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The Living Words: Sabbath

This article is an xcerpt from Mr. Benner's book The Living Words.


Six days you will serve (avad) and do all your business (melakah). Exodus 20:9

In this verse are the words עבד avad [H:5647], meaning serve, and מלאכה melakhah [H:4399], meaning business. Just as God did his business in six days, he directs Israel to do the same.

But the seventh day is the shabbat of Yahweh your Elohiym, you will not do any business... Exodus 20:10

The word שבת shabbat [H:7676] is always transliterated as "sabbath" and most assume it is simply a name for the day of the week and are unaware this word has a meaning. It is derived from the verb שבת shavat [H:7673] meaning "to cease or stop." The noun shabbat is a time of ceasing and, as stated in the above verse, the seventh day is a time for ceasing business. This verse also states it is the "shabbat of Yahweh Elohiym" in reference to Genesis 2:2.

And Elohiym finished his business which he did on the seventh day and he ceased (shavat) in the seventh day from all his business which he did.

The word "ceased" in this passage is the verb shavat , the root of the word shabbat.

We previously studied the Hebrew verb שוב shuv [H:7725], meaning "to turn." The parent root to this word is שב shav and would have been written as in the ancient pictographic script. The , a picture of teeth (The name of the letter is shin and is derived from the word שן sheyn [H:8127] meaning tooth.), represents the idea of pressing as when pressing on food with the teeth when chewing. The is a picture of the nomadic tent. When combined, these mean to "press to the tent/house" or "return." This parent root is also the root of the word שבת shabbat [H:7676] with the letter ת. This letter is written as in the pictographic script and represents a sign or mark (The name of the letter is tav and is derived from the word תו tav [H:8420] meaning mark.) as well as a covenant.

Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. Exodus 31:16,17 (ASV)

On the seventh day, Israel "returns () to the covenant ()."


Ancient Hebrew Alphabet and Language



Related Pages by Jeff A. Benner


TheThe Living Words (Book)
A study of Hebrew words in the Old and New Testament from their original Hebraic perspective.


TheThe Living Words - Introduction (Article)
An introduction to Mr. Benner's book The Living Words expounding on the Ancient Hebrew culture and philosophy.


TheThe Living Words: Perfect (Article)
Excerpt from Mr. Benner's Book "The Living Words" and examining the Hebrew word for perfect.