Bible Lexicons

עֶבֶד m.

(1)  a servant, (Knecht), who, amongst the Hebrews, was commonly a slave (Gklan, Leibeigener), Genesis 12:16, 17:23 39:17 Exodus 12:30, 44 Exodus 12:44 and so very frequently. Genesis 9:25, עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים “a servant of servants,” the lowest servant. The name of servant is also applied

(a) to a whole people when subject and tributary to another, Genesis 9:26, 27 27:37.

(b) to the servants of a king, i.e. his ministers and courtiers; e.g. עַבְדֵי פַרְעֹה Genesis 40:20, 41:10, 37 Genesis 41:37, 38 Genesis 41:38, 50:7 Exodus 5:21, 7:10 10:7 עַבְדֵי שָׁאוּל 1 Samuel 16:17, 18:22 28:7 to messengers, -2 Sam. 10:24 ; to military captains, Isaiah 36:9 and to the common soldiers themselves, 2 Samuel 2:12, 13 2 Samuel 2:13, 15 2 Samuel 2:15, 30 2 Samuel 2:30, 31 2 Samuel 2:31, 3:22 8:7 and so frequently.

(c) once figuratively (by zeugma) used of inanimate things, Genesis 47:19 compare Jdt_3:4. The Hebrews, in speaking to superiors, either from modesty or else lowly adulation, call themselves servants, and those to whom they speak lords, (see אָדוֹן ). Genesis 18:3, “pass not by thy servant,” i.e. me, Genesis 19:19, 42:11 44:16, 21 Genesis 44:21, 23 Genesis 44:23, 46:34 Isaiah 36:11; Daniel 1:12, 13 2:4 [Chal.]; so in prayers offered to God, Psalms 19:12, 14 Psalms 19:14, 27:9 31:17 69:18 86:2, Psalms 86:4, 119:17 Nehemiah 1:6,. Daniel 10:17, “how can the servant of my lord talk with my lord?” i.e. how can I talk with thee? עַבְדְּךָ thy servant is thus put for אָנֹכִי; so that the suffix of the first person may refer to it; see Genesis 44:32, “for thy servant became surety (i.e. I became surety) for the lad with my father.” Absent persons even, whom one wishes to commend to the favour of a patron, are called their servants; as Genesis 44:27, “thy servant, my father said to us,” Genesis 30:31, 32:20.

(2) עֶבֶד יְהֹוָה is figuratively applied in various senses. It is

(a) a worshipper of God; Nehemiah 1:10, הֵם עֲבָדֶיךָ וְעַמֶּךָ “they (the Israelites) are thy servants and thy people;” compare Chaldee Ezra 5:11, “we are the servants of the God of heaven,” i.e. we worship the God of heaven; Daniel 6:21, “O Daniel, servant of the living God,” i.e. who worshippest the living God. In this sense it is used as a kind of laudatory epithet applied to the pious worshippers of God; e.g. to Abraham, Psalms 105:6, 42 Psalms 105:42 to Joshua, Joshua 24:29; Judges 2:8 to Job, Job 1:8, 2:3 42:8 to David, Psalms 18:1, 36:1 78:70 89:4, 21 Psalms 89:21; Jeremiah 33:21, seqq.; Ezekiel 34:23 to Eliakim, Isaiah 22:20 to Zerubbabel, Haggai 2:23 and in plur. עַבְדֵי יְהֹוָה is often applied to godly men, Ps. 34:23 69:37 113:1 134:1 135:1, Psalms 135:9, 136:22 Isaiah 54:17, 63:17 65:8, Isaiah 65:9, -1315 ; Jeremiah 30:10, 46:27. In other places it is

(b) the minister, or ambassador of God, called and sent by God for accomplishing some service; Isaiah 49:6, נָקֵל מִהְיוֹתְךָ לִי עֶבֶד לְהָקִים אֶת שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׁרָאֵל וגו׳ “it is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant (i.e. messenger, and as it were instrument), to raise up the tribes of Israel … I will make thee to be a light for the nations,” etc., verse Isaiah 49:5. In this sense it is applied to the Messiah, Zechariah 3:8 to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, whom God used as an instrument in chastising his people, Jerem. 25:9 27:6 43:10 commonly, however, there is the added notion of a familiar servant chosen and beloved of God, on account of piety and approved fidelity, to accomplish his objects; in this sense it is applied to angels (in the other hemistich מַלְאָכִים), Job 4:18 and to prophets, Amos 3:7; Jeremiah 7:25, 25:4 26:5 29:19 35:15 44:4 Daniel 9:6; Ezra 9:11 specially to Moses, Deuteronomy 34:5; Joshua 1:1, 13 Joshua 1:13, 15 Joshua 1:15; Psalms 105:26 to Isaiah, Isaiah 20:3. Sometimes both notions, that of a man piously worshipping God, and of a divine messenger, seem to have coalesced; this is the case in the passages in which it is used of Abraham, Moses, etc., and also especially, as I consider, where Israel or Jacob, i.e. the people of Israel, is called by this honourable and endearing name, Isaiah 41:8, Isaiah 41:9, 42:19 44:1, Isaiah 44:2, 21 Isaiah 44:21, 45:4 48:20 but still it is the godly who are especially to be understood, i.e. those truly called Israelites, ἀληθινοὶ Ἰσρ. Isaiah 43:10, 49:3 (on this place see my observation in the Germ. Trans. ed. 2), [this passage, whatever may be said about it, belongs to Christ]. And amongst these, this name belongs especially to the prophets, Isaiah 42:1, 44:26 49:3, Isaiah 49:5, 52:13 53:11. [All these passages speak of Christ.] That same Jacob who is called the servant of God, is sometimes in the other hemistich called the chosen of God, Isaiah 41:8, 42:1 45:4 sometimes his ambassador and friend, Isaiah 42:19 and even in the plur. ambassadors, Isaiah 44:26. But in all the passages concerning the servant of God in the latter half of Isaiah (-42:17 ; -49:19 ; -50:410 ; -52:1353:12 ), he is represented as the intimate friend and ambassador of God, aided by his Spirit, who is to be the restorer of the tribes of Israel, and the instructor of other nations. [Most of these passages refer to Christ, and to Him only.]

(3) (“servant, sc. of God”), [Ebed], pr.n. m.

(a) Judges 9:26, 28 Judges 9:28.

(b) Ezra 8:6.

בְּעַבְדְּךָ֔ בְּעַבְדִּ֥י בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ בְּעַבְדּ֣וֹ בְּעַבְדּ֤וֹ בְעַבְדְּךָ֔ בַּ֭עֲבָדָיו בַּעֲבָדָֽיו׃ בעבדו בעבדי בעבדיו בעבדיו׃ בעבדך הַעֶ֙בֶד֙ הָ֠עֶבֶד הָֽעֲבָדִ֖ים הָֽעֲבָדִים֙ הָעֲבָדִֽים׃ הָעֶ֔בֶד הָעֶ֖בֶד הָעֶ֗בֶד הָעֶ֙בֶד֙ הָעֶ֛בֶד הָעֶ֜בֶד הָעֶ֣בֶד הָעֶ֧בֶד העבד העבדים העבדים׃ וְ֝עֶ֗בֶד וְֽעַבְדְּךָ֥ וְלַֽעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ וְלַעֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ וְלַעֲבָדָ֥יו וְלַעֲבָדָֽיו׃ וְעֶ֣בֶד וְעֶ֥בֶד וְעַ֨בְדְּךָ֔ וְעַבְדְּךָ֛ וְעַבְדְּךָ֣ וְעַבְדְּךָ֥ וְעַבְדְּךָֽ־ וְעַבְדִּ֖י וְעַבְדִּ֣י וְעַבְדִּ֤י וְעַבְדִּ֥י וְעַבְדֵ֖י וְעַבְדֵ֣י וְעַבְדֵ֤י וְעַבְדֵ֥י וְעַבְדֵ֨י וְעַבְדֵיכֶ֖ם וְעַבְדּ֤וֹ וַֽעֲבָדַי֙ וַעֲבָדִ֔ים וַעֲבָדִ֖ים וַעֲבָדִים֙ וַעֲבָדִים֮ וַעֲבָדִם֙ וַעֲבָדֶ֑יךָ וַעֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ וַעֲבָדֶ֜יךָ וַעֲבָדֶ֥יךָ וַעֲבָדֶ֨יךָ וַעֲבָדֶֽיהָ׃ וַעֲבָדַ֖י וַעֲבָדָ֑יו וַעֲבָדָ֔יו וַעֲבָדָ֖יו וַעֲבָדָ֣יו וַעֲבָדָ֥יו וַעֲבָדָֽיו׃ וַעֲבָדָיו֙ וּבַעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ וּבַעֲבָדֶ֧יךָ וּלְעַבְדְּךָ֣ וּמֵעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ ובעבדיך ולעבדיו ולעבדיו׃ ולעבדיך ולעבדך ומעבדיך ועבד ועבדו ועבדי ועבדיה׃ ועבדיו ועבדיו׃ ועבדיך ועבדיכם ועבדים ועבדך ועבדך־ ועבדם כְּעֶ֥בֶד כְּעַבְדִּ֣י כְּעַבְדִּ֥י כַּעֲבָדִ֖ים כַּעֶ֙בֶד֙ כעבד כעבדי כעבדים לְ֝עֶ֗בֶד לְ֭עַבְדְּךָ לְעֶ֣בֶד לְעֶ֤בֶד ׀ לְעֶ֥בֶד לְעֶֽבֶד־ לְעַבְדְּךָ֔ לְעַבְדְּךָ֖ לְעַבְדְּךָ֙ לְעַבְדְּךָ֜ לְעַבְדְּךָ֣ לְעַבְדְּךָ֥ לְעַבְדְּךָ֨ לְעַבְדִּ֔י לְעַבְדִּ֣י לְעַבְדִּ֥י לְעַבְדֵיהֶ֑ם לְעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ לְעַבְדֶּ֔ךָ לְעַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ לַֽעֲבָדָיו֙ לַעֲבָדִ֑ים לַעֲבָדִ֔ים לַעֲבָדִ֖ים לַעֲבָדִ֗ים לַעֲבָדִ֥ים לַעֲבָדִ֨ים לַעֲבָדִֽים׃ לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ לַעֲבָדֶ֕יךָ לַעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ לַעֲבָדֶ֗יךָ לַעֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ לַעֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃ לַעֲבָדָ֗יו לַעֲבָדָֽיו׃ לַעֲבָדָיו֙ לעבד לעבד־ לעבדי לעבדיהם לעבדיו לעבדיו׃ לעבדיך לעבדיך׃ לעבדים לעבדים׃ לעבדך לעבדך׃ מֵֽעֲבָדֶ֑יךָ מֵֽעֲבָדָ֔יו מֵֽעַבְדֵ֖י מֵֽעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ מֵעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ מֵעֲבָדָ֜יו מֵעֲבָדָ֣יו מֵעֲבָדָ֥יו מֵעַבְדֵ֣י מֵעַבְדֵ֤י מֵעַבְדֵ֥י מֵעַבְדֵ֨י מעבדי מעבדיו מעבדיך מעבדך עֲ֝בָדָ֗יו עֲ֠בָדַי עֲ֭בָדֶיךָ עֲ֭בָדָיו עֲבָדִ֑ים עֲבָדִ֔ים עֲבָדִ֖ים עֲבָדִ֛ים עֲבָדִ֡ים עֲבָדִ֣ים עֲבָדִֽ֑ים׃ עֲבָדִֽים׃ עֲבָדִים֙ עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ עֲבָדֶ֗יךָ עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ עֲבָדֶ֙ךָ֙ עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ עֲבָדֶ֛ךָ עֲבָדֶ֜יךָ עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ עֲבָדֶ֥יךָ עֲבָדֶ֥יךָֽ עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ עֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃ עֲבָדֶיךָ֩ עֲבָדֶיךָ֮ עֲבָדַ֔י עֲבָדַ֖י עֲבָדַ֛י עֲבָדַ֣י עֲבָדַ֤י עֲבָדַ֤י ׀ עֲבָדַ֥י עֲבָדַי֙ עֲבָדָ֑יו עֲבָדָ֔יו עֲבָדָ֖יו עֲבָדָ֗ו עֲבָדָ֗יו עֲבָדָ֛יו עֲבָדָ֜יו עֲבָדָ֣יו עֲבָדָ֣יו ׀ עֲבָדָ֤יו עֲבָדָ֥יו עֲבָדָ֧יו עֲבָדָ֨יו עֲבָדָֽיו׃ עֲבָדָיו֒ עֲבָדָיו֙ עֲבָדָיו֩ עֲבָדָיו֮ עֶ֔בֶד עֶ֖בֶד עֶ֗בֶד עֶ֙בֶד֙ עֶ֚בֶד עֶ֛בֶד עֶ֜בֶד עֶ֣בֶד עֶ֣בֶד ׀ עֶ֤֥בֶד עֶ֤בֶד עֶ֥בֶד עֶ֨בֶד עֶ֭בֶד עֶֽבֶד־ עַ֝בְדְּךָ֗ עַ֠בְדִּי עַ֠בְדֶּךָ עַ֫בְדֶּ֥ךָ עַ֭בְדְּךָ עַ֭בְדִּי עַבְדְּךָ֑ עַבְדְּךָ֔ עַבְדְּךָ֖ עַבְדְּךָ֗ עַבְדְּךָ֙ עַבְדְּךָ֛ עַבְדְּךָ֜ עַבְדְּךָ֡ עַבְדְּךָ֣ עַבְדְּךָ֣ ׀ עַבְדְּךָ֤ עַבְדְּךָ֤֨ עַבְדְּךָ֥ עַבְדְּךָ֧ עַבְדְּךָ֨ עַבְדְּךָ־ עַבְדְּכֶ֑ם עַבְדְּכֶ֤ם עַבְדִּ֑י עַבְדִּ֔י עַבְדִּ֖י עַבְדִּ֗י עַבְדִּ֜י עַבְדִּ֣י עַבְדִּ֤י עַבְדִּ֥י עַבְדִּ֨י עַבְדִּֽי׃ עַבְדִּי֒ עַבְדִּי֙ עַבְדִּי־ עַבְדֵ֖י עַבְדֵ֛י עַבְדֵ֣י עַבְדֵ֤י עַבְדֵ֥י עַבְדֵ֧י עַבְדֵ֨י עַבְדֵֽי־ עַבְדֵי֩ עַבְדֵי־ עַבְדֵיהֶ֤ם עַבְדֵיכֶ֣ם עַבְדֵיכֶם֩ עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ עַבְדֶּ֔ךָ עַבְדֶּ֗ךָ עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ עַבְדּ֑וֹ עַבְדּ֔וֹ עַבְדּ֖וֹ עַבְדּ֗וֹ עַבְדּ֛וֹ עַבְדּ֜וֹ עַבְדּ֞וֹ עַבְדּ֣וֹ עַבְדּ֥וֹ עַבְדְּךָ֔ עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ עַבְדּֽוֹ׃ עַבְדּוֹ֙ עָ֑בֶד עָ֔בֶד עָֽבֶד׃ עבד עבד־ עבד׃ עבדו עבדו׃ עבדי עבדי־ עבדי׃ עבדיהם עבדיו עבדיו׃ עבדיך עבדיך׃ עבדיכם עבדים עבדים׃ עבדך עבדך־ עבדך׃ עבדכם ‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw ‘ă·ḇā·ḏay ‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā ‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm ‘ā·ḇeḏ ‘aḇ·ḏê ‘aḇ·ḏê- ‘aḇ·ḏê·hem ‘aḇ·de·ḵā ‘aḇ·də·ḵā ‘aḇ·də·ḵā- ‘aḇ·də·ḵem ‘aḇ·ḏê·ḵem ‘aḇ·dî ‘aḇ·dî- ‘aḇ·dōw ‘ăḇāḏāw ‘ăḇāḏay ‘ăḇāḏeḵā ‘ăḇāḏîm ‘aḇḏê ‘aḇḏê- ‘aḇḏêhem ‘aḇdeḵā ‘aḇdəḵā ‘aḇdəḵā- ‘aḇdəḵem ‘aḇḏêḵem ‘aḇdî ‘aḇdî- ‘aḇdōw ‘āḇeḏ ‘e·ḇeḏ ‘e·ḇeḏ- ‘eḇeḏ ‘eḇeḏ- avaDai avaDav avaDecha avaDeicha avaDim avDecha avdeChem avDei avdeiChem avdeiHem avDi avDo Aved ba‘ăḇāḏāw ba·‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw Baavadav bə‘aḇdeḵā bə‘aḇdəḵā ḇə‘aḇdəḵā bə‘aḇdî bə‘aḇdōw bə·‘aḇ·de·ḵā bə·‘aḇ·də·ḵā ḇə·‘aḇ·də·ḵā bə·‘aḇ·dî bə·‘aḇ·dōw beavDecha beavDi beavDo Eved hā‘ăḇāḏîm ha‘eḇeḏ hā‘eḇeḏ hā·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm ha·‘e·ḇeḏ hā·‘e·ḇeḏ haavaDim haEved ka‘ăḇāḏîm ka‘eḇeḏ ka·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm ka·‘e·ḇeḏ kaavaDim kaEved kə‘aḇdî kə‘eḇeḏ kə·‘aḇ·dî kə·‘e·ḇeḏ keavDi keEved la‘ăḇāḏāw la‘ăḇāḏeḵā la‘ăḇāḏîm la·‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw la·‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā la·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm laavaDav laavaDeicha laavaDim lə‘aḇḏêhem lə‘aḇdeḵā lə‘aḇdəḵā lə‘aḇdî lə‘eḇeḏ lə‘eḇeḏ- lə·‘aḇ·ḏê·hem lə·‘aḇ·de·ḵā lə·‘aḇ·də·ḵā lə·‘aḇ·dî lə·‘e·ḇeḏ lə·‘e·ḇeḏ- leavdeCha leavdeiHem leavDi leEved mê‘ăḇāḏāw mê‘ăḇāḏeḵā mê‘aḇḏê mê‘aḇdeḵā mê·‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw mê·‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā mê·‘aḇ·ḏê mê·‘aḇ·de·ḵā meavaDav meavaDeicha meavDecha meavDei ū·ḇa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā ū·lə·‘aḇ·də·ḵā ū·mê·‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā ūḇa‘ăḇāḏeḵā ūlə‘aḇdəḵā uleavdeCha ūmê‘ăḇāḏeḵā umeavaDeicha uvaavaDeicha vaavaDai vaavaDav vaavaDeicha vaavaDeiha vaavaDim veavdeCha veavDei veavdeiChem veavDi veavDo veEved velaavaDav velaavaDeicha wa‘ăḇāḏāw wa‘ăḇāḏay wa‘ăḇāḏehā wa‘ăḇāḏeḵā wa‘ăḇāḏim wa‘ăḇāḏîm wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏay wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·hā wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏim wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm wə‘aḇḏê wə‘aḇdəḵā wə‘aḇdəḵā- wə‘aḇḏêḵem wə‘aḇdî wə‘aḇdōw wə‘eḇeḏ wə·‘aḇ·ḏê wə·‘aḇ·də·ḵā wə·‘aḇ·də·ḵā- wə·‘aḇ·ḏê·ḵem wə·‘aḇ·dî wə·‘aḇ·dōw wə·‘e·ḇeḏ wə·la·‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw wə·la·‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā wəla‘ăḇāḏāw wəla‘ăḇāḏeḵā