What does שָׁבַת (šābat) mean in the Bible?
שָׁבַת (šābat): Cessation from labor with covenantal weight; foundational to Sabbath theology and divine rest pattern.
Hebrew · H7673
שָׁבַת
To repose , i.e. desist from exertion ; used in many implied relations (causative, figurative or specific)
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שָׁבַת H7673
Pronunciation šābat
What does שָׁבַת (šābat) mean in the Bible?
שָׁבַת (šābat): Cessation from labor with covenantal weight; foundational to Sabbath theology and divine rest pattern.
Full entry for שָׁבַת (H7673) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7673?
The BSB source-word alignment has 71 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include I will put an end (5), He rested (3), and put an end (2), cease (2), has ceased (2).
Where does שָׁבַת (šābat) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 2:2. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (13), Isaiah (10), Exodus (7), Leviticus (7).
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 I will put an end 5× Isaiah 21:2, Ezekiel 12:23, Ezekiel 16:41, Ezekiel 30:10
He rested 3× Genesis 2:2, Genesis 2:3, Exodus 31:17
and put an end 2× Nehemiah 4:11, Ezekiel 30:13
cease 2× Genesis 8:22, Jeremiah 31:36
has ceased 2× Isaiah 14:4, Isaiah 33:8
I will end 2× Isaiah 13:11, Ezekiel 7:24
So I will put an end 2× Ezekiel 23:27, Ezekiel 23:48
[Josiah] also did away with 1× 2 Kings 23:5
[the land] will have the rest 1× Leviticus 26:35
and abandoned 1× 2 Chronicles 16:5
and blot out 1× Deuteronomy 32:26
and deprive it 1× Jeremiah 36:29
And he removed 1× 2 Kings 23:11
and I will put an end 1× Hosea 1:4
and obliterated 1× Ezekiel 6:6
and remove them 1× Ezekiel 34:10
and rid 1× Ezekiel 34:25
and you would be stopping 1× Exodus 5:5
ceased 1× Joshua 5:12
comes to an end 1× Ezekiel 30:18
ends 1× Proverbs 18:18
has ended 1× Isaiah 14:4
has left 1× Lamentations 5:15
have ceased 1× Isaiah 24:8
have left 1× Lamentations 5:14
he will put an end 1× Daniel 9:27
I am going to remove 1× Jeremiah 16:9
I have put an end 1× Isaiah 16:10
I have stopped 1× Jeremiah 48:33
I will bring an end 1× Jeremiah 48:35
I will remove 1× Jeremiah 7:34
I will rid 1× Leviticus 26:6
is silent 1× Isaiah 24:8
leave 1× Leviticus 2:13
left 1× Ruth 4:14
must observe 1× Leviticus 25:2
receive 1× Leviticus 26:35
rest 1× 2 Chronicles 36:21
rested 1× Exodus 16:30
Rid us 1× Isaiah 30:11
So I will silence 1× Ezekiel 26:13
stop 1× Nehemiah 6:3
stopped 1× Job 32:1
to cease 1× Psalms 46:9
to silence 1× Psalms 8:2
to stop 1× Joshua 22:25
who do away with 1× Amos 8:4
who needs not 1× Hosea 7:4
will cease 1× Proverbs 22:10
will come to an end 1× Ezekiel 33:28
will disappear 1× Isaiah 17:3
will put an end 1× Daniel 11:18
will rest 1× Leviticus 26:34
you are to keep 1× Leviticus 23:32
you are to remove 1× Exodus 12:15
You discard 1× Psalms 119:119
You have ended 1× Psalms 89:44
you must cease 1× Exodus 23:12
you must rest 1× Exodus 34:21
you shall rest 1× Exodus 34:21
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 2:2 וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ to He rested Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 2:3 שָׁבַת֙ to He rested Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 8:22 יִשְׁבֹּֽתוּ׃ to cease Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Exodus 5:5 וְהִשְׁבַּתֶּ֥ם to and you would be stopping Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural Exodus 12:15 תַּשְׁבִּ֥יתוּ to you are to remove Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural Exodus 16:30 וַיִּשְׁבְּת֥וּ to rested Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Exodus 23:12 תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת to you must cease Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Exodus 31:17 שָׁבַ֖ת to He rested Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Exodus 34:21 תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת to you shall rest Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Exodus 34:21 תִּשְׁבֹּֽת׃ to you must rest Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 2:2
Aligned rows 71
Books represented 19
Genesis 3 Exodus 7 Leviticus 7 Deuteronomy 1 Joshua 2 Ruth 1 2 Kings 2 2 Chronicles 2 Nehemiah 2 Job 1 Psalms 4 Proverbs 2 Isaiah 10 Jeremiah 6 Lamentations 2 Ezekiel 13 Daniel 2 Hosea 3 Amos 1
Source forms
וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי֙ 4x wə·hiš·bat·tî Isaiah 13:11, Ezekiel 7:24, Ezekiel 30:10, Hosea 2:11
וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֥י 3x wə·hiš·bat·tî Jeremiah 48:35, Ezekiel 23:48, Ezekiel 34:25
שָׁבַת֙ 3x šā·ḇaṯ Genesis 2:3, Isaiah 24:8, Lamentations 5:15
שָׁבַ֖ת 3x šā·ḇaṯ Exodus 31:17, Isaiah 24:8, Isaiah 33:8
תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת 3x tiš·bōṯ Exodus 23:12, Exodus 34:21, Leviticus 26:35
הִשְׁבַּ֥תָּ 2x hiš·ba·tā Psalms 89:44, Psalms 119:119
הִשְׁבַּֽתִּי׃ 2x hiš·bat·tî Isaiah 16:10, Isaiah 21:2
וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֤י 2x wə·hiš·bat·tî Ezekiel 23:27, Ezekiel 30:13
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular 13x Leviticus 26:6, Isaiah 13:11, Jeremiah 7:34, Jeremiah 48:35
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 7x Genesis 2:3, Exodus 31:17, Isaiah 14:4, Isaiah 24:8
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular 4x Isaiah 16:10, Isaiah 21:2, Jeremiah 48:33, Ezekiel 12:23
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 3x 2 Kings 23:5, Jeremiah 36:29, Daniel 11:18
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 3x Isaiah 17:3, Ezekiel 30:18, Ezekiel 33:28
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 3x Exodus 23:12, Exodus 34:21
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular 3x Leviticus 26:34, Leviticus 26:35, Nehemiah 6:3
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular 3x Leviticus 26:35, 2 Chronicles 36:21, Isaiah 14:4
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Cessation from labor with covenantal weight; foundational to Sabbath theology and divine rest pattern.
Strong's H7673
Lexical occurrences 71 verses Word forms 2 forms 36 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Genesis 2:1-3 Source Gloss
to repose , i.e. desist from exertion ; used in many implied relations (causative, figurative or specific)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Cessation from labor with covenantal weight; foundational to Sabbath theology and divine rest pattern.
to repose, i.e. desist from exertion; used in many implied relations (causative, figurative or specific) BDB: cease Usage: (cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate, cause (make) to fail, keep (sabbath), suffer to be lacking, leave, put away (down), (make to) rest, rid, still, take away.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 36
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 21×
Perfect Exod 31:17 · Gen 2:3 · Isa 14:4 · Isa 24:8 · Isa 33:8 · Lam 5:15 · 2Chr 36:21 · Lev 26:35 · Lam 5:14 11×
Imperfect Exod 23:12 · Exod 34:21 · Lev 26:34 · Lev 26:35 · Neh 6:3 · Gen 8:22 · Jer 31:36 · Hos 7:4 · Lev 23:32 10×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 15×
Perfect Ezek 12:23 · Isa 16:10 · Isa 21:2 · Jer 48:33 · Ps 89:45 · Ps 119:119 · Ruth 4:14 7×
Imperfect Dan 9:27 · Prov 18:18 · Exod 12:15 · Lev 2:13 4×
Participle active Jer 16:9 · Ps 46:10 2×
Cohortative Deut 32:26 1×
Sequential imperfect Isa 30:11 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
God ceases from labor on the seventh day, establishing the pattern of rest
To desist from strife or conflict, showing restraint and wisdom
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 71 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
שָׁבַת is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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