Quick Definition
to serve
Strong's Definition
to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.
Derivation: a primitive root;
KJV Usage: [idiom] be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, [phrase] husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve(-ing, self), (be, become) servant(-s), do (use) service, till(-er), transgress (from margin), (set a) work, be wrought, worshipper,
TWOT Reference: 1553
Outline of Biblical Usage
Septuagint (LXX) Greek Equivalents
This Hebrew word is translated by the following Greek words in the Septuagint:
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Hebrew Lexicon
עָבַד (a.vad) — to serve. : serve[someone] 1) to work, serve 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to labour, work, do work 1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour 1a3) to serve as subjects 1a4) to serve (God) 1a5) to serve (with Levitical service) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be worked, be tilled (of land) 1b2) to make oneself a servant 1c) (Pual) to be worked 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve 1d2) to cause to serve as subjects 1e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve
עָבַד (a.vad) — to serve: minister. : minister/serve[God/tabernacle/temple]/worship 1) to work, serve 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to labour, work, do work 1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour 1a3) to serve as subjects 1a4) to serve (God) 1a5) to serve (with Levitical service) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be worked, be tilled (of land) 1b2) to make oneself a servant 1c) (Pual) to be worked 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve 1d2) to cause to serve as subjects 1e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve
עָבַד (a.vad) — to serve: labour. : labour/do(work) 1) to work, serve 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to labour, work, do work 1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour 1a3) to serve as subjects 1a4) to serve (God) 1a5) to serve (with Levitical service) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be worked, be tilled (of land) 1b2) to make oneself a servant 1c) (Pual) to be worked 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve 1d2) to cause to serve as subjects 1e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve
עָבַד (a.vad) — to serve: burden. : burden 1) to work, serve 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to labour, work, do work 1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour 1a3) to serve as subjects 1a4) to serve (God) 1a5) to serve (with Levitical service) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be worked, be tilled (of land) 1b2) to make oneself a servant 1c) (Pual) to be worked 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve 1d2) to cause to serve as subjects 1e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve
UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew
verb · מַעֲבָד · עֲבָד · עֶבֶד · עֲבֹדָה · עֲבֻדָּה · עַבְדוּת · עֲבִידַה · עֶבֶד · עֶבֶד־מֶלֶךְ · עֲבֵד נְגֹו · עֹבֵד אֱדֹם · עַבְדָּא · עַבְדְּאֵל · עַבְדֹּון · עֹבַדְיָה · עֹבַדְיָהוּ · עֹובֵד
Serve | verb qal
to serve (someone) = state in which humans, either as individuals or as groups, are in a position of subservience towards (other) individuals or groups, which is normally accompanied by a number of duties, tasks and obligations
GEN 14:4 · GEN 15:13 · GEN 15:14 · GEN 25:23 · GEN 27:29 · GEN 27:40 · GEN 29:15 · GEN 29:18 · GEN 30:26 · GEN 30:29 · GEN 31:6 · GEN 31:41 · EXO 14:5 · EXO 14:12 · EXO 14:12 · EXO 21:2 · EXO 21:6 · DEU 15:12 · DEU 15:18 · DEU 20:11 · DEU 28:48 · JDG 3:8 · JDG 3:14 · JDG 9:28 · JDG 9:28 · JDG 9:28 · JDG 9:38 · 1SA 4:9 · 1SA 4:9 · 1SA 11:1 · 1SA 12:10 · 1SA 17:9 · 2SA 10:19 · 2SA 16:19 · 2SA 16:19 · 2SA 22:44 · 1KI 5:1 · 1KI 12:4 · 1KI 12:7 · 2KI 18:7 · 2KI 25:24 · 1CH 19:19 · 2CH 10:4 · JOB 39:9 · PSA 18:44 · PSA 72:11 · ISA 60:12 · JER 25:11 · JER 27:6 · JER 27:7 · JER 27:8 · JER 27:9 · JER 27:11 · JER 27:11 · JER 27:12 · JER 27:13 · JER 27:14 · JER 27:17 · JER 28:14 · JER 28:14 · JER 34:14 · JER 40:9 · JER 40:9 · MAL 3:17
Serve | verb hif
to make (someone) serve (someone else) = causative action by which deities cause humans, either as individuals or as groups, to assume a position of subservience towards (other) individuals or groups, which normally accompanied by a number of duties, tasks and obligations
Serve | verb qal
to serve, worship (a deity) = action by which humans, either as individuals or as groups, assume a position of subservience towards a deity, perform the required rituals, and live in accordance with the requirements of that deity
EXO 3:12 · EXO 4:23 · EXO 7:16 · EXO 7:26 · EXO 8:16 · EXO 9:1 · EXO 9:13 · EXO 10:3 · EXO 10:7 · EXO 10:8 · EXO 10:11 · EXO 10:24 · EXO 10:26 · EXO 10:26 · EXO 12:31 · EXO 20:5 · EXO 23:24 · EXO 23:25 · EXO 23:33 · DEU 4:19 · DEU 4:28 · DEU 5:9 · DEU 6:13 · DEU 7:4 · DEU 7:16 · DEU 8:19 · DEU 10:12 · DEU 10:20 · DEU 11:13 · DEU 11:16 · DEU 12:2 · DEU 12:30 · DEU 13:3 · DEU 13:5 · DEU 13:7 · DEU 13:14 · DEU 17:3 · DEU 28:14 · DEU 28:36 · DEU 28:47 · DEU 28:64 · DEU 29:17 · DEU 29:25 · DEU 30:17 · DEU 31:20 · JOS 22:5 · JOS 23:7 · JOS 23:16 · JOS 24:2 · JOS 24:14 · JOS 24:14 · JOS 24:14 · JOS 24:15 · JOS 24:15 · JOS 24:15 · JOS 24:15 · JOS 24:16 · JOS 24:18 · JOS 24:19 · JOS 24:20 · JOS 24:21 · JOS 24:22 · JOS 24:24 · JOS 24:31 · JDG 2:7 · JDG 2:11 · JDG 2:13 · JDG 2:19 · JDG 3:6 · JDG 3:7 · JDG 10:6 · JDG 10:6 · JDG 10:10 · JDG 10:13 · JDG 10:16 · 1SA 7:3 · 1SA 7:4 · 1SA 8:8 · 1SA 12:10 · 1SA 12:14 · 1SA 12:20 · 1SA 12:24 · 1SA 26:19 · 2SA 15:8 · 1KI 9:6 · 1KI 9:9 · 1KI 16:31 · 1KI 22:54 · 2KI 10:18 · 2KI 10:18 · 2KI 10:19 · 2KI 10:19 · 2KI 10:21 · 2KI 10:22 · 2KI 10:23 · 2KI 10:23 · 2KI 17:12 · 2KI 17:16 · 2KI 17:33 · 2KI 17:35 · 2KI 17:41 · 2KI 21:3 · 2KI 21:21 · 2KI 21:21 · 1CH 28:9 · 2CH 7:19 · 2CH 7:22 · 2CH 24:18 · 2CH 30:8 · 2CH 33:3 · 2CH 33:16 · 2CH 33:22 · 2CH 34:33 · 2CH 35:3 · NEH 9:35 · JOB 21:15 · JOB 36:11 · PSA 2:11 · PSA 22:31 · PSA 97:7 · PSA 100:2 · PSA 102:23 · PSA 106:36 · ISA 19:21 · ISA 19:23 · JER 2:20 · JER 5:19 · JER 5:19 · JER 8:2 · JER 11:10 · JER 13:10 · JER 16:11 · JER 16:13 · JER 22:9 · JER 25:6 · JER 30:9 · JER 35:15 · JER 44:3 · EZK 20:39 · EZK 20:40 · ZEP 3:9 · MAL 3:14 · MAL 3:18 · MAL 3:18
Serve | verb hif
to make (someone) worship (a deity) = causative action by which someone in authority causes humans, either as individuals or as groups, to assume a position of subservience towards a deity, perform the required rituals, and live in accordance with the requirements of that deity
Care | verb qal, verb nif, verb pu'al
to work, to till, to plow (soil, flax), to dress (a vineyard) literally, to "serve"; therefore = action by which workers prepare land of planting and harvesting; also refers to caring for a vineyard, processing linen, or using cattle for working the land
GEN 2:5 · GEN 2:15 · GEN 3:23 · GEN 4:2 · GEN 4:12 · DEU 15:19 · DEU 21:3 · DEU 21:4 · DEU 28:39 · 2SA 9:10 · PRO 12:11 · PRO 28:19 · ECC 5:8 · ISA 19:9 · ISA 30:24 · EZK 36:9 · EZK 36:34 · EZK 48:19 · ZEC 13:5
Diligent | verb qal
to do work, to labor = action or pattern of actions by which humans make a physical effort towards a certain goal
GEN 29:20 · GEN 29:25 · GEN 29:27 · GEN 29:30 · EXO 5:18 · EXO 20:9 · EXO 34:21 · LEV 25:40 · DEU 5:13 · ECC 5:11 · EZK 29:18 · EZK 29:20 · EZK 48:18 · EZK 48:19 · HOS 12:13
Diligent | verb hif
to cause (someone) to work, to make (someone) labor = causative action by which humans cause other humans to make a physical effort towards a certain goal
Weak | verb hif
to burden literally: to cause (someone) to serve; hence: = causative action by which deities cause humans to weary themselves out by making excessive demands
Serve | verb qal
Collocation: עבד עֲבֹודָה
to carry out a task, to serve, to do work, to minister = action by which a person provides a service ► for a specific purpose or on behalf of another
GEN 30:26 · EXO 13:5 · NUM 3:7 · NUM 3:8 · NUM 4:23 · NUM 4:24 · NUM 4:26 · NUM 4:30 · NUM 4:37 · NUM 4:41 · NUM 4:47 · NUM 7:5 · NUM 8:11 · NUM 8:15 · NUM 8:19 · NUM 8:22 · NUM 8:25 · NUM 8:26 · NUM 16:9 · NUM 18:6 · NUM 18:7 · NUM 18:21 · NUM 18:23 · JOS 22:27 · ISA 28:21
Serve | verb qal, verb pu'al
to make (someone) a slave or servant, to make (someone) serve or work, to enslave = causative action by which someone in authority causes others to assume a position of subservience and carry out specific duties, tasks, and obligations
EXO 1:14 · LEV 25:39 · LEV 25:46 · ISA 14:3 · JER 22:13 · JER 25:14 · JER 27:7 · JER 30:8 · JER 34:9 · JER 34:10 · EZK 34:27
verb
Exist | verb pe'al
to make, to create, to produce, to build = causative action by which human or deities produce an object, either personally or by others on behalf of them
Engage | verb pe'al, verb hitpe'el
to do, to perform, to commit, to practice, to observe, to celebrate, to keep = action by which humans or deities engage in a particular action
EZR 4:15 · EZR 4:19 · EZR 4:22 · EZR 5:8 · EZR 6:8 · EZR 6:11 · EZR 6:12 · EZR 6:13 · EZR 6:16 · EZR 7:18 · EZR 7:18 · EZR 7:21 · EZR 7:23 · EZR 7:26 · EZR 7:26 · DAN 3:32 · DAN 4:32 · DAN 4:32 · DAN 5:1 · DAN 6:11 · DAN 6:23 · DAN 6:28 · DAN 7:21
1 JER 15:14 MT הַעְַבַרְתִּי NJPS "I will bring" = עבר 2 JER 2:20 MT-K אעבד | MT-Q אֶעְֶבוֹר = עבר 3 EZR 6:11 MT נְוָלוּ יִתְעְַבֵד RSV NRSV ESV "shall be made a dunghill" NIV "is to be made a pile of rubble" NJB "to be reduced to a rubbish-heap" REB "to be razed to the ground" GNT "to be made a rubbish heap" CEV "turned into a rubbish dump" = [2c] | LXX "τὸ κατ´ ἐμὲ ποιηθήσεται" VUL "publicetur" NJPS "confiscated" = [2b]
UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon
עָבַד 290 vb. work, serve Qal labour, work, do work
work for another, serve him by labour
serve as subjects
serve God
serve י׳ with Levitical service
Niph. be tilled, of land
dub. cultivated field
Pu. worked
Hiph. compel to labour as slaves
make to serve as subjects
cause to serve God
Hoph. be led or enticed to serve
base