What does עָצֵל (atsel) mean in the Bible?
עָצֵל (atsel): Moral passivity and deliberate avoidance of work; sluggardness as spiritual-practical vice in wisdom literature.
Hebrew · H6102
עָצֵל
Indolent
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עָצֵל H6102
Pronunciation atsel
What does עָצֵל (atsel) mean in the Bible?
עָצֵל (atsel): Moral passivity and deliberate avoidance of work; sluggardness as spiritual-practical vice in wisdom literature.
Full entry for עָצֵל (H6102) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6102?
The BSB source-word alignment has 14 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include The slacker (7), O slacker (2), of the slacker (2), . . . (1), [is] the slacker (1).
Where does עָצֵל (atsel) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Proverbs 6:6. Its strongest book concentrations include Proverbs (14).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It The slacker 7× Proverbs 13:4, Proverbs 19:24, Proverbs 20:4, Proverbs 22:13
O slacker 2× Proverbs 6:6, Proverbs 6:9
of the slacker 2× Proverbs 15:19, Proverbs 21:25
. . . 1× Proverbs 24:30
[is] the slacker 1× Proverbs 10:26
so the slacker 1× Proverbs 26:14
Show sample aligned rows
Proverbs 6:6 עָצֵ֑ל to O slacker Adjective - masculine singular Proverbs 6:9 עָצֵ֥ל׀ to O slacker Adjective - masculine singular Proverbs 10:26 הֶ֝עָצֵ֗ל to [is] the slacker Article | Adjective - masculine singular Proverbs 13:4 עָצֵ֑ל to The slacker Adjective - masculine singular Proverbs 15:19 עָ֭צֵל to of the slacker Adjective - masculine singular Proverbs 19:24 עָצֵ֣ל to The slacker Adjective - masculine singular Proverbs 20:4 עָצֵ֣ל to The slacker Adjective - masculine singular Proverbs 21:25 עָצֵ֣ל to of the slacker Adjective - masculine singular Proverbs 22:13 עָ֭צֵל to The slacker Adjective - masculine singular Proverbs 24:30 עָצֵ֣ל to . . . Adjective - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Proverbs 6:6
Aligned rows 14
Books represented 1
Proverbs 14
Source forms
עָצֵ֣ל 6x ‘ā·ṣêl Proverbs 19:24, Proverbs 20:4, Proverbs 21:25, Proverbs 24:30
עָ֭צֵל 3x ‘ā·ṣêl Proverbs 15:19, Proverbs 22:13, Proverbs 26:13
עָצֵ֑ל 2x ‘ā·ṣêl Proverbs 6:6, Proverbs 13:4
הֶ֝עָצֵ֗ל 1x he·‘ā·ṣêl Proverbs 10:26
וְ֝עָצֵ֗ל 1x wə·‘ā·ṣêl Proverbs 26:14
עָצֵ֥ל׀ 1x ‘ā·ṣêl Proverbs 6:9
Parsing patterns
Adjective - masculine singular 12x Proverbs 6:6, Proverbs 6:9, Proverbs 13:4, Proverbs 15:19
Article | Adjective - masculine singular 1x Proverbs 10:26
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular 1x Proverbs 26:14
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Moral passivity and deliberate avoidance of work; sluggardness as spiritual-practical vice in wisdom literature.
Source Gloss
indolent
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Moral passivity and deliberate avoidance of work; sluggardness as spiritual-practical vice in wisdom literature.
indolent BDB: sluggish Usage: slothful, sluggard.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
a lazy or idle person who avoids responsibility
a lazy or inactive person who avoids responsibility
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 14 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
עָצֵל is built from this root:
עָצַל H6101
Why This Word Matters
The sluggard is a recurring figure in Proverbs representing irresponsible living. Proverbs 10:26
The sluggard symbolizes a moral failure to act responsibly. Proverbs 6:6-11
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.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain