עֲבֹדָה
service
‘service’ is one of 5 main senses fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Construct-state word in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Noun
- A naming word — a person, place, thing, or idea.
Noun type
- Common
- A common noun — a general class of person, place, or thing (“king,” “city,” “water”), not a specific name.
State
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
Gender
- Feminine
- Grammatically feminine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
86 distinct verses where H5656 appears in the Construct state, across 13 books. Filtered view — show all forms. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
Genesis 1 verse
Exodus 11 verses
- Exodus 1:14 בַּ/עֲבֹדָ֣ה עֲבֹדָ֖ה עֲבֹ֣דָתָ֔/ם prep + n c fs n c fs n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field, all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve.
- Exodus 5:11 מֵ/עֲבֹדַתְ/כֶ֖ם prep + n c fs cs + sfx pers 2mp Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished."
- Exodus 6:6 מֵ/עֲבֹדָתָ֑/ם prep + n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp Therefore tell the children of Israel, 'I am Yahweh, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments:
- Exodus 27:19 עֲבֹדָת֑/וֹ n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms All the instruments of the tent in all its service, and all the pins of it, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.
- Exodus 30:16 עֲבֹדַ֖ת n c fs cs You shall take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tent of meeting; that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls."
- Exodus 35:21 עֲבֹ֣דָת֔/וֹ n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms They came, everyone whose heart stirred him up, and everyone whom his spirit made willing, and brought Yahweh's offering, for the work of the tent of meeting, and for all of its service, and for the holy garments.
- Exodus 36:1 עֲבֹדַ֣ת n c fs cs "Bezalel and Oholiab shall work with every wise-hearted man, in whom Yahweh has put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all the work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that Yahweh has commanded."
- Exodus 36:3 עֲבֹדַ֥ת n c fs cs and they received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, with which to make it. They brought yet to him freewill-offerings every morning.
- Exodus 38:21 עֲבֹדַת֙ n c fs cs This is the amount of material used for the tent, even the Tent of the Testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
- Exodus 39:32 עֲבֹדַ֕ת n c fs cs Thus all the work of the tent of the tent of meeting was finished. The children of Israel did according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses; so they did.
- Exodus 39:40 עֲבֹדַ֥ת n c fs cs the hangings of the court, its pillars, its sockets, the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, its pins, all the instruments of the service of the tent, for the tent of meeting,
Leviticus 1 verse
Numbers 32 verses
- Numbers 3:7 עֲבֹדַ֥ת n c fs cs They shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle.
- Numbers 3:8 עֲבֹדַ֥ת n c fs cs They shall keep all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting, and the obligations of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.
- Numbers 3:26 עֲבֹדָתֽ/וֹ n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and around the altar, and its cords for all of its service.
- Numbers 3:31 עֲבֹדָתֽ/וֹ n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms Their charge shall be the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all its service.
- Numbers 3:36 עֲבֹדָתֽ/וֹ n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms The appointed charge of the sons of Merari shall be the tabernacle's boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its instruments, all its service,
- Numbers 4:4 עֲבֹדַ֥ת n c fs cs This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting, the most holy things.
- Numbers 4:19 עֲבֹדָת֖/וֹ n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms but thus do to them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them everyone to his service and to his burden;
- Numbers 4:24 עֲבֹדַ֔ת n c fs cs This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in bearing burdens:
- Numbers 4:26 עֲבֹדָתָ֑/ם n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and around the altar, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and whatever shall be done with them. Therein shall they serve.
- Numbers 4:27 עֲבֹדַת֙ עֲבֹדָתָ֑/ם n c fs cs n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp At the commandment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burden, and in all their service; and you shall appoint to them in charge all their burden.
- Numbers 4:28 עֲבֹדַ֗ת n c fs cs This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the Tent of Meeting: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
- Numbers 4:30 עֲבֹדַ֖ת n c fs cs from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old shall you number them, everyone who enters on the service, to do the work of the Tent of Meeting.
- Numbers 4:31 עֲבֹדָתָ֖/ם n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp This is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the tabernacle's boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets,
- Numbers 4:32 עֲבֹדָתָ֑/ם n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp and the pillars of the court around it, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name you shall appoint the instruments of the charge of their burden.
- Numbers 4:33 עֲבֹדַ֗ת עֲבֹדָתָ֖/ם n c fs cs n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the Tent of Meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest."
- Numbers 4:47 עֲבֹדַ֧ת עֲבֹדָ֛ה וַ/עֲבֹדַ֥ת n c fs cs n c fs conj + n c fs cs from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered in to do the work of service, and the work of bearing burdens in the Tent of Meeting,
- Numbers 4:49 עֲבֹדָת֖/וֹ n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms According to the commandment of Yahweh they were numbered by Moses, everyone according to his service, and according to his burden. Thus were they numbered by him, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
- Numbers 7:5 עֲבֹדַ֖ת עֲבֹדָתֽ/וֹ n c fs cs n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms "Accept these from them, that they may be used in doing the service of the Tent of Meeting; and you shall give them to the Levites, to every man according to his service."
- Numbers 7:7 עֲבֹדָתָֽ/ם n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp He gave two wagons and four oxen to the sons of Gershon, according to their service:
- Numbers 7:8 עֲבֹ֣דָתָ֔/ם n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp and he gave four wagons and eight oxen to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
- Numbers 7:9 עֲבֹדַ֤ת n c fs cs But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the sanctuary belonged to them; they carried it on their shoulders.
- Numbers 8:11 עֲבֹדַ֥ת n c fs cs and Aaron shall offer the Levites before Yahweh for a wave offering, on the behalf of the children of Israel, that it may be theirs to do the service of Yahweh.
- Numbers 8:19 עֲבֹדַ֤ת n c fs cs I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel; that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come near to the sanctuary."
- Numbers 8:22 עֲבֹֽדָתָ/ם֙ n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp After that, the Levites went in to do their service in the Tent of Meeting before Aaron, and before his sons: as Yahweh had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.
- Numbers 8:24 בַּ/עֲבֹדַ֖ת prep + n c fs cs "This is that which belongs to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall go in to wait on the service in the work of the Tent of Meeting;
- Numbers 16:9 עֲבֹדַת֙ n c fs cs [seems it but] a small thing to you, that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of the tent of Yahweh, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them;
- Numbers 18:4 עֲבֹדַ֣ת n c fs cs They shall be joined to you, and keep the charge of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the Tent: and a stranger shall not come near to you.
- Numbers 18:6 עֲבֹדַ֖ת n c fs cs I, behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are a gift, given to Yahweh, to do the service of the tent of meeting.
- Numbers 18:7 עֲבֹדַ֣ת n c fs cs You and your sons with you shall keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for that within the veil; and you shall serve: I give you the priesthood as a service of gift: and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death.
- Numbers 18:21 עֲבֹֽדָתָ/ם֙ עֲבֹדַ֖ת n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp n c fs cs To the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting.
- Numbers 18:23 עֲבֹדַת֙ n c fs cs But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations; and among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
- Numbers 18:31 עֲבֹֽדַתְ/כֶ֖ם n c fs cs + sfx pers 2mp You shall eat it in every place, you and your households: for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting.
Joshua 1 verse
1 Kings 1 verse
1 Chronicles 19 verses
- 1 Chronicles 4:21 עֲבֹדַ֥ת n c fs cs The sons of Shelah the son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of those who worked fine linen, of the house of Ashbea;
- 1 Chronicles 6:32 עֲבוֹדָתָֽ/ם n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp They ministered with song before the tent of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem: and they waited on their office according to their order.
- 1 Chronicles 6:48 עֲבוֹדַ֔ת n c fs cs Their brothers the Levites were appointed for all the service of the tent of the house of God.
- 1 Chronicles 9:13 עֲבוֹדַ֥ת n c fs cs and their brothers, heads of their fathers' houses, one thousand seven hundred sixty; very able men for the work of the service of the house of God.
- 1 Chronicles 23:24 לַ/עֲבֹדַ֖ת prep + n c fs cs These were the sons of Levi after their fathers' houses, even the heads of the fathers' [houses] of those of those who were counted, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of the house of Yahweh, from twenty years old and upward.
- 1 Chronicles 23:26 לַ/עֲבֹדָתֽ/וֹ prep + n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms and also the Levites shall no more have need to carry the tent and all the vessels of it for the service of it.
- 1 Chronicles 23:28 לַ/עֲבֹדַת֙ עֲבֹדַ֖ת prep + n c fs cs n c fs cs For their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Yahweh, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of the house of God;
- 1 Chronicles 23:32 לַ/עֲבֹדַ֖ת prep + n c fs cs and that they should keep the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brothers, for the service of the house of Yahweh.
- 1 Chronicles 24:3 בַּ/עֲבֹדָתָֽ/ם prep + n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp David with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their ordering in their service.
- 1 Chronicles 24:19 לַ/עֲבֹדָתָ֗/ם prep + n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp This was the ordering of them in their service, to come into the house of Yahweh according to the ordinance [given] to them by Aaron their father, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, had commanded him.
- 1 Chronicles 25:1 לַ/עֲבֹדָ֗ה לַ/עֲבֹדָתָֽ/ם prep + n c fs prep + n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp Moreover, David and the captains of the host set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of those who did the work according to their service was:
- 1 Chronicles 25:6 לַ/עֲבֹדַ֖ת prep + n c fs cs All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of Yahweh, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God; Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman being under the order of the king.
- 1 Chronicles 26:30 וְ/לַ/עֲבֹדַ֖ת conj + prep + n c fs cs Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brothers, men of valor, one thousand seven hundred, had the oversight of Israel beyond the Jordan westward, for all the business of Yahweh, and for the service of the king.
- 1 Chronicles 27:26 לַ/עֲבֹדַ֖ת prep + n c fs cs Over those who did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri the son of Chelub:
- 1 Chronicles 28:13 עֲבוֹדַ֣ת עֲבוֹדַ֥ת n c fs cs n c fs cs also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, and for all the vessels of service in the house of Yahweh;
- 1 Chronicles 28:15 כַּ/עֲבוֹדַ֖ת prep + n c fs cs by weight also for the lampstands of gold, and for the lamps of it, of gold, by weight for every lampstand and for the lamps of it; and for the lampstands of silver, [silver] by weight for [every] lampstand and for the lamps of it, according to the use of every lampstand;
- 1 Chronicles 28:20 עֲבוֹדַ֥ת n c fs cs David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: don't be afraid, nor be dismayed; for Yahweh God, even my God, is with you; he will not fail you, nor forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of Yahweh is finished.
- 1 Chronicles 28:21 עֲבוֹדַ֖ת עֲבוֹדָ֔ה n c fs cs n c fs Behold, there are the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with you in all manner of work every willing man who has skill, for any manner of service: also the captains and all the people will be entirely at your command.
- 1 Chronicles 29:7 לַ/עֲבוֹדַ֣ת prep + n c fs cs and they gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand darics, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and of iron a hundred thousand talents.
2 Chronicles 11 verses
- 2 Chronicles 8:14 עֲבֹדָתָ֗/ם n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp He appointed, according to the ordinance of David his father, the divisions of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their offices, to praise, and to minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required; the doorkeepers also by their divisions at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded.
- 2 Chronicles 10:4 מֵ/עֲבֹדַ֨ת prep + n c fs cs Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.
- 2 Chronicles 12:8 עֲב֣וֹדָתִ֔/י וַ/עֲבוֹדַ֖ת n c fs cs + sfx pers 1cs conj + n c fs cs Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.
- 2 Chronicles 24:12 עֲבוֹדַ֣ת n c fs cs The king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of Yahweh; and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of Yahweh, and also such as worked iron and brass to repair the house of Yahweh.
- 2 Chronicles 29:35 עֲבוֹדַ֥ת n c fs cs Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace-offerings, and with the drink-offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of Yahweh was set in order.
- 2 Chronicles 31:2 עֲבֹדָת֗/וֹ n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites after their divisions, every man according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace-offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of Yahweh.
- 2 Chronicles 31:16 לַ/עֲב֣וֹדָתָ֔/ם prep + n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp besides those who were reckoned by genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even everyone who entered into the house of Yahweh, as the duty of every day required, for their service in their offices according to their divisions;
- 2 Chronicles 31:21 בַּ/עֲבוֹדַ֣ת prep + n c fs cs In every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.
- 2 Chronicles 35:2 לַ/עֲבוֹדַ֖ת prep + n c fs cs He set the priests in their offices, and encouraged them to the service of the house of Yahweh.
- 2 Chronicles 35:15 עֲבֹֽדָתָ֔/ם n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp The singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer; and the porters were at every gate: they didn't need to depart from their service; for their brothers the Levites prepared for them.
- 2 Chronicles 35:16 עֲבוֹדַ֨ת n c fs cs So all the service of Yahweh was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover, and to offer burnt-offerings on the altar of Yahweh, according to the commandment of king Josiah.
Ezra 1 verse
Nehemiah 3 verses
- Nehemiah 3:5 בַּ/עֲבֹדַ֖ת prep + n c fs cs Next to them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles didn't put their necks to the work of their lord.
- Nehemiah 10:32 לַ/עֲבֹדַ֖ת prep + n c fs cs Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;
- Nehemiah 10:37 עֲבֹדָתֵֽ/נוּ n c fs cs + sfx pers 1cp and that we should bring the first fruits of our dough, and our heave-offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, the new wine and the oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground to the Levites; for they, the Levites, take the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.
Psalms 2 verses
Isaiah 2 verses
- Isaiah 28:21 עֲבֹ֣דָת֔/וֹ עֲבֹדָתֽ/וֹ n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms For Yahweh will rise up as on Mount Perazim, he will be angry as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
- Isaiah 32:17 וַֽ/עֲבֹדַת֙ conj + n c fs cs The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
Ezekiel 1 verse
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
The Hebrew noun עבדה centers on the idea of “service.” The lexicon spreads it across several senses; see its full sense range. The Hebrew Bible uses it across 125 verses — common. Numbers dominates its distribution — 44 of 125 verses. Its earliest occurrence is Genesis 29:27. For the data behind this summary, explore the sense tree and the renderings breakdown below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H5656 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 125
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 125 distinct verses.
- 15 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 15 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #309
- by frequency
- Top 500 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 309 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 125 occurrences in the concordance →
Most concentrated in
- Numbers 44 verses 35%
- 1 Chronicles 23 verses 18%
- Exodus 20 verses 16%
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 125 distinct verses.
- Torah (Pentateuch) 74 verses · 59%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 44 verses · 35%
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 7 verses · 6%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Service 67×, Servile 11×, Work 7×
- American Standard Version: Service 64×, Servile 11×, Work 9×
- Berean Standard Bible: Service 51×, Work 23×, Labor 7×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Service 60×, Service of 46×, Labor 14×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H5656 across 141 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 25 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H5656 across 140 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 26 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H5656 across 127 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 29 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 18 further occurrences.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H5656 across 152 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 12 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Senses in the full BDB
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 4 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
- 1. †labour, work, ψ 10423; in the field Ex 1:14; 1 Ch 27:26, prob. Ne 10:38 (עָרֵי ע׳), ψ 10414 (עֵשֶׂב לע׳); in fine linen 1 Ch 4:21; in erection of tabernacle Ex 35:24; 36:1, 3, 5; 39:42 (P); in repairing temple 2 Ch 34:13(×2); כל מלאכת עבדה לא תעשׂוּ ye shall do no laborious work Lv 23:7, 8, 21, 25, 35, 36; Nu 28:18, 25, 26; 29:1, 12, 35 (P); fig. of man, ע׳ הַצְּדָקָה Is 32:17 (‖ מַעֲשֵׂה הַצּ׳); of God’s work of judgment Is 28:21(×2). e.g. Psalms 104:23
- 2. labour of servant or slave: of Jacob for Laban Gn 29:27; 30:26 (JE); ע׳ עֶבֶד of bondservant Lv 25:39 (P); of the Nethinim Ezr 8:20; service of things, vessels of tabernacle and temple Nu 4:26, 32 (P), 1 Ch 9:28; 28:14(×2), 15. e.g. Genesis 29:27
- 3. labour, service of captives or subjects: of Israel in Egypt Ex 1:14; 2:23(×2) (P), 5:11 (E), 6:6 (P); כבד(ה) הע׳ 5:9 (E), Ne 5:18; ע׳ קשׁה Ex 1:14; 6:9 (P), Dt 26:6; 1 K 12:4 = 2 Ch 10:4; Is 14:3; מֵרֹב ע׳ La 1:3; ע׳ ממלכוֹת 2 Ch 12:8; ע׳ המלך 1 Ch 26:30; ע׳ אדניהם Ne 3:5; military service Ez 29:18(×2). e.g. Exodus 1:14
- 4. service of God, in P Chr Ez: by people Jos 22:27 (P) 2 Ch 12:8, feast of passover Ex 12:25, 26; 2 Ch 35:10, 16, unleavened bread Ex 13:5; Levites and priests Nu 4:19, 49; 8:11; 1 Ch 24:3, 19; 2 Ch 8:14; 31:16; ע׳ מתנה Nu 18:7; Levites Ex 38:21; Nu 4:24, 27(×2), 28, 33, 47(×2); 7:7, 8; 8:26; 18:21; 1 Ch 6:17; 2 Ch 31:2; c. בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד v 4, 23, 31, 33, 35, 39, 43; 8:19, 22; 18:31; אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד Ex 30:16; Nu 4:30; 7:5; 8:24; 18:4, 6, 21, 23, cf. Ex 35:21; Nu 7:5; (ה)מִשְׁכָּן Ex 39:32, 40; Nu 3:7, 8; 16:9; 1 Ch 6:33, cf. Ex 27:19; Nu 3:36; 1 Ch 23:26; ע׳ הַקֹּדֶשׁ Nu 7:9, cf. 3:31; of its court v 26; more specif. ע׳ משׂא 4:47; צבא הע׳ 8:25; ע׳ בית י׳ (ה)אלהים 1 Ch 23:24, 28, 32; 25:6; 28:13(×2), 21(×2); 29:7; 2 Ch 29:35; 31:21; 35:2; Ne 10:33; מלאכת ע׳ בית האלהים 1 Ch 9:13; 28:20; 2 Ch 24:12; מעשׂה ע׳ 1 Ch 23:28; its service Ez 44:14; 1 Ch 9:19; specif. service of Levit. singers 25:1(×2), and doorkeepers 26:8; 2 Ch 35:15. e.g. Joshua 22:27
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
and (Chr) עֲבוֹדָה 145 n.f. labour, service (on format. v. LagBN 179 BaNB 61);—ע׳ Ex 1:14 + 41 times; cstr. עֲבֹדַת 3016 + 43 times; sf. עֲבֹדָתִי Gn 30:26 + 33 times sfs.; in Chr עֲבוֹדָה 1 Ch 28:14 + 7 times; cstr. עֲבוֹדַת 633 + 13 times; sf. עֲבוֹדָתִי 2 Ch 12:8; עֲבוֹדָתָם 1 Ch 6:17; 2 Ch 31:16;—
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Derived from עבד (ʻâbad) (H5647) — to serve.
Forms in the corpus
The 79 distinct written forms H5656 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that state’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 19 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H5656, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
- מעבד maʻbâd H4566 work
- עבד ʻăbad H5648 to make
- עבד ʻebed H5650 servant
- עבד ʻăbâd H5652 work
- עבדה ʻăbuddâh H5657 service
- עבדות ʻabdûwth H5659 bondage
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
- עבדא ʻAbdâʼ H5653 Abda
- עבד אדום ʻÔbêd ʼĔdôwm H5654 Obed-edom
- עבדאל ʻAbdᵉʼêl H5655 Abdeel
- עבדון ʻAbdôwn H5658 Abdon
- עבדי ʻAbdîy H5660 Abdi
- עבדיה ʻÔbadyâh H5662 Obadiah
- עובד ʻÔwbêd H5744 Obed
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 15 — not the complete family. 7 of the same-root words are proper names (people or places). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 118 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 125 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 29:27
- Exodus 1:14
- Leviticus 23:7
- Numbers 3:7
- Deuteronomy 26:6
- Joshua 22:27
- 1 Kings 12:4
- 1 Chronicles 4:21
- 2 Chronicles 8:14
- Ezra 8:20
- Psalms 104:14
- Isaiah 14:3
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
