶב (etzev) mean in the Bible?
עֶצֶב (etzev): Pain and toil converge: physical labor's exhaustion and emotional suffering share one Hebrew word, emphasizing bodily cost.
Full entry for עֶצֶב (H6089) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6089?
The BSB source-word alignment has 7 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and your labors (1), but a harsh (1), in pain (1), labor (1), pot (1).
Where does עֶצֶב (etzev) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 3:16. Its strongest book concentrations include Proverbs (4), Genesis (1), Jeremiah (1), Psalms (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itand your labors1×Proverbs 5:10
but a harsh1×Proverbs 15:1
in pain1×Genesis 3:16
labor1×Proverbs 14:23
pot1×Jeremiah 22:28
sorrow1×Proverbs 10:22
toiling1×Psalms 127:2
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 3:16בְּעֶ֖צֶבtoin painPreposition-b | Noun - masculine singularPsalms 127:2הָעֲצָבִ֑יםtotoilingArticle | Noun - masculine pluralProverbs 5:10וַ֝עֲצָבֶ֗יךָtoand your laborsConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularProverbs 10:22עֶ֣צֶבtosorrowNoun - masculine singularProverbs 14:23עֶ֭צֶבtolaborNoun - masculine singularProverbs 15:1עֶ֝֗צֶבtobut a harshNoun - masculine singularJeremiah 22:28הַעֶ֨צֶבtopotArticle | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 3:16
Aligned rows7
Books represented4
Genesis1Psalms1Proverbs4Jeremiah1
Source forms
בְּעֶ֖צֶב1xbə·‘e·ṣeḇGenesis 3:16
הַעֶ֨צֶב1xha·‘e·ṣeḇJeremiah 22:28
הָעֲצָבִ֑ים1xhā·‘ă·ṣā·ḇîmPsalms 127:2
וַ֝עֲצָבֶ֗יךָ1xwa·‘ă·ṣā·ḇe·ḵāProverbs 5:10
עֶ֣צֶב1x‘e·ṣeḇProverbs 10:22
עֶ֭צֶב1x‘e·ṣeḇProverbs 14:23
עֶ֝֗צֶב1x‘e·ṣeḇProverbs 15:1
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular3xProverbs 10:22, Proverbs 14:23, Proverbs 15:1
Article | Noun - masculine plural1xPsalms 127:2
Article | Noun - masculine singular1xJeremiah 22:28
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular1xProverbs 5:10
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular1xGenesis 3:16
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Pain and toil converge: physical labor's exhaustion and emotional suffering share one Hebrew word, emphasizing bodily cost.
Source Gloss
an earthen vessel ; usually (painful) toil ; also a pang (whether of body or mind)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Pain and toil converge: physical labor's exhaustion and emotional suffering share one Hebrew word, emphasizing bodily cost.
an earthen vessel; usually (painful) toil; also a pang (whether of body or mind) BDB: pain Usage: grievous, idol, labor, sorrow.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
pain, toil, or grief
Showing 1 selected witness from 7 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
עֶצֶב is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
The term reflects the burdens often associated with wealth gained through anxious striving.Proverbs 10:22
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.